If a team decides to apply pressure on the ball, they have to coordinate their off the ball actions in order to be successful. A team might get away with winning the ball with rogue, individual actions against the balls, but not consistently, for long.

Many teams start running towards the ball mindlessly, without a clear idea of their pressing approach. There are several questions for the players to answer in order for the press to work on a team tactical level.

When do we press?

Where do we press?

Which players should we vary our pressing approach around?

Which on the ball actions should we vary our pressing approach around?

What angles should we press from?

Why? I use this question to think about the external factors. In a league game vs a poorer team you might press differently in the exact situation as in a knockout cup game. The scoreboard, the quality of the pitch, the mentality, all of these externals might play a role in altering your pressing game.

Football is a player focused game. Coaches can’t make decisions for their players. The players have to understand the principles behind decision making. Recognize cues, choose the important ones, make the right decision and carry it out in a split second.

A pressing phase can create a number of chaotic, messy situations for the defending team to deal with. The first pressing player gets dribbled past. The central defender plays an unexpected long ball, we have to fight for the second ball.

Since so many chaotic situations are possible - and even common - it is a must for players to understand their relationship to the most important reference points in pressing.

In this article I will give you examples of how I like to think about the relationships between players and reference points during the press.

Key

The key for any press is to meet the ball. There has to come a moment when the ball gets under pressure. In order for this to happen, the pressing team has to do two things:

Direct the ball into the pressure moment. Encourage actions that get the ball closer to the moment of pressure.

the ball into the pressure moment. Encourage actions that get the ball closer to the moment of pressure. Prevent actions with a high probability of playing through the lines.

Let’s see examples of these two action types!

Directing and preventing:

One example for each reference point (space, opponent, own teammate, ball)

Directing

Space: Classic example would be to of encourage passes to the sideline. The opponent’s options are limited by the sideline, so it is easier to terminate the attack there.

Right footed left central defender. Close the option to pass diagonally to the six, encourage a less comfortable pass angle.

Opponent: Individual players might have a preference of which leg to use. If the nearest defender positions himself to offer a pass with the opponent’s weaker leg, he naturally encourages an action with a lower probability of success. Therefore the next action might not be as high quality either.

A good example would be when a right footed player plays as the left central defender. By cutting out passes to his right side, we take away his strongest possible actions.

Striker attacks from the side, 8 has to read the situation, close down the option for a vertical pass.

Own teammate: The angle at which the teammate closes down the ball gives a cue to the player a line behind him about which passing lane to cut out, which one to offer. Although it is less and less common in top level football, sometimes you can still see the striker attacking the central defender from the side, leaving the vertical corridor open. In order to prevent a pass from breaking multiple lines, the number 8 has to cover this direction — unless they want to trap and encourage this pass.

The angle at which the teammate closes down the ball gives a cue to the player a line behind him about which passing lane to cut out, which one to offer. Although it is less and less common in top level football, sometimes you can still see the striker attacking the central defender from the side, leaving the vertical corridor open. In order to prevent a pass from breaking multiple lines, the number 8 has to cover this direction — unless they want to trap and encourage this pass. Ball: The best example of directing according to the position of the ball is how the defense moves during a full press. Moving up and pushing out in order to keep the team compact, and the effective playing space minimal. If this is done well, the termination phase is just a formality.

Small distances between the players horizontally, vertically and diagonally result in the best possible access, giving the defending team the best chance to collect second balls.

I have a feeling that a good directing phase is a necessary prerequisite for a successful termination phase. Occasionally you might win the ball with an individual action, without being ready to press team tactically. However it is not enough to rely on these in order to operate a successful press with consistency.

Preventing

If we want to direct the opponent into the situation where we can terminate the attack, we need to prevent actions that allow them to play through our directing phase.

While directing we are deciding the direction and type of football actions for them. If they suddenly decide on another type of action, which is entirely out of what we intended for them, they can suddenly destroy out whole directing phase.

Previously we were proactive, in the driving seat. Now they turned the whole situation on its head, and they are proactive. We have to react to their actions. We want to prevent this at all cost.

Hence the name preventing.

Space: As a default option, we want to prevent the opponent from playing into central spaces. The further away the ball is horizontally and vertically from our goal, the better.

Note: We have to ask ourselves, which are the most dangerous spaces for the opponent. This requires a holistic approach to analyzing their play. We have to understand the player quality, and why they try to play into certain spaces.

As a very simplistic example: Let’s say the opponent would have a big quality advantage if they were to get into a 2 v 2 situation on the sideline. So we don’t want to encourage playing to the side, even though this would be a good idea in most matches. On the other hand we have well drilled central defenders, who read long balls very well, and our two central midfielders have a excellent positional sense, allowing them to collect second balls. In this particular match, we might even encourage long balls to the striker. Even if we have to fight for second balls close to our goal, we have a much better chance than if we direct the opponent wide.

Opponent: The biggest danger is free players in situations where they can cause an advantage. Any type of advantage. The most obvious is a numerical advantage. However this can also mean a dynamic advantage or an overall positional advantage created for the opponent by the positioning of certain players.

For now let’s stay with the numerical advantage. How do we take away a numerical advantage? By negating the numerical advantage in dangerous zones, leaving a numerical advantage in less dangerous zones.

The example on the left is really common. When the fullback receives the ball the 6/8 will ask for the ball in the halfspace. Usually free, if the striker stays with the central defender. The trick is for the striker to move back just enough so that if the fullback passes to the midfielder, the striker can press from behind, and disrupt the action on the ball.

Ball: The most obvious one is somebody receiving the ball, and turning to the goal without pressure, in possession. This must be prevented at all costs. Once this happens, there is a large chance the defense will be exposed, especially if the player on the ball is capable. This is so dangerous, that in most cases we must foul the player on the ball.

The ball is the most important reference point in preventing. By being ball oriented, cutting out certain actions of the player in possession, we can negate other advantages on the field. For example:

By directing the ball in the other direction, we can take away a positional advantage.

By disturbing the passer, we can force him to play a worse pass, therefore giving more time for our teammate to close down a player whom otherwise would have a dynamic advantage. Maybe the receiving player would need an extra touch to receive instead of taking his first touch to the right direction and using his dynamic advantage, had the pass been of exquisite quality.

If everybody has an opponent in his zone.

Own teammate: It is crucial to keep compactness around the ball the moment your teammate attempts to prevent one action. There is a simple reason for this: your teammate might not be successful in his action. In case he attempts to press an opponent and prevent him from turning forward when he receives the ball, you have to be close to the next opponent, to prevent him in case he gets the ball. This is the case if you have an opponent in your zone.

If there is a numerical advantage in the wide zone, at the right moment one player can elave the zone and press the ball.

Another possibility is that you are free, your zone is not occupied by anyone. Then you can push up more and attempt to create a numerical advantage for your teammate in the preventive action.