pressure difference

[dethfire]

When I watch soccer on tv, it seems to me like players have alot of time on the ball. For example, when a team brings he ball up from the back, they usually pass it around and switch it easily. Things obviously tighten up in the last third, but most teams allow fairly free play in the first two thirds. however in all my mens game, it's super high pressure and very tight marking everywhere. why don't the pros mark tightly and pressure hard?

i think it may be a matter of ball control and pass precision. whereas my team league does not pass the ball as accurately or have as a good first touch so people can close faster?

[Aussie_Man_Utd]

Pros are more skillful than us. By the time we close them down they'll already have released the ball to his teammate. While in your league its more likely players aren't as skillfull and they're brains don't work as quickly as pros and they'll lose possession once they're closed down. If pros close down all the time they'll be dragged out of position and it'll leave gaps in the defense.

[ranova]

...why don't the pros mark tightly and pressure hard?

They do. What you are referring to is a low pressure defense (aka delayed high pressure defense). It is similar to a half court press in basketball versus a full court press. It is more sophisticated than just defending every inch of the field. What the defense is doing by allowing the attack to advance into the middle third of the field before applying pressure is to create space behind the defense. Then on transition the attack has much more opportunities than if the ball is turned over while the opponent is still compact in their defensive third. For the same reason possession oriented teams will, if no high percentage chance is gained, pass the ball back and retreat up field drawing the defense into the middle of the field so that they can attempt to penetrate again.

One typical variation of the low pressure defense is to allow the outside back to advance with the ball into the middle third of the field before trapping him with two players along the line. The idea is to isolate the back from the back line and force him to make a low percentage pass for the turnover. His easy advance along the line is the very thing that distances him from support by the other backs.

PS: In my opinion the biggest difference between levels of play is the speed of play. This is directly related to skills. It takes more skill to play at a faster pace. Tactics are pretty much the same at all levels.

[garethchelsea]

That is a brilliant sensible reply I'd asay reply of the year (sensible reply) as you have covered everythng that need to be covered.

[snolly g]

Pros are more skillful than us. By the time we close them down they'll already have released the ball to his teammate. While in your league its more likely players aren't as skillfull and they're brains don't work as quickly as pros and they'll lose possession once they're closed down. If pros close down all the time they'll be dragged out of position and it'll leave gaps in the defense.

i agree.

at the pro level, defenders aren't going to be bothered by pressure because they have enough awareness to know what their outlets are and enough skill to clear the ball on a first touch (or even distribute on a first touch). this means it's a waste of energy to pressure tightly in hopes that the defender will turn over the ball.

the leagues i play in are all recreational. generally, the defenders aren't as good, so it's worth it to pressure because there's a much, much better chance (30-50%) at winning the ball--and even better odds at a poor clearance or pass.

[yufu14]

This is due to the fact that Pros have made a decision of what to do long before they have the ball at their feet. They constantly look around the field and think, what would they do if they got the ball in the next pass. At the same time however, if something goes wrong, they can adjust and they are very unpredictable in their decisions. Just take Ronaldinho for example. The defenders don't pressure him, he pressures the defense.

[nymetrobulls]

They are playing low pressure in their attack half because it doesn't bother them to let the other team play the ball around in the back. Keep it tight in the midfield and they will have no where to go, and be forced to play a long ball over the top which your team can win in the air.

[ChrisSSBB]

I agree with all of the comments above. One other thing I would add is that the conditions of many rec fields are such that it is worth it to pressure the defense more as a bad bounce can occur at any time. The few times that we get to play on a decent pitch, it is much, much easier to work it around the back and pass the opposing teams forwards out of the play.

[ReadyToDoIt]

Chris sooooooooo true.

when i played for my LOI u21 team we play on top pitches so all the defense and midfield can pass the ball around without thinking the ball is going to hit a bump and therefore make the ball receiver miss the ball, and give possession up.
but when i play for my sunday league mens team, its not that there is a huge difference in skill (some older players on the team, played professionally) its just that the pitches being played on, are not the pitches suitable for slick passing, its more of a long ball game.

I'd like to see arsenal play on a terrible pitch, see how they do!

[garethchelsea]

Thats the thing I hate about pro footballers they say that the pitch was bad when there is like one bobbly bit on the whole pitch and blame their loss ( if they loose ) on the pitch, its like theyv'e never played on a pitch that isn't a carpet.

[appleCORR7]

Haha, I think a lot of professional footballers have just forgotten by now where they started out. But i get to play and train on nice pitches and i have to say they are much nicer to play games on than bobbled pitches!!

appleCORR

[dethfire]

this is why I like indoor some times, much easier to play and be skillful. a bad outdoor field can negate any advantage in skill between teams

[BigGuy]

When I watch soccer on tv, it seems to me like players have alot of time on the ball. For example, when a team brings he ball up from the back, they usually pass it around and switch it easily. Things obviously tighten up in the last third, but most teams allow fairly free play in the first two thirds. however in all my mens game, it's super high pressure and very tight marking everywhere. why don't the pros mark tightly and pressure hard?

i think it may be a matter of ball control and pass precision. whereas my team league does not pass the ball as accurately or have as a good first touch so people can close faster?

Yes, it is also better ball movement by team mates that make a 15 yard pass look open when just before it was congested space.

[garethchelsea]

Haha, I think a lot of professional footballers have just forgotten by now where they started out. But i get to play and train on nice pitches and i have to say they are much nicer to play games on than bobbled pitches!!

appleCORR

True I don't know what I'm complaining about I play on a amazing pitch now no bobbles or anything just a slight slope.

[rca2]

Bad pitch is no excuse for not making short passes. Just keep the passes low and off the ground and the bad pitch is not a factor.

[Royce]

The reason you "feel" pressure on you is because of the percieved lack of time, and this forces a quick (& usually) poor decision with the ball.

The pros are much less effected by pressure because (like someone else mentioned) they are thinking 2 or 3 steps ahead of an "amature" player.

Keep in mind that when you are being pressured, it is at a much slower pace then the pros play at, yet it still will feel lightning quick in your mind. This can be improved through practice, getting more comfortable on the ball & getting more insync with your teammates positions/actions on the pitch.


I kind of relate it to playing a video game for the first time. A new game most likely will "feel" very fast & you won't be comfortable on it, but after you "practice" for a long period of time it won't seem a fast. It isn't because the game has physically "slowed down", it is because you are used to the pace/feel of the game.

It works the same way in soccer.


When I first started out playing with my adult outdoor team I was shocked at the frantic pace, and how quickly defenders closed down on the ball.....but after months of practice/matches I now feel like I have time (sometime eons of time) on the ball. Our opponents didn't magically start closing down slower, I just became more comfortable on the ball & with my teammates, hence reducing the perceived lack of time/space.

Sorry to ramble, but I hope that makes some sense.


Cheers, Royce