STYLE OF PLAY
STYLE OF PLAY
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
LOW BLOCK/ TRANSITION
Defensive-minded – absorb pressure then attack
PRESSING
High pressing (“high line”) or “Gegenpressing” (counter pressing)
POSSESSION
Ball control – short passes
Skills and precision
Go to goal as quick as possible
Chance creation
Progression (incremental)
Need discipline defensively and athletic players offensively
Physically demanding
Collective; Controlled; Methodical Attacks
Passive; Opportunistic; Quick Attacks
Energetic; Physical; Aggressive Attacks
STYLE OF PLAY: LOW BLOCK/TRANSITION
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
LOW BLOCK/ TRANSITION
Defensive-minded – absorb pressure
• Very difficult to break through
• Can be very efficient against teams and coaches that cannot find solutions
• Good for AWAY matches
Go to goal as quick as possible
Need discipline defensively and athletic players offensively
• Least attractive style, not enjoyable for players and spectators
• Need buy-in from all 11 players
• Difficult to create chances (only on counter attacks and set pieces)
STYLE OF PLAY: PRESSING
PRESSING
High and Counter Pressing
Chance creation
Physically demanding
• Relentless style that does not give the opponent time to breath
• Allows to win the ball high therefore closer to the goal
• Energetic, physical, confrontational
• More easily “taught” to younger players
• Involves repetitive high-speed running that increases injury risks
• Need specific type of players, age of players and mentality
• Can leave you very exposed if not done properly
• Can be hard to maintain over 90 minutes
STYLE OF PLAY: POSSESSION
POSSESSION
Ball control – short passes
Skills and precision
Progression
• Most balanced style, you are in control of the game and should not be overly exposed
• You can work on specific patterns of plays/routes that are
REPEATABLE…your “set offense”
• Attractive and exciting way to play, players want and like to play that way. Purist form of the game.
• Requires skilled and intelligent players, often smaller technical players
• If injuries occur, difficult to have an equal level replacement
• Can be predictable if patterns and players are the same
FORMATIONS
4-4-2 FORMATION
Traditional Formation
2 FWDs: usually 1 Target F and 1 Free Role
Strengths
•Looks similar in attack and defense: easy to teach
•Able to naturally have numbers in the box
Weaknesses
•Easy to play between lines
•Only 2 in CMF
4-5-1 FORMATION
Controlling CMF
5 MFs and 1 F
Strengths
• Allows you to keep possession with 3 CMFers
• Natural width with 5 in MF
Weaknesses
• Only 1 F; can lack a natural 10 to get in the penalty box
• Often rely on transition to create opportunities
• Viewed as a defensive set up
4-2-3-1 FORMATION
Most Popular Formation
CMF is well occupied
Strengths
• Dominate in CMF
• Space between lines is condensed (more lines)
Weaknesses
• Must have attacking FBs to create overloads in wide areas
• Lack of numbers in the Penalty Box when balls are crossed (single FWD)
4-3-3 FORMATION
Dutch Formation
Attacking Formation: 3 FWDs (2 Wingers and a Striker)
Strengths
• Attacking formation and can create chances with correct personnel
• Constantly threaten backline
Weaknesses
• Lines of 3 have to cover a lot of width defensively
• Need two-way players in midfield to play effectively (typically inverted pyramid).
3-4-2-1 FORMATION
Box Midfield Formation
Overwhelm CMF (Popular formation in Brazil)
• Strong Spine
Strengths
• Good for short passing game
• Can flex into back 5 easily
Weaknesses
• Need good passing CBs to start attack as well as very technical players in CMF
• Can easily get pinned back into a 5-4-1 defensively
5-3-2 FORMATION
Wingback Formation
2 WBs drive system
Strengths
• Good width and control in CMF
• With 2 Fs, numbers in the Penalty Box
Weaknesses
• Tough to get out of defensive posture and get WBs forward
• Teams can exploit wide areas if CMFers don’t slide out to help defensively
4-2-3-1 FORMATION
Numerical Positional Language
• 2 = Right Back
• 3 = Left Back
• 4/5 = Centerback
• 6 = Defensive/Holding Midfielder
• 8 = Box-to-Box Midfielder
• 7/11 = Winger/Wide Attacker/Forward
• 10 = Attacking Midfielder/Playmaker
• 9 = Forward/Striker
Phrases you will hear:
• They need a disciplined “6.”
• He can play as an “8 or a 10.”
• Messi is the best “10” in the world.
• They like to play with a “target 9.”
RULES OF THE GAME
RULES OF THE GAME: REFEREES/VAR
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
REFEREES
Like all sports – the arbitrator of the game
They have help: Assistant Referees (ARs) – responsible for offside and assisting determining fouls
• Keeps the flow of the game going and allows the players to decide the match
• Responsible for the safety of the players
• “Call the obvious. Don’t go looking for it.”
From all around the world –different interpretations of the laws of the game
• Massive influence on the match (see PKs & RCs)
• Pressure from players, coaches/staff, stadium
• Inconsistent – different interpretation and lack of familiarity of the players (i.e. compared to MLS refs)
RULES OF THE GAME: YELLOW AND RED CARDS
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
YELLOW AND RED CARDS
Yellow = first warning (bad foul, delaying game, descent, etc.)
• Gives the referee power to control the game
• High possession teams exploit 11v10 better than transition teams
• VAR is a safety net: “clear and obvious”
Red = “denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity” or endangering the safety of an opponent (often 2nd Yellow Card)
• Red cards change games: cuts win probability in half (and ruins most games!)
• Poor decision in the World Cup can send a team/player out of the competition
RULES OF THE GAME: OFFSIDE
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
OFFSIDE
Same concept as football and hockey, except a moving offside “line”
• Rewards good timing of attacking runs and good coordinated defending
• Very difficult to break through
• Stops goal “sucks” who hang near the goal
Where is the attacker in relation to the last defender when the ball is played forward
Constantly changing law: “daylight rule” in CPL
• Marginal decisions: VAR
• Stops the flow of the game with VAR interventions
• Requires perfect alignment and timing of ARs – need repetition and at the highest level, can be extremely difficult
RULES OF THE GAME: PENALTY KICK (PK)
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
PENALTY KICK
Foul inside the 18y box
Shot is taken from 12y out
• Rewards teams for getting into the penalty box
• Leaves an element of drama – success at the World Cup is 79%
• PK shootouts are lower: 70%
Go to goal as quick as possible
Need discipline defensively and athletic players offensively
• Gives referees and VAR huge influence on a low scoring sport
• The reward encourages embellishment in the penalty box
• In knockout rounds, teams play for PKs
PLAYERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
PRIME SUPERSTARS
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
Kylian Mbappe
France/Real Madrid
• Won 20 major trophies
• 5x French player of the year
• 14x Top league goal scorer
Erling Haaland
Norway/Man City
• Won 12 major trophies
• 8x Footballer of the Year
• 8x Top league goal scorer
Vinícius Júnior
Brazil/Real Madrid
• Won 14 major trophies
• 2024 FIFA Player of the Year
• 2x Top goal scorer
Jude Bellingham
England/Real Madrid
• Won 20 major trophies
• 5x French player of the year
• 14x Top league goal scorer
BREAKOUT STARS
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
Lamine Yamal
Spain/Barcelona
• Won 6 major trophies (18y old)
• 2024 European Champion
• Youngest player to appear for Barcelona (15 years 9 months)
Desire Doue
France/PSG
• Won 7 major trophies (20y old)
• 2024/5 Champions League (youngest ever G&A in final)
• 50m Euro buy Rennes
Joao Neves
Portugal/PSG
• Won 10 major trophies (21y old)
• Moved to Lisbon at age 11 to pursue career
• 70m Euro buy from Benfica
Florian Wirtz
Germany/Liverpool
• Won 3 major trophies (23y old)
• Youngest ever Bundesliga goalscorer (17y 34d)
• 100m £ buy from Bayer Leverkusen
LEGACY PLAYERS
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
Lionel Messi
Argentina/Inter MIami
• Won 44 major trophies
• 8x Ballon D’Or Winner
• 25x Top Goal Scorer
• 91 goal in 2012
calendar year
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal/Al-Nassr
• Won 33 major trophies
• 5x Ballon D’Or
Winner
• 22x Top Goal Scorer
• First to score in 5
World Cups
Luka Modric
Croatia/Real Madrid
• Won 33 major trophies
• 2018 Ballon D’Or
Winner
• 196 Record most appearances for National Team
Kevin De Brune
Belgium/Napoli
• Won 23 major trophies
• 2x EPL POY
• 2022 fastest ever in CL 39.1 km/h
• Left home at 14y to Genk
SOCCER NATIONS
SOCCER NATIONS
HOUSTON DYNAMO FC
FUN FACTS
Four countries that qualified for the World Cup are NOT considered “soccer nations:”
• USA
• CANADA
• AUSTRAILIA
• NEW ZEALAND
Curacao is the smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup: Est. Population – 156,000
Biggest World Cup: 48 Teams
Three Host Nations: USA, Canada, Mexico
