A pointy, anxious consumption of breath, adopted by a spherical of applause that carries a combination of quiet admiration and, greater than something, reduction. On different events, it ends with supporters shaking their heads and asking why.
We’re speaking in regards to the crowd response to — and I’m borrowing this description from a colleague who’s a daily at Stamford Bridge — “probably the most harmful move in soccer”.
It’s the quick, vertical ball from the goalkeeper to — usually, however not at all times — the midfield pivot, who’s receiving beneath stress, again to aim and near their very own penalty space.
Exhibit A: Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez attempting, and failing, to move to Moises Caicedo in opposition to Brighton earlier this season, when Carlos Baleba scored.
What a season Carlos is having! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/D7qC37kvwb
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) September 29, 2024
It was a case of function reversal for Baleba in opposition to Fulham when Alex Iwobi profited from a stray move from the Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Forcing the error. 👊 pic.twitter.com/g0Jmd2O2LN
— Fulham Soccer Membership (@FulhamFC) December 6, 2024
As for Chelsea, they received their very own again at Southampton, the place Noni Madueke learn Joe Lumley’s move (35 seconds onwards within the clip under) to Kyle Walker-Peters and arrange Christopher Nkunku for his or her second aim.
Tune into all of Wednesday night time’s motion. 📺#CFC | #SOUCHE pic.twitter.com/zY3em5RMBA
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 5, 2024
Fulham? It’s a minor miracle they didn’t concede in opposition to Newcastle when Bernd Leno signposted a move to Emile Smith Rowe and Newcastle’s gamers have been left shaking their heads in disbelief after Fabian Schar by some means failed to attain.
Brentford had a reprieve in opposition to Ipswich, who have been perilously near serving a aim up on a plate to West Ham in October. A VAR offside name rescued Tottenham Hotspur’s Fraser Forster at Bournemouth, whose goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, was fortunate that Gabriel Martinelli didn’t punish him for a free straight ball in opposition to Arsenal, which is the place Mads Hermansen handed Leicester and Harry Winks into bother (see under) in September.
As for Manchester United, the terrible aim they conceded in opposition to Viktoria Plzen within the Europa League final week was one more instance.
The listing goes on and on and, in some ways, offers gasoline for many who marvel why so many groups proceed to take such possibilities taking part in out from the again and specifically through the use of one of these move.
There are most likely just a few methods to reply that query. The very first thing to say is that, on a broader degree, the coaches that play this fashion consider it makes much more sense to assault in a managed method, in possession, by a mixture of established rules and rehearsed motion patterns, even when that results in the odd mistake, slightly than tossing a coin and hoping it lands heads up — which is how they view knocking longer balls ahead.
The second level — and this shines by while you focus on among the incidents highlighted above with coaches who’re proponents of this type of play – is that the execution of that bounce move near aim, taking within the decision-making round it, the positioning, and the motion and the timing, is the issue when it goes unsuitable, not the move itself.
Third, it’s inevitable that the moments when it breaks down will get much more consideration than the great passages of play.
Earlier than we take a look at some extra examples, it’s price declaring that some Premier League golf equipment — or perhaps that needs to be ‘some Premier League managers and goalkeepers’ — have little or no inclination to play this recreation of threat and reward. The goalkeepers at Bournemouth (Arrizabalaga went off-piste in opposition to Arsenal), Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest specifically are likely to play quick sideways passes in build-up or go lengthy.
In actual fact, even when the No 6 drops deep to obtain a vertical ball in area with no signal of any stress, the move is usually turned down by their goalkeepers. Beneath is Nottingham Forest’s Danilo, arms outstretched, asking for a ball he was by no means going to obtain from the goalkeeper, Matz Sels.
Newcastle’s Nick Pope does the identical (Bruno Guimaraes is declaring that Sandro Tonali is free under)…
… as does Everton’s Jordan Pickford.
That mentioned, Pickford bizarrely deviated from the script at Arsenal on Saturday. What adopted was a car-crash second between him and James Tarkowski, because the Everton goalkeeper bobbled a move that the centre-back struggled to regulate, encouraging Martinelli to press. The expressions on the faces of the 2 Everton gamers afterwards mentioned all of it.
Time to have a look at some passages of play that present the reward and never simply the chance, starting with Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea in November.
Declan Rice is the participant to observe right here. He takes up a beginning place behind Nicolas Jackson, on the alternative facet to the free man (William Saliba) he desires to search out after Arsenal have provoked Chelsea’s press with a brief aim kick.
Cole Palmer makes the usual run (curved) for any participant main the press on this state of affairs, trying to pressure the ball a technique. Jackson, in the meantime, is able to leap to Gabriel if David Raya returns the move.
Timing and understanding are completely key to what occurs subsequent. Rice waits till Palmer will get nearer to Raya after which runs on the blind facet of Jackson to obtain a gentle move in entrance of him that…
… he can play first time to Saliba, and Arsenal are out.
It’s a sample you will note time and again at Arsenal and elsewhere.
Beneath is an instance of Ryan Gravenberch doing the identical factor for Liverpool on the opening day at Ipswich.
Gravenberch is an attention-grabbing participant to observe when receiving straight passes due to his distinctive skill to take the ball beneath stress on the half-turn. Within the picture under, Chelsea’s Romeo Lavia is urgent him.
However Caoimhin Kelleher’s move is ‘secure facet’ (away from the place Lavia is approaching), and Gravenberch is a grasp of getting his physique between the opponent and the ball to guard and switch in a single movement.
Not solely are Arsenal and Liverpool retaining possession in these pictures, however they’re additionally taking opposition gamers out of the sport whereas constructing an assault.
Check out this instance of Manchester Metropolis taking part in out in opposition to Liverpool at Anfield at first of December. The picture that begins this part of play is exceptional and, in some ways, captures the fashionable recreation: Ruben Dias is taking part in one-versus-one in opposition to Luis Diaz, 10 yards out, with no one in aim (Stefan Ortega is on the nook of the six-yard field, out of image).
As quickly as Dias passes to Ortega, Manuel Akanji is aware of he has to attach with the Metropolis goalkeeper. Cody Gakpo, circled on the left, is already anticipating the sample and getting ready to press Dias.
The pure factor for Akanji to do — and what occurs 99 instances out of 100 — could be to move to Dias.
Certainly, Mario Lemina did precisely that in opposition to Liverpool in September. Salah learn him like a ebook however, uncharacteristically for him, shot vast of an open aim.
Akanji, nevertheless, scanned previous to receiving from Ortega and, aided by Dias additionally pointing the place to play subsequent, recognised each the necessity and the chance for a special (and way more progressive) move to Kyle Walker.
Because the Metropolis right-back travels ahead, a line of 4 Liverpool gamers are out of the sport.
However that’s Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis, I hear you say. What about golf equipment exterior the standard ‘Large Six’?
Brentford are an interesting case research, partly due to their evolution beneath Thomas Frank. The share of lengthy passes from their goalkeepers has dropped by a 3rd in lower than two years. Moreover, the bounce move to play out has been used continuously this season and apart from a mix-up in opposition to Ipswich that went unpunished and a barely nervy second within the first half in opposition to Chelsea on Sunday, it has labored extraordinarily effectively.
The instance under is from Brentford’s recreation in opposition to Villa and begins with Ethan Pinnock passing a aim kick to Mark Flekken. Vitaly Janelt’s clear approach and recreation intelligence actually stand out in these eventualities.
Within the picture under, Janelt has his proper hand outstretched, preaching calm and telling Flekken to attend as Ollie Watkins begins to make that acquainted curved run. Clearly, this passage of play asks a whole lot of Flekken — or any goalkeeper. It’s not nearly being good with their toes; they should be calm, belief their team-mates, and make sensible choices in response to the opposition press.
When Watkins will get nearer, Janelt makes his transfer, arriving at tempo and working off the again of John McGinn, who has his eyes on Flekken and Pinnock.
Youri Tielemans leaves Yehor Yarmoliuk and jumps, together with McGinn, to press Janelt. However the Brentford midfielder and Flekken have labored it completely and Nathan Collins is ‘out’.
Three Villa gamers have been bypassed as Collins drives ahead and…
… just a few seconds later, Yoane Wissa has the ball contained in the Villa half and Brentford have a four-versus-four assault.
The intuition is to say that the passages of play highlighted above look comparatively simple. In actuality, they require hours and hours of follow on the coaching floor in addition to gamers who’ve each the technical skill and the psychological fortitude to deal with the ball in these conditions and take care of the gang anxiousness. Certainly, that leads right into a query that soccer followers will typically ask about their workforce: are our gamers ok to play this fashion?
Let’s analyse some clips of the place it goes unsuitable.
The clip under is from Manchester United’s recreation in opposition to Tottenham in September. Diogo Dalot, taking part in the function of auxiliary No 6, receives a straight move from Onana along with his again to aim. Each United centre-backs — Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez — are greater than you’d count on on this state of affairs.
Usually, the move constituted of the participant occupying Dalot’s place right here could be first time and with the left foot given the place Dejan Kulusevski is urgent. However Dalot takes a contact to regulate along with his proper foot…
… turns his entire physique round and passes along with his proper foot, too, permitting Kulusevski to get near blocking. That additional contact additionally means Brennan Johnson is ready to press Martinez simpler (admittedly, Martinez’s lack of depth doesn’t assist).
Panicked, Martinez blindly helps the ball on…
… and Pedro Porro is now on the assault for Spurs.
Some coaches are much more detailed with their messages than others. They are going to speak, for instance, in regards to the significance of goalkeepers receiving the ball in a impartial place, in order that the opponent main the press doesn’t know which facet to leap and likewise discourage goalkeepers from making sweeping actions with their passes (image that awkward Pickford ball to Tarkowski at Arsenal) to forestall the ball arriving with a bounce or with spin on it.
In different phrases, finishing a move to a team-mate isn’t sufficient when taking part in out in opposition to a press; it’s about giving the participant receiving the ball the very best alternative of constructing their subsequent motion good — in any case, a number of passes will typically be required. It’s attention-grabbing to listen to Liverpool gamers speaking about how their supervisor, Arne Slot, has stopped coaching periods as a result of passes haven’t been performed to the again foot of the receiver.
The issue with one sloppy move is that it typically results in one other. Within the subsequent photograph, the Ipswich goalkeeper, Arijanet Muric, performs a ball round Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke utilizing the surface of his proper foot. It’s excessive threat and comes off, however the move isn’t straightforward for Sam Morsy to play first time and that contributes to the following move being untidy…
… which finally ends up with Dara O’Shea leaping to attempt to get the ball beneath management and inspiring Spurs to press much more.
Ipswich are dedicated to taking part in out from the again beneath Kieran McKenna and their build-up entails a whole lot of straight passes that they often execute effectively — the montage under is from Saturday’s recreation at Wolves.
McKenna — and this feels necessary for any coach who desires to play this fashion — took time to clarify his philosophy to the Ipswich followers to attempt to handle the apprehension that usually builds in stadiums throughout these phases of play.
Away from dwelling may be more difficult, although, and rival supporters will revel within the form of second that Ipswich endured at West Ham earlier within the season.
The very first thing that jumps out while you watch the passage under is the setup. In addition to being very near the penalty space, each of Ipswich’s defensive midfielders, Morsy and Kalvin Phillips, are marked from behind earlier than the aim kick and that appears like a purple flag.
Morsy is unable to reach at pace or on the blind facet of an opponent. As for Phillips, he makes the penalty space extra crowded by dropping inside and bringing Lucas Paqueta with him.
In actual fact, Phillips nearly will get in the way in which of Morsy’s move…
… which finally ends up on the toes of Paqueta.
Amid a scene of chaos within the Ipswich penalty space, O’Shea clears off the road.
With regards to overcrowding, there have been 14 gamers (8 v 6) in a decent area when Southampton tried to play out in opposition to Villa this month (see the picture under). Southampton survived this one, however they conceded in opposition to Liverpool in a not-dissimilar style and there was the Chelsea aim, too.
Watching Southampton this season, it was laborious to keep away from the conclusion that neither Lumley nor Alex McCarthy, each of whom deputised for the injured Aaron Ramsdale, have been geared up to play Russell Martin’s model of soccer at this degree — and perhaps they weren’t alone.
Clearly, there are occasions when the straight move isn’t on and the goalkeeper must undertake a extra pragmatic strategy. Fulham’s Sander Berge is pictured under signalling to Leno that he ought to miss him out and go excessive of Brighton’s aggressive press.
Getting caught in two minds might be the worst place for a goalkeeper to be in and that’s what occurred to Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario in opposition to Brentford (under). It’s nearly as if Vicario is so programmed to play that straight move (it’s central to the way in which Spurs construct up beneath their supervisor Ange Postecoglou) that he doesn’t recognise an alternate. Fabio Carvalho capitalised on Vicario’s indecision however, to the Spurs goalkeeper’s credit score, he recovered and denied Bryan Mbeumo moments later.
Each Vicario and Forster, his deputy, have had their share of shut shaves this season, most not too long ago at Bournemouth a few weeks in the past, the place Kulusevski felt like a sitting duck for Tyler Adams when the straight move arrived.
On Sunday, in opposition to Southampton, Spurs have been at it once more proper from the kick-off.
4 passes later, James Maddison was working by on aim and placing his workforce 1-0 up.
The danger, Postecoglou and others will argue, is well worth the reward.
(High images: Getty Photos; design: Meech Robinson)
