Let’s kick the ball long and hope our Striker can outrun the opposition’s backline and score.
This is all too common of a strategy that I see in American soccer.
I’ve also seen teams play patiently while passing the ball as they move it up the field until they can find the back of the net.
What is the best attacking strategy for soccer teams?
With so many formations at a coach’s disposal, the options can be endless. Some teams like to play down the middle while others like to attack at the flanks. The best teams, tend to do both, often switching the ball from one sideline to the other and playing it back until the can expose the holes in the center of the field.
Let’s take the example of the most basic of the formations, the 1-4-4-2.
This formation provides a solid defense with two center backs and two wide backs. You are then provided with four midfielders offering a good support. Your two forwards will then need to work off of each other to create opportunities for each other.
So what is the strategy to this formation?
The smart use of your wide men will give your forwards a limitless amount of support if and only when your wide players can hang with the arduous amount of running offensively and defensively. This will allow them to create havoc in the flanks allowing the forwards to move freely creating diagonal runs for shooting opportunities.
You also have the 1-4-3-3 which is for those teams that want to attack the entire game.
You still have the four backs as your defensive line but you then create a triangular midfield and add a third attacker at the top in order to create the opportunities needed to win games.
Your wide attackers will do their share of running to attack and defend but the simple fact that you now have three options up front to score is tempting enough to use this formation.
You have opportunities for overlapping runs and crosses into the box or the far post where your other wide attacker can make ghost runs in the back of the box towards the far post.
As you can see, strategies are hidden throughout many formations, it is up to you as the coach to study games, take notes of the opposition during games, and even delve deep inside your head to create your own.
My recommendation would be to study the many books written on Pep Guardiola – one of the most brilliant strategists this game has seen. He is always pushing the envelope of what can be done on the field with the arsenal of players he is given.
