By Graham Ramsay
For years now, many of the leading clubs in world soccer have used the “funnel” to force the opposing play into the middle and across the field. The purpose is to strangle the attacking move by running it into the traffic jam of defenders in central areas. This tactic holds true up to the top of the penalty area. However, from that point to the goal-line, teams should force the play “wide,” away from the mouth of the goal. Another benefit of squeezing the play, is shorten the recovery runs of midfield players trying to get back into the action.
For years the mantra was always to show the play “wide” and away from the goal. This was almost a commandment everywhere you played, with the result of doing otherwise ranking up there with treasonable crimes. By making the winger go wide, down the line, meant unlocking the central area by another route. Once the winger dribbled past a defender or two, it forced central defenders to come out or, at least, hedge their bets in dealing with this problem. The product was space in central areas in the penalty box for strikers to attack.
Crosses from day one of the sport have provided a rich source of goals. “Modern” tactics in the past 20 or so years have tried to nullify their effectiveness by forcing the wide players “inside” towards the middle of the pitch, eliminating the cross. Even with this knowledge, goals are still created with crosses, due to poor individual defending. Too often a back will “dive-in” to a tackle, giving the attacker an opportunity to deliver the ball to an open striker.
If defenders realized this, doing two things would cut down an enormous amount of defensive error. Getting close enough to threaten the ball will achieve two objectives – the dribbler’s vision goes down to the ball and the play gets slower. Winning these “two downs” – eyes down and slowing the move down – means trouble for the attacker. First, if the attacker cannot look up, they cannot see their teammates whom might be open to receive a pass. It’s like riding a bike and only being able to look at the pedals. Blue Cross and turnovers here we come! Secondly, slowing the move down, allows teammates time to close in to help put more pressure on the ball. The clock is ticking against the attacker so be patient as time is a defender’s friend. Silently say to the dribbler, “Are you brilliant? Then, prove it!” Wait for their “big move.” It’s amazing how many players don’t have a real move, so they panic. Additionally, you can make them nervous by faking a tackle and tricking them into giving the ball away. Good defenders are devious and smart in finding ways to winning the ball. The best defenders look to intercept and pass it forward in the same breath. That speed of thought and action will often catch their opponents off guard and on the wrong side of transition.
Learning good defensive habits will translate into good defensive and team organization. That is, if the nearest defender to the ball inflicts these “downs,” the team will willingly support the effort. However, reckless or passive defending will have the opposite effect. These non-defending habits are the fastest way to rip open your own defense. Such players are “double agents,” wearing our shirts, but in truth, playing for our opponents. They are dangerous teammates.
Once the idea of “funneling” is implanted into your team, other rewards will arise. Besides becoming more compact as a defensive unit, you are now taking away another asset – speed. If the opponents have quick wide players, the “funnel” system will feed them towards the central midfield areas, where eager teammates are waiting to meet an out-of-control dribbler, flying across the field from one touch-line to another. When they are going across the face of your defense the attack has been deflected to safety. The time to worry is when the dribbler is going past defenders towards goal. Therefore, the general rule of thumb is to “show” speed into the middle and across the field. Let them attack the sidelines!
Trying out new ideas like “funneling” is not only fun, but it opens up more ways of developing clever defending schemes to outwit unsuspecting teams. You might say such unconventional thinking is committing a piece of soccer treason. However, unless you think outside the box, how can you prevent your opponents from getting into the real box – your penalty area!
GOOD LUCK & GREAT SOCCER,
Graham Ramsay.