How to watch Soccer

Outlook and Formations

A team’s outlook to the game can dictate to an extent how they approach it on a coaching basis. Teams will have different levels of confidence and expectations that could impact their approach. A team’s roster may also have an imbalance of good players that adjusts the formation to fit in their best players. A typical example of this will come in the opening round of World Cup games this summer, when Brazil face North Korea.

Brazil will have an expectation to win this game as well as have significantly superior attacking talent. For this reason a formation including two or three forwards, with midfielders committing to attack will be probable. For North Korea to match up head to head with Brazil and simply hope for their players to match them on the day would be naïve and likely would lead to a hefty beating. Coaches scout opposition and must be realistic about strengths and weaknesses. It is likely North Korea will play with an extra defender or central midfielder to counter Brazilian supremacy and try to counter a player suck as Kaka, who can attack from deep with devastating effect. Possibilities are a man to man marker on Kaka, or a defensive midfielder appointed to cover the two central midfielders and pick up his forward runs. If North Korea successfully adjust and stifle the Brazilians, the typical fan culture will lead to comments such as “boring”, “killing the game” or “bad day for Brazil”. In reality the strategy may have worked, and the game can be more enjoyable if you can spot these battles going on.

Flow of Game

The beauty of soccer is that it is a free flowing game and involves decision making on the fly from players. However while soccer teams do not perform scripted plays certain teams can have a pattern that will impact the game. What is each team trying to achieve? Typical game plans can include;

• Passing freely looking for openings. This style requires a high level of ability and patience.
• Direct play. Consistent long balls over the top are rare in today’s game with the athleticism of defenders. A direct game usually means balls into a striker who plays with his back to goal and holds up play for 2-3 seconds while numbers arrive from midfield. A good example of this is Didier Drogba of Chelsea and the Ivory Coast.
• Width. Teams with wingers who have the ability to beat defenders off the dribble, and put quality crosses into the box may focus on width. Teams who play like this look to move the ball quickly out of central pressure and look for 1 v 1 matchups, or 2 v 1 situations usually created by overlapping fullbacks.
• Counter-Attacking. Counter-attacking teams can be common in today’s elite game especially teams looking to stifle a more talented opponent. Teams who play like this will look to have 9 or 10 defenders behind the ball when in defense, before quickly breaking upon winning possession and looking to attack while the opposition have committed bodies forward who cannot recover in time. A team must have players with significant pace to play this system successfully.

Matchups

During a soccer game matchups are not necessarily as simple as one team against another. Often results will be dictated by a 1 v 1 matchup, or a certain area of the field a team takes control of. Matchups can be physical or strategic.

Physical matchups take into account height, speed and strength. An example of a physical matchup being exploited came in the 2006 World Cup when England faced Trinidad. England were favorites overall in the game but the Trinidad team took advantage of a physical matchup that caused problems. Whenever the Trinidad goalkeeper Shaka Hislop had possession he looked for long punts and throws to the right attacking spot. In this position Trinidad matched up 6’2” forward Kenwyne Jones against England’s 5’7” left back Ashley Cole. Jones’ dominance in this area pulled central defender John Terry out to cover and had a negative impact on the shape of the England team.

The tactics and formation of a team can cause matchup problems also. The strength of a team or perceived weakness in the opposition can impact the tactical approach to a game. A team may attack the wide areas, as well as playing a winger the area can be overloaded with either an overlapping fullback or a forward running from out wide. An extra central midfielder can lead to keeping possession more, or to nullifying the strength of the opponent.

Your Game

These basic points above give an outline and scratch the tip of the iceberg when it comes to game analysis. When coaching your game try and create mental checklists to evaluate the game. Upon kickoff factors you should realize;

• Your formation and their formation.
• Strengths of your team.
• Weakness of opposition.
• Potential adjustments down the line.

Try and think along these lines, it will be more fun and helpful to your team than writing every bad day off, or making excuses such as the referee. Always keep the focus on the game, what happens on the field and what you can do to help your players.  These tips should help you with your question,  "how to watch soccer?"