La Locura 3-3-3-1 / High Possession Tactic

Inrtroduction

The shape of this system is a fluid 3-3-3-1, the whole team has a responsibility to attack and defend as one. When attacking the team will play a quick possession style of football, every player baring the defence and halfback have the license to roam free looking to find pockets of space to overload and overwhelm the opposition.

Tactic

The team looks to play out of the back, the keeper, centrebacks and halfback form a diamond that allows the ball to move around the pressing forwards before being moved into the midfield. Once in midfield players have more time and space due to the press being bypassed. If the ball cant move into the midfield the wingbacks are able to receive the ball in the wide areas and can dribble upfield or pass into a man in space.

The team stretches the width of the pitch to the fullest with the sole purpose of creating more space for each player, this also forces the opponents to cover the full pitch leaving gaps that the attacking players can exploit through their intelligent movement. Once the ball is in the final third of the pitch the team will remain patient and play short incisive passes moving the defence around until space opens up for the killer ball to be played.



Due to the way the system lines up having players high up the pitch it makes sense to immediately press the opponents when the ball is turned over to force the man on the ball no time and space to pick a line-breaking pass. Whilst players are pressing the rest of the team supports the press through pushing high and using cover shadows to limit the passing options increasing the likelihood of the ball being recovered quickly. Once the ball is recovered the team will look to take advantage of the disorganised defence and counter quickly.



Without the ball, the team will maintain a high line to squeeze the pitch making it smaller and harder for the opposition to play effectively. To support the pressing the team is positioned high making increasing the risk for the opposition to play from the back and to ultimately force them to go long.

The Results

I have used the tactic with two teams Spurs as an elite premier league team. I also tested the tactic in the lower leagues with Stevenage who are predicted to finish 23rd to satisfy certain members who want to see underdog teams lower in the pyramid.

Spurs

https://fmshots.com/image/LmmuJ
https://fmshots.com/image/LmVK5
https://fmshots.com/image/LmJU4
https://fmshots.com/image/LmxBt
https://fmshots.com/image/Lm1iN
https://fmshots.com/image/LmRvU

Stevenage

https://fmshots.com/image/Lmjxk
https://fmshots.com/image/Lmb3H
https://fmshots.com/image/Lmvi7
https://fmshots.com/image/LmNsI
https://fmshots.com/image/Lm2KD

Opposition Instructions