ATTACKING PRINCIPLES OF PLAY

The principles are:

1. Penetration

Teach your players how to break through a defense by dribbling, shooting, running or passing. No matter how young they are, you can coach this principle to your players.

2. Support

A key part of your team plan must be to help the player who is in possession of the ball. Support attackers provide forward, backward and sideways options to the attacker with the ball and offer great options to help you win matches.

3. Mobility

Attackers make runs into different areas of the field in order to draw defenders out of their positions. 

4. Width

The attacking team attempts to stretch the opponent's defensive shape. Teach players how to destroy the compact tightness of a defense by creating attacks along the flanks of the pitch.

5. Improvisation, Creativity & Surprise

Although not an easy part to the game to teach, attackers must try to break down defenses by employing the element of surprise. Coaches must ‘brave the percentages’ meaning you must be willing to accept that in order to reap the benefits of exciting and creative players, there will be a unsuccessful attempts at first.