How do you coach defending as team? At what points/landmarks are you giving them that triggers certain numbers be behind the ball? Is it as simple as, if you do not have possession players should be working to get goal side and inside a mark? Our team is struggling with the randomness of boot ball at the high school level. it's as if they get on their plant foot to move in a direction just to redirect in a split second. It's causing indecision.
What I prefer is teaching mainstream tactics to prepare the players for the senior game. With that in mind, almost everyone defends in their own half with a 442 shaped zone, 2 lines of 4 behind the ball. The line of confrontation is typically set at the the top of the center certain. Sometimes you see a varient but if the players know the typical, then it is easy to adjust to something else like a 4141 or 451. But that is not typical for high pressing or counterpressing. It is also not typical of defending in the danger area in front of the goal. First in the danger area in front of the goal, every defense becomes man to man, because it is too dangerous to not closely mark every attacker in front of the goal. This is just common sense and I have taught it to 8 year old novices back in the day that we played 11v11 with U10s. Now on pressing. It used to be many years ago that teams would press high for an entire possession. The modern trend to press high for only a short period, say a nominal 6 seconds, and if the ball is not won in that time, then drop back to the lower line of confrontation. I think that the modern trend comes about at the senior professional because the opponents are competent on the ball and very dangerous in the counter if the press is pushed until it breaks. This is not necessarily the circumstances at lower levels like high school. Some times that use a short duration press, will only press with 2 or 3 forwards. The idea is to isolate the player on the ball and then win it with numbers up 2 or 3 to 1. The rest of the team meanwhile is forming to defend at the lower line of confrontation. More often the the entire team will press, i.e., support the 2-3 forwards with balance and cover. For a teaching progression, I would start with this one as usually it is only a change to the line of confrontation from the defense used when not pressing. I like to, however, press in the attacking shape (343 or 433) and then convert to a classic 442 shape as the ball reaches the center circle. If it was me coaching a 433 high press, I would have the 2 nearest forwards double pressing on the ball (like I learned to full court zone press in basketball) with the third forward guarding the passing lane behind the ball to cut off that option. The midfield line provides balance to cover the other passing options. The back line provides cover and balance as needed. I used this with U10s against teams intentionally coached to play kick and run bunch ball, and I cannot recall any one able to make a long clearance up the field under close pressure. The double team eliminates the option of turning to get clear of pressure. Any detail more than this is getting into the game plan rather than generic defending. Details would be the cues to look for, whether you are using traps and deceptions, and what areas you want to deny to the opponent. Usually teams will push opponents inside high up the field (conventional thinking is that it is more dangerous to win the ball in front of the goal) and push outside in your defensive half (conventional thinking is that it is more dangerous to lose the ball in front of the goal ). I have, however, played occasionally on competitive teams that did the opposite of convention, successfully. The game plan should depend on the abilities of the players you have and the relative abilities of your opponents. Not what is conventional. Please note that I am talking now about unconventional game plans, not about what you teach players in development. At U14 and U16, I would stick with conventional game plans while players are beginning to learn team tactics, but HS in my view is U18 and players should have tactical conventions down and be learning more about how to win a specific match. EDIT: Sorry I wrote a book. I tried not to, but it is a huge topic and often only addressed on the internet with an x and o diagram and a phone number (i.e. 14231).
like you said—it's hard because the game is in constant transition. As with any defense, immediate and intense pressure is key. Don't let the player on the ball pick her head up to find a teammate. Reduce the quality of any long ball out. Force her to her weak foot. Don't necessarily worry about winning that ball, focus is on harassing the player on the ball. You'll most likely win the second ball/third ball. Here, I'd say about 95% of "possessions" in the women's game consist of zero or one completed pass. How can you even begin to get into position to attack or defend at that rate? Maybe that explains the lack of movement from many players—why bother? If it's boot ball, you really want to maintain your players' positioning to make sure that wherever that ball goes you have a player there to win the ball. Then while the ball is in flight, more of your players are moving to the vicinity of the ball to win any second balls. Further, if you do gain control then you have numerical superiority around the ball and now you can connect several passes to suck them in before playing long. So I'd say, go arrigo sacchi—30 yards of spacing between front and back line and 30 yards of spacing between your left edge and right edge. Then this blocks moves together (like they are roped together). You may face challenges with speedy forwards and long ball, but I think you can minimize that with the GK starting position at the top of her box.
Soccer Journal Magazine had a couple of articles and issues that were outstanding that might be helpful if you haven't seen them yet. In the summer of 2003, there were 2 issues dedicated to "player development". About that same time period there was also an article about coaching a basic 442 zone defense that I used to have a pdf copy of, but cannot locate. I am no longer an USC (NSCAA) member so I cannot access the soccer journal any more. That article would be an excellent starting place for any HS coach. Sorry It has been many years since I read the article, so I cannot recall any specifics for you, even the year of publication (my guess would be 2004). Back issues of Soccer Journal Magazine are available on line to USC members. Good luck.
Good advice. This is why the 433 and 343 are so widespread in the women's game. You don't really see a 442 much below the senior international level. Women just don't have the power needed to take advantage of the 442 system.
I think I'm following here, but does one train being in, yet "out" of position? You are correct, there are very few possessions that have many completed passes.
More Sacchi videos Football coaches lyceum does a good job, there are also vids of sacchi coaching, either the national team or ac milan. Getting them to move together is key. Just like when you're attacking you want numbers up/dont want them going 1vN, you want numbers up. If the ball goes into your near defensive corner, your right back should be moving but so should the back line be sliding over and the rw and rm dropping back.
Ok. Maybe I'm not getting the math here. The lines to to bottom are 30 yards apart... but how far up should the back line push? Seems if the Defense only goes to mid stripe and the CM's only work 10 yards in front of that, who attacks?
I guess that's true, getting the numbers behind seems to rely mostly on convincing them to run when they lose the ball, and also to provide support while attacking - don't watch the play go down the wing, eveyrone should follow, so that if the ball is lost they're within range to recover. Most HS girls seem to not be able to "send it" much beyond 25 yards in the air, I also don't see a lot of evidence of switching the field - if you lose it by the far sideline, it's most likely going back down that same sideline.
That is where your game plan comes into play. Where do you want the line of confrontation? Are you pressing? How high are you pressing? When do you want them to press (cues)? You asked about defending. So I was and I imagine the others were talking about defending, not attacking. My short answer is that everyone attacks and everyone defends.
Taking a step back...I think we're all assuming an organized game - like all the coaching courses and videos of high level training. And watching most HS games on youtube/in person, organization isn't what jumps out at you. Great individual play, sure. It sounds like based on what you said in the opening post that the girls start to move one way then it goes the other and so they're indecisive/hesitant. I'm guessing your opponents never really play the ball back when they win it. If anything, maybe if someone shields and there's a teammate right behind them they'll pass it back a few yards but there's very little win the ball send it back a line, nobody is pressing, send it back tot he keep, ah finally we're drawing them out, let's build....etc. MOstly, it's win it, get it forward, can't shoot play it to space for a run on...right? Starting with rca2's "everyone attack, everyone defends" principle, for me that becomes "I want you all moving together as the ball move", and the further refined to "look we're playing on a football field, use the markings. Let's try to win the ball between our 40 and their 40, let's keep 30 yards from the backs to the forwards, and lets try to keep the width between the numbers when we don't have the ball. If the ball is outside the big numbers, weak side can come over to the hashmarks. I've found that to be a reasonably good defensive organization at u13-14b against mostly bootball teams - you're tight enough to get 2nd balls from bad 1st touches, if you get played over the recovery run distance/angle is good. If the backs are at the 50, and the forwards are around the 20, that's just outside the top of the 18 on a 100 or 110 yard field. You aren't expecting sustained possession from the 20 in, but most likely looking to play wide for a cross/cutback or some kind of wengerball combo in the middle. Backs should be aware that if there's a blind clearance from within the opponents box, they could step up and hit a long range shot or start another attacking sequence. My rule of thumb was once they connect a pass, you have to start dropping. Hope this helped, good luck.
@Coach Stew I should have mentioned this before. Coach Dan Blank (soccerpoet.com) has several good books, two of them specifically aimed at helping college coaches, but the information is good for high school as well. On pressing: "High Pressure". https://soccerpoet.com/product/store/eBooks/795 On possession style: "Possession". https://soccerpoet.com/product/store/eBooks/781 I find his other Soccer IQ books worthwhile too.
If you're vulnerable to 'boot ball', consider looking at your defensive balance when attacking. Whilst defensive principles focus on what to do after losing possession, prevention can be better than a cure by setting up your team in attack so they can deal with an instant counter. Having a lack of defensive cover when attacking leaves you particularly vulnerable to the long ball as it gives you no time to regain your shape. So against a 'boot ball' team, defensive cover is particularly important. Here are ways to achieve this: Ensure you have at least 1 more defender left at the back than they have strikers. Assign one of those defenders to anticipate the through ball, leaving the other defenders to mark. Don't take attacking principles too literally by having too many players wide and high. If the ball's on the left, have your right back and right midfield not too wide, so if you lose the ball, they can instantly recover. Don't send too many players too far forward at once. When sending attackers forward, have a couple with some depth, to cover if needed. You don't need your whole team back instantly, but key players positioned centrally can recover quickly so you're not outnumbered. When sending players forward, manage the risk. E.g. safer passes or play more directly as an interception leaves you wide open. If you are losing possession too quickly, then consider practicing 'retaining possession' so your players feel more confident making runs forward, knowing that they won't have to instantly run back.