Attacking from Wide Areas
Getting the ball wide and putting crosses into the penalty area is a very common, and very effective soccer tactic. A team that is able to attack effectively from wide areas can penetrate a defensive back line, and is also able to spread the defense laterally from sideline to sideline.
Spreading the defense has a chain reaction effect of creating space and open players in other areas of the field. Wingers and fullbacks are the players that will most often find themselves in wide attacking positions, but forwards and central midfielders can also switch position to get themselves in a dangerous position out wide.
Get the Ball Wide
The ability of a team to get the ball wide sets up the attack down the wings. The player with the ball and the movement of his teammates will dictate how successfully a team can get the ball out wide to attack. Central midfielders should look wide to see if options exist, if the ball is on the left sideline and is played in to the central midfielders, the central midfielder should look to take her first touch out to the right and switch play quickly to the other sideline. The concentration of defenders towards the left sideline where the ball was will help the attacking team get a numbers up situation, or a 1 v 1 situation in space for the right winger. Forwards who receive the ball into feet under pressure can also use the ball wide as an option, before making a run to get on the end of a potential cross.
Get Crosses In
Crossing the ball is a valuable weapon for an attacking team. Wingers and fullbacks who join the attack must have the ability to provide quality crossed balls into the penalty area. Wide players should be able to deliver crosses from a variety of distances and angles. A good cross is usually outside the six yard box, and inside the penalty spot as it reaches the attackers. Crosses that are hit into the six yard box will be relatively easy for a goalkeeper to come and catch. Crosses that are behind the penalty spot are not only more difficult to score from, but also very dangerous for your team. A cross that goes behind the runners in the penalty area will leave your team very vulnerable to a counter attack, particularly when midfield runners have ran to join the attack, and your cross goes behind them exposing your team with large open spaces in the midfield area.
Players should deliver a cross early if they have the opportunity and ability to do so. Players like David Beckham are capable of delivering dangerous crosses from 30 yards or more out. This has the effect of a full back being forced to pressure you high up the field, increasing the possibility of beating a full back off the dribble, or opening an area for a forward to make a run out wide getting behind the fullback. Alternatively a player who has the ability to beat a fullback off the dribble and provide crosses from the by line, will force a fullback to stand off, allowing more space to deliver and early cross.
Use Runs to Outman the Fullbacks
A wide midfield player will receive plenty of 1 v 1 situations during the course of a game. A team that is able to use runners to create 2 v 1 matchups in the wide areas will be very dangerous. The attacking fullback is the most common form of run to create a mismatch. When the winger is joined by an overlapping fullback it creates a dilemma for the opposing defender. If the defender backs up to account for the runner then the winger can put an easier cross in under less pressure, or may be able to dribble inside and penetrate the back line towards the goal. If the defender ignores the runner it is easy to roll a pass in for the full back to cross the ball.
A central forward or midfielder can also run out to create a mismatch with the full back to cause problems. An overlapping central midfield player allows the winger to dribble in and forces his opposing defender to follow him leaving the flanks exposed, or the central runner could drag the defender away making the winger a threat centrally carrying the ball under no pressure. A centre forward can run between the opposing center back and full back, to be led with a pass into a wide position. If a winger passes to a forward who makes this run, he should then run centrally himself to get on the end a of a cross.
To become a more complete team and improve your soccer attack learn how to improve your wide play.
