COACHING: U15 AND ABOVE

COACHING THE 4-2-3-1

PART II

With Wayne Harrison

- A shadow play with the 2-3-1 of the team

(not yet including the back four and keeper). 1.
The basic Basic practicing of passing and moving
between units.
setup using
- Initially keep it short and tight for quick
the 2-3-1, then movement. There are four zones only as wide
as the penalty area to play in.
the 4-3-1 of - Have two groups of six players going one
group at a time to keep the session flowing.
the 4-2-3-1 By the time the first group is back to the
start, the second group has gone and so on.
- Eventually go the full width of the field
with four zones.
- You can stop the action and show the
- Actually fabricate some of the movements to show
changes in the interplay. As the passer is
how they can work.
about to pass, STOP THE PLAY. Show all the
positional changes and the potential passing - Showing a few options above for No. 6. No. 10 may
options. interchange with No. 11 and go wide also.

- New rule:
4. 5. Players can receive
a straight pass if
they change the
zone in front of the
passer. Here we
have an interchange
between No. 9 and
No. 10. No. 9 must
run in such a way
that he times the
run so the ball can
run alongside him,
and he does not
have to receive and
turn or receive with
- A simple pass into No. 11 cutting inside will open up - A more elaborate development: No. 11 and No. 9 his back to play.
more possibilities as we develop the phase of play. No. linking up to play overlapping fullback No. 3 in.
9 and No. 11 can attack (B) in a 2 v. 1.

Allowing straight passes by players

switching zones in front of the ball

36 May | June 2012

 Introducing both fullbacks to increase the
number of options available with the 4-3-1
Introducing Defenders

2. 3. - More defenders
in now. It is made
clearer with the
introduction of cones
to represent the des-
ignated areas we play
in. Ideally, get a field
permanantly marked
off with grids if
If (B) stays central and marks No. 6, then No. 4 may be free to receive the pass.
possible.

- Here are some potential movements in front of the - Bring in the attacking fullbacks. Now it is an 8 v. 6,
passer, No. 8. All very simple, but they may cause chaos or 8 v. 5 in the outfield. Now we can explore all the op-
in the opponent’s defense. We know what we are doing tions this formation offers for the attacking team. Once
advance
I f in( B ) s t a y sofcthe
e n t rball,
a l athe
n d opponents
m a r k s N o do
. 6not—this
, t h e n Niso to
. 4 may bthe
e phase play works well with this setup of an 8 v. 5,
f ourr e advantage.
e t oContinue r ethec movements
e i v e with
t hthe e relevant
p a s s add
. more defenders to increase pressure
passes and have a finish on goal.

- Here showing the

6. off-the-ball movement 7.
that creates all these
options for No. 8 on
the ball.
- Here we have the
approximate diamond
shape of the four
linking players.
- When this is done
quickly and through
practice and ochestra-
tion of these move-
ments in training, it
becomes second nature
- In and around the area in front of the back four, but to the players, and they Highlighting the
particularly the center backs in a back four, we have a do it automatically.
diamond setup
great overload situation. Players are not in what would be - For the opponents, it
called regular positions, and they are asking questions of should cause confusion,
the opponents around them. as they are not sure
- Potential movements of each player to confuse the who picks upwhom.
opponents.

Continued on page 38
Moving into “false” or “in between” areas of
the field of play to create a diamond of support
37
 Progressive movements

8. -- Who picks up wide midfielder/striker No. 7; defender (D) tracking inside

with him, or central defender (C) if he moves into his area of influence?
-- Who picks up wide midfielder/striker No. 11; defender (A) tracking inside
with him, or central defender (B) if he moves into his area of influence?
-- Who picks up striker No. 9 coming short to receive to feet? Does center
back (C) track him or does he pass him onto central midfielder (G) or even
(F) depending where No. 9 goes?
-- In a split-second decision-making situation, if midfielder (F) decided to
track wide midfielder/striker No. 11, who picks up No. 10?

- Think about the questions you are asking the oppo-
nents individually and collectively with this off-the-ball
movement.
-- Who picks up overlapping fullback No. 2; defender
(D) or midfielder (H)?
-- Who picks up overlapping fullback No. 3; defender
(A) or midfielder (E)?
- Through hours and weeks and months of practice, the players should develop
these movements so they are automatic. They do not need to think about them
previously, they just see the setup, like a mental image, and make the combina-
tion movements.
- In a game, with the phase of play happening so quickly, it must be difficult
for opponents to know: Who picks up whom in that split second of decision-
making?
- By the time a decision has been made, it will likely be too late, and we have
the upper hand.

9.
More information
can be gained on this system Creating space
of play by buying Wayne’s latest behind the
book: COACHING THE 4-2-3-1 back four and
It can be bought at Reedswain.com
interchanging of
or on Amazon; also as an E-book.
You can contact Wayne at
positions of the
wayneharrison@soccerawareness.com front four

- Here (B) tracks No. 9 and leaves the space behind for No.
11 to run into. Of course (A) can track No. 11 also, but if it
happens quickly enough No. 11 may catch (A) off guard.

- Here that unselfish run has created space in the wide

10. area that No. 7 has just come from, especially if defender
Change in shape as the (D) tracks No. 7 inside and into Zone 14. This leaves the
players move forward,
defensive midfielder No.
outside area wide open to attack into.
6 drops in between the - This is the beauty of playing through Zone 14; defenders
center backs as secu-
have to decide: Do I track the player toward there; or do I
rity for them, particu-
larly if the opposition pass them on, and who do I pass them on to?
leaves two forwards up. - Hence fullback No. 2 gets a great chance to attack and
Most often teams play
directly through the num-
get a cross into the box acting as an attacking and over-
ber No. 6 in this situation. lapping winger.
Here two fullbacks break forward, the center midfielder No. 6- staysThis ininterchange
front as of positioning is what we are looking
Create
and look forward, the four midfi
center zoneselder
or corridors to playback
No. 6 drops
to
in across 11.
we have possession, and as soon as possession changes and opponents win it
create
the fi
into the eld
sweeper
as much
role.
as we
If (B) stays central and marks No. 6, then No. 4 may be
can within the
free to receive theteam
pass. concept.
and three zones up and down the field.

Part I was featured in the March | April 2012 issue.

38 May | June 2012