Feb, 2009

DEVELOPING TARGET PLAYERS

The role of forward players is unlike the rest of the team. The skills set for players who play ahead of the ball is different from those who play behind the ball. The development of the target player skill set must be treated just as other aspects of the game. All young players need to be exposed to the concepts of play for forward players from the earliest ages (u8). This means placing players in age-appropriate situations in training and in matches from early on which will be applicable to the mature game.

It is crucial that the development of the characteristics of forward players is not hinder by training and match situations that discourage the important aspects of forward play.

Below are some notes about the specialized role of target players, and the types of exposure required to learn this role. Included are some specific ideas for training and for match play. Please feel free to email me with your comments or questions - Tom Mitch

Target Player = Forward. Various terms are used to refer to forward players, each having its own connotations. 'Wing' refers to a wide player. 'Striker' connotes a goal scorer. 'Target' suggests a forward player with whom the rest of the team tries to connect via forward passes. It's this crucial connective aspect of the forward players that makes the use of the term attractive when referring to forward players. Note that technically speaking the word 'attacker' refers strictly to a player on the team with the ball. Therefore, 'attacker' and 'forward/target' are not synonymous. All players on the team in possession are attackers, while all players on the team out of possession are defenders.

Player Development v. Winning. As we already know, steering young players toward the types of play that yield the best match results at the earliest ages will impede the process of learning the fundamentals required to develop mature, intelligent soccer players. Learning the skills required of forward players is no different. The starting point for developing good target players is commitment on the part of coaches to focus on the curriculum (at training and in matches), not on the league table.

Characteristics of the Target Player. Below is a summary of qualities and concepts important to the role of forward players. Forward players need to put to use the same technical, and tactical qualities as the other field players. Still, there are qualities that they must possess which are relatively unique to the role of the forward. Development of these unique qualities requires attention to creating the necessary learning environment.

Playing with Back to Goal. Targets are primarily playing ahead of the ball, while midfielders and backs are playing behind the ball. This, in and of itself, creates the basis of a completely different playing environment for forward players.
Creating Length. Target players make the effective playing area larger by stretching the field in length. The higher they position themselves the greater the 'target area' in front of them is into which teammates can pass and into which the forwards can move to receive.
Outlet Pass Option. Positioned properly, target players make themselves available to receive passes that allow the team to relieve pressure while maintaining possession of the ball, and transition from defending to attacking.
Showing/Receiving to Feet. Target players must understand how and when to make movements back to the passer to receive a ball to feet.
Threatening/Receiving into Space. Target players must understand how and when to make movements behind opposing backs in order to receive penetrating passes into space.
Pre-Movements. Target players must learn to make 'pre-movements' in order to move opposing players and open up spaces for themselves to make subsequent movements.
Stretching/Making Dummy Runs. Target players must learn to make movements which move opposing players and open spaces for teammates to utilize.
Holding the Ball. Target players must be able 'hold the ball' under pressure to allow teammates to transition out of the back into supporting/attacking positions.
Bringing Teammates into the Attack. Target players provide a crucial role in linking together the team in its attacking movements. By combining with teammates behind them, targets effectively bring them along into the attack. By increasing numbers in attack, attacking movements are more successful, while the ability to pressure the ball immediately if possession is lost is also greatly improved.
Counter Attack Threat. Positioned properly, target players pose a persistent threat of counter-attack to the opposing team.
Keep Opposing Players out of Attack. By maintaining the threat of counter-attack target players tie up opposing players, keeping them from participating in attacking movements.
Thoughtful Defensive Role. As the 'first line of defense,' forward players must have a defensive role. In the mature game, forward players are out-numbered by backs. Therefore, rather than chase the ball with little chance of winning it themselves, they must understand how to control the opposing team's play for the benefit of the midfielders and backs behind them.

Developing Target Players in Matches. From the early years (u8) players must be placed in situations which will allow them to learn the requisite qualities and concepts. When is comes to match play, this means putting a team out on the field in a team shape that foster learning that will be applicable to the mature game. Soccer is played with more players behind the ball than ahead of the ball. We, as coaches, need to make sure that we are creating playing environments both in training and in matches where the majority of players are playing behind the ball with their backs to their own goal, and a minority of players are playing ahead of the ball with their backs to the opposing goal. Here are some suggested systems of play for the various match formats.

3v3 Format (2-1)
4v4 Format (2-1-1, 1-2-1)
6v6 Format (3-1-1, 1-3-1)
7v7 Format (2-3-1, 3-2-1)
8v8 Format (3-3-1, 2-4-1, 2-3-2, 3-2-2)
11v11 Format (4-4-2, and variations)

The 6v6 Problem. The 6v6 match format is unique to the USA, and likewise presents developmental problems unique to our soccer culture. You will have noticed that the setup shown above for the 6v6 match format (3-1-1, or 1-3-1) does not match the prevailing setup for 6v6 teams, the 2-3 formation (2 backs, 3 forwards). Putting players out on the field in the 2-3 setup forces a system of play that tragically hinders tactical player development. And remember that tactical development, albeit age-appropriate (we are talking here about learning to understand how the game works on the most fundamental levels), needs the same years of nurturing that technical development requires. The handicap imposed by a flawed system effects the players behind the ball (midfield, back, and even goalkeeper roles), and players ahead of the ball (forward roles). The subject of this article being development of target players, we will focus on the players ahead of the ball. Below are just a few examples of the development problems presented by putting players out on the field in the 2-3 formation, but the entire list above of important characteristics of the target player is negatively impacted.

Direct Play is Encouraged. With 3 forwards outnumbering 2 backs, kicks deep into the attacking half make for a very successful style of play in terms of threatening the opposing goal. Penetrating passes to threaten the space between the backs and goalkeeper can be developed, but most key aspects of target play are discouraged (balls to feet, holding up the ball, linking between target and supporting players, etc.). Even the opportunity to play balls behind the backs can be destroyed where opposing teams play with 2 deep backs. Instead, if a team plays with, for example, only 1 forward player against 2-3 backs, she will be forces to combine with her teammates in order to bring numbers into the attack. This creates a dramatically different outcome in terms of player development.
Indirect Play is Discouraged. With 2 backs outnumbered by 3 opposing forwards, building out of the back is virtually impossible. This means that the goalkeeper and backs will benefit most from kicking for distance out of the back to relieve pressure. The game from a 2-3 formation becomes one of minimizing risk with direct play rather than building an attack via inter-passing, the basis of mature soccer. Direct play creates a gap between backs and forwards, discouraging any linking of back to front. In healthy soccer the basis of a successful attack (and transition to defending) is the connectedness of players due to indirect play. If the setup is changed to where 3-4 players are available to the ball in the back, thoughtful interplay becomes possible, while at the same time direct play becomes much less fruitful.
Over-Pressuring is Encouraged. On the defensive side of things, 3 forwards can be successful mindlessly pressuring the 2 opposing backs. Here the target's opportunity is destroyed to learn his role in controlling the build-up of the opposing team. If again 1 forward player is placed in a situation with 3 opposing players (4 with the goalkeeper) building from the back, she can quickly learn that chasing the ball bares very little fruit. She will now be in a great environment to learn to channel play to one side, for instance, to allow teammates behind her read the game.

Developing Target Players in Training. Here are a few examples of the types of training activities that will provide the opportunity for players to learn, and for coaches to teach, the important qualities of target play. The main thing to keep in mind is that a productive learning environment can be created whenever an activity encourages linking of forward players with other players.

3v3 with Target Players. Here the typical Horst Wein 3v3 format (with 4 goals and 5m shooting zones) is altered to force 1 player to act as a target player through which the attack must be built. Options: designated target, any player can be target, must pass over half line to target, target must combine with teammate before scoring, etc.

3v3 3-End Game. This is a great game for teaching players to combine in various ways to setup meaningful penetrating passes or shots. Grey team combine to get the ball to players at either end to start. End players always play back to team that played to them. Grey then attacks the opposite end, etc. Grey wins the game by attacking successfully 3 ends without losing possession. If red teams wins the ball they can begin their effort by attacking either end. After a team wins the game, losing team goes to ends, and end team (white team in diagram) takes on the winning team. Options: more complex numbers, play to goal, add neutral players, add wide players, etc.

Continuous Action Games with Target Players. Continuous action games are setups to provide repetition of commonly occurring soccer scenarios in a game-like environment. Interplay with targets is easily encouraged in the example below. In the version shown, there are 3 positions for each team (back, MF, target). The red team has just scored at one end (1-2). This expels the defending white team. The new white players enter the game with a new ball (3) initiating combination play b/t new target and new midfield players (4-5-6). Options: 2v2, 3v3, 4v4, must pass into attacking half, scoring restrictions, etc.

Combination Play to Goal. Any number of finishing activities with combination play reinforce the linking concept between targets and other players.

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