Tag Archives for " Full Backs "

0 Movements to Get Full Backs the Ball

By Alex Trukan There are many types of movements off the ball that full backs try – overlaps, underlaps, third man runs. In many situations, however, these movements don’t lead to full backs getting on the ball. Rather than that, these are often used to create space for other players and unbalance the opposition defensive

0 Creating Space for Full Backs

By Alex Trukan The full back is, without a question, a player largely involved in an attacking phase of any team. Modern full backs not only produce crosses but also cut inside to finish, combine with midfielders or even take up more play making roles in the centre of the pitch. All of these actions, however,

1 The Role of the Full Backs in Attack

By Alex Trukan Full back’s position has evolved and is now one of the crucial positions involved in creating chances on the opposition half. Over the last years, we’ve seen many full backs converted into or playing on other positions including centre midfielder, defensive midfielder or winger. That only confirms that full back has become

0 Bayern's Move from Fixed to Flexible

By Stevie Grieve

Pep Guardiola has evolved the Bayern Munich team over the 18 months he has been in charge so it is almost unrecognisable from the treble winning team and style Jupp Heynckes left behind. The system has changed so much that the fairly rigid positions of each player has been replaced with a solutions to problems based style, and one major change has been the implementation of ‘inverted full backs’ in the manner that they cover 4 positions from 1 zone, almost like an old fashioned ‘halfback’ from the 1930s.

The positioning of this player allows the team to be flexible in the centre and wide areas, in both attack and defence, and in transition phases where the ‘halfbacks’ can drop off to form a back 4, or press high to counter-press with the 2-1 triangle covering behind them (DM & CBs).

Position of the ‘inverted Full Backs / Halfbacks in a 4-3-3

As we can see, the ‘halfback’ is in the position between centre and wide (the channel) between midfield and

2 Playing with Inverted Full Backs

By Stevie Grieve

Positioning in modern football is a massive part of the success of a team, particularly in the development of an attacking game but also in ball conservation to defend, while defensive positioning has always been an important factor in a successful defensive unit. With Pep Guardiola (of whom regular blog readers will know I analyse his teams on a regular basis), his tactical innovations are changing the way the game is played and coached across all levels.

Inverted Full Backs to overload the centre and cover several zones with one player

The full backs of Bayern – Alaba and Lahm – can both be played in central midfield and at full back in both attacking and defensive phases. This gives Guardiola so many more options but instead of being a traditional coach and using