Tactics – Possession Football

Tactics – Possession football

The main objective in football is to score goals but teams can approach the task of scoring goals with different styles of play. Many teams today prefer to keep possession of the ball for prolonged periods of time (Arsenal and Barcelona come to mind) thus drawing their opponents out of position and exploiting the newly created space to put them under further pressure higher up the pitch.

Retaining possession of the ball by passing it around for prolonged periods of time during a game is often dubbed “possession football”. The aim of possession football is twofold – firstly, to frustrate the opposition and draw them out of position as they chase after the ball, and secondly to tire your opposition and impact their stamina as they chase the ball – allowing the passing team to control the flow of the game.

As opposing players get drawn out of position in their attempt to chase and gain control of the ball, the attacking team can launch a more direct attack and exploit the newly created space thus capitalizing on their opponent’s loss of formation.

Retaining possession of the ball is a key facet of the game of football and should be emphasized from a young age. Coaches should pay particular attention to the following issues as they put their players through their paces in possession training:

1. Positional awareness is essential and must be stressed from the start. Players should learn to create space for themselves without the ball, making themselves available to receive the ball. Players should also learn to observe the position of teammates and opposing players as the game progresses to help them make better decisions on who to pass the ball to.

2. Players should work on accurate passing not only to feet but to the advantage of the receiving player. If a receiving player is with his back to goal, the passer should aim the ball to the foot on the side where the receiver should turn, effectively handing the advantage to the receiving player as he turns towards goal.

3. A good first touch is essential in possession football. Players should regularly work on their first touch and ball control by playing 5-a-sides in restricted space, learning to trap the ball from long and short passes and juggling the ball.

4. The passer should place correct weight on the ball paying particular attention to not over or underhit the ball as they pass to the receiver.

A good first touch and good passing ability are key to successful possession football as the great Yohan Cruyff (Netherlands) who dominated European and World football in the 1970s (European Footballer of the year 1971, 1973, 1974) and was thought of by many as the true successor to the great Pele (Brazil) once said “a footballer needs just two things – a good first touch and passing“.