flat back four

[blech]

i'm persuaded that the flat back four is generally a better system than the sweeper system that i grew up playing. any advice re specific drills to work on the communication and switching that can be necessary for this to be successful?

thanks

[schmuckatelli]

i'm persuaded that the flat back four is generally a better system than the sweeper system that i grew up playing. any advice re specific drills to work on the communication and switching that can be necessary for this to be successful?

thanks
You are correct, it's generally accepted that the flat back is a better system than the sweeper-stopper... in the right circumstances. If you tend to use the same four players mostly in the same defensive positions, then it is much better. They will train together, learn each other's habits and generally play effectively together. If you substitute liberally in the back, to a point where the guys may not know each other's ways as well... it may not be as effective. This is because the flat back four requires a higher level of cooperation and team-play than sweeper-stopper does.

That said, you want to get the players to play together, as a unit, with gaps of no more than 10-12 yards between them. I've seen coaches literally tether the back four together for some simple movement drills to get a sense of cohesion (albeit forced). You'll have to get them out of the mindset of "marking" and into the mindset of "Delay/deny/destroy." The first defender is there for pressure on the ball; the second provides cover for the first (defending in depth); the third and fourth provide support (defending in width).

Some drills to do this involve communication and movement together. You can start with having a single attacking player move toward the back four. The first defender moves to the ball and calls "Pressure!" The second move to support and calls "Cover!" The third and fourth move to supporting positions and call "Support!" Add one or two more attacking players (with instructions to move the ball side-to-side and backward, not so much to penetrate). Watch the defensive shape, and work to stamp out large gaps. Pretty soon you can send five or even six attackers at the defense (w/ a GK behind them), allowing penetration, and they can repell the attack. Coaching points: keep communicating every time the ball moves, move every time the ball moves, keep a good shape and distance, keep pressure on the ball. Then go to full-sided and see if they keep this up under game conditions.
Good luck!

[usscouse]

i'm persuaded that the flat back four is generally a better system than the sweeper system that i grew up playing. any advice re specific drills to work on the communication and switching that can be necessary for this to be successful?

thanksAll of what schmuckatelli said!
I use it so two players can move to cover an attack on the wing, one of the mids 'must' stay in the center and the other wing back has to move in but stay where he can counter a switch of play.
**One essential of the flat four is a really good defensive half back, someone who can anticipate the danger and act as a stopper/holder in front of the backs.** Just like the 'center half' of old.
Without him the flat four is a picket fence with seams for a fast forward.
That's why I like the diamond mid, two good attacking/defending wingers who do a "lot" of running. (That's what subs are for) and an attacking mid, "the general" someone who controls the tempo of the attack and knows the seams and zones for forward passing.
We have one of these and two really fast forwards who often catch the opposing defence flat footed as the ball gets behind them. "Joey the Red" scored 5 one game this way (U14's) while "little Joey" is the general. Our left striker is also the 'go to man/the target'. who can also track back if we need help.

Goal

WRB------RCB------LCB------LWB
DHB
RWH-------------------------LWH
AHB
----------LSF
RSF

[blech]

thanks to you both - been using the flat back four with the d-mid from the diamond and has been working reasonably well thus far (notwithstanding that parents and others continue to ask why we don't have a "sweeper" like most other teams) - to their credit, they seem to have picked it up much more quickly than i anticipated