subject: Short Football Tactic Guide [print this page] The casual observer may think that the only football tactic you need to understand is to keep the ball away from the other team and try to get it into the net. That may sound simplistic, but it really is the basis of football. You have to remember, though, that there are 11 players on the opposing team who are trying everything they can to get the ball away from you and keep you away from their goal. Since all of this takes place on a specific field with boundaries, some strategy is necessary.
Basic Strategies
The most straightforward football tactic that every team employs is called a long-ball, or direct football. This tactic is to simply get the ball across the length of the field to one of your players who is positioned to shoot it into the opposite goal. The idea is that the defenders won't be in position yet, and the offense basically avoids the defense altogether. The long ball is usually delivered through the air, so it stays away from members of the other team who would like to intercept it.
Defensive Positions
Of course, the defensive football tactic is to get the ball back from the other team and start working on offense again. The secondary task is to keep the other team from getting close enough to try to make a goal. Defensive tactics alternate between individual and team responsibilities. Individual defense is known as man-to-man, and it means that each defensive player is responsible for covering a single offensive player. Zone defense means that each defensive player is actually responsible for protecting a certain area of the field. If an offensive player enters the zone of a defensive player, the defender protects his zone regardless of who the offensive player is.
How to Protect a Lead
The most popular football tactic for protecting a lead is called a counter-attack. This method actually takes advantage of the opposite team's intense desire to score a goal and tie the game. You pull almost all of your players into your half of the field and attempt to strip the ball from the other team when they get more desperate to shoot a goal. It is important that you have excellent defensive skills to deploy this tactic, but it can be very effective and cause the other team to break their formations.
Time of Possession is Key
The most basic football tactic is to simply keep the ball as long as possible. The logic is that as long as your team has control of the ball, the other team can't score a goal. Longer ball possession also improves your odds of shooting a goal. If you can really control the ball, you control the pace of the game. It's a way to wear out the other team without giving up any goals. Eventually the other team will become frustrated and someone will move out of position to try to get the ball back. That's when you can strike and shoot a goal through the unprotected lane.
