The evolution of football tactics

In the world of football, there are countless tactics and strategies that teams apply depending on their playing style, strengths, and preferences. Some of them have specific names and have become well-known. Let's explore the most common approaches that influence the course and development of football matches.

Dynamic and flexible tactic of Total football

The football tactic known as Total football is an attack-oriented strategy where players do not have a fixed position. With the exception of the goalkeeper, any player can take on the role of any other player in the team. This fluid system without fixed positions was also designed to confuse the opponent.

Back to history

The foundations of the Total football tactic were laid in the 1930s by Jimmy Hogan, who was influenced by Scottish combination play. The new strategy was first applied by the Austrian national team, with whom Hogan collaborated through their coach Hugo Meisl. His influence reached Hungary, where the Total football tactic was used two decades later.

Similarities to this strategy appeared in other countries from Austria to Argentina and all the way to the Netherlands, where Vic Buckingham took charge of its development.

In 1965, Rinus Michels became the manager of Ajax, who later, after 1970, developed the Total football tactic. A key player in this new strategy was the central forward Johann Cruyff. Michels encouraged him to move freely around the field and to exploit the opponent's weaknesses through technical skills and intelligence. Cruyff's teammates adapted to the game. They also changed positions to ensure consistent coverage of all roles in the team.

Michels and Cruyff achieved eight Eredivisie titles, three European Cups, and one Intercontinental Cup with this tactic.

The advantages that Total football brings

In Total football, no player is limited to just one position; every player is capable of taking on the role of a forward, midfielder, or defender as needed. This flexibility allows players to quickly and effectively adapt to the situation on the field.

Another advantage is the ability to create numerical superiority in different areas of the pitch. Thanks to the constant movement of players and shifts between positions, space often opens up for finishing or initiating plays. In this way, the team can confuse the opponent's defense and create an advantage.

The Spanish football technique Tiki-taka

The Tiki-taka football tactic primarily emerged from Spanish football and is based on quick combinations of short and precise passes, off-the-ball movement, and an emphasis on ball possession. Players aim to control space with quick one-twos and confuse the opponent's defense with circular movement.

How it all began…

The Tiki-taka tactic was introduced in the late 1990s by FC Barcelona's coach, the aforementioned Dutch player Johan Cruyff. He built on the then-current Total football system and adapted it for Spanish players, who prided themselves on individual technique over athletic predispositions.

He guided players towards a high defensive line, combining in the midfield, and gradually transitioning to attack. The tactic was named Tiki-taka by Javier Clemente based on the name of the game click-clack. Its establishment and popularization were thanks to television presenter Andrés Montes.

Thanks to Tiki-taka, a team made up of graduates from Barcelona's youth academy La Masia dominated European football in the early 21st century. The Spanish national football team also utilized this tactic, achieving success with victories in the European Championship in Switzerland and Austria in 2008, the World Cup in 2010, and the European Championship in 2012. This era was marked as the golden age of Spanish football.

Advantages and disadvantages of the tactic

The technical skill of players combined with short and quick passes allows the team to maintain possession of the ball for extended periods and control the pace of the game. Another advantage is the ability to confuse and somewhat exhaust the opponent by holding the ball for long periods and waiting for the right moment to attack. The tactic is based on the collaboration and movement of players, which creates unexpected situations and opens up spaces in the opponent's defense.

Since Tiki-taka requires a high level of technical quality and game intelligence from players, its training and implementation into a team can be somewhat challenging. At the same time, the tactic can be vulnerable when facing stronger teams with aggressive pressing, which tries to disrupt fluidity and break combinations.

Italian Catenaccio

Catenaccio is a term for a playing style originating in Italy that emphasizes a solid defense and a quick offensive approach. It involves a highly organized and effective defense in the back line aimed at suppressing opponents' attacks and then scoring a goal.

History and emergence of the Italian tactic

The tactic evolved from the original WM system, where players stood in a 3-2-5 formation, and was replaced by a 1-3-3-3 arrangement. Behind the trio of defenders standing in a line and marking the opponent's forwards, another player acted as a so-called 'sweeper.'His role was to intervene in situations where the defensive line might be breached, depending on the current need.

In 1960, Argentine coach Helenio Herrera introduced the so-called improved Catenaccio at Internazionale Milan by pulling the game back to two classic forwards, three midfielders, and five defenders. One of them was tasked with pushing forward to attack as a false winger. Under Herrera's leadership, the team won three Italian titles in 1963, 1965, and 1966, twice won the Champions Cup, and twice the Intercontinental Cup.

The decline of Catenaccio and the shift to Total football

However, after these successes, the popularity of Catenaccio waned as Inter Milan turned their victories into losses against Celtic and Ajax. The term Catenaccio even took on a derogatory meaning for any destructive play that had nothing to do with the original tactic.

Many coaches utilized the Italian strategy in a modern version enriched with elements of the Dutch tactic known as Total football. Among them, we can mention Giovanni Trapattoni, who became the only coach in history to win all three European cups with Juventus Turin.

The German football tactic known as Gegenpressing

Gegenpressing, also known as 'gegenpress' or 'counter-pressing,' is a football tactic that focuses on immediately regaining possession of the ball after losing it. Part of it involves creating intense pressure on the opponent in their own defensive zone to force a mistake, and after regaining possession, immediately launching an attack.

A historical look back at Gegenpressing

The original architect of this strategy was German manager, executive, and former player Ralf Rangnick. During his time at German clubs, including Stuttgart, Hannover 96, Hoffenheim, Schalke, and RB Leipzig, he always encouraged players to try to win back the ball immediately after losing it. He first employed the Gegenpressing strategy in a friendly match against Dynamo Kyiv in 1984.

Rangnick's thinking also influenced other coaches who continued in his style of play. Notable mentions include Ernst Happel, Jupp Heynckes, Arrigo Sacchi, and Zdeněk Zeman. Among current coaches, we can name Thomas Tuchel, Jürgen Klopp, Julian Nagelsmann, and Ralph Hasenhüttl.

Advantages and criticisms of the tactic

The main advantages of Gegenpressing include the ability to win the ball high up the pitch and in dangerous positions, which subsequently leads to scoring opportunities against the opponent's goal. German coach Jürgen Klopp of Liverpool stated that only through Gegenpressing can you win the ball back and get closer to the goal. He even added that no defender can be better than any well-executed gegenpressing situation. Probably for these reasons, clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and FC Liverpool are so dominant and effective when using this strategy.

However, due to the high physical demands, there is a strong emphasis on the players' physical fitness, which quickly deteriorates during Gegenpressing, and a decline in performance and conditioning is soon noticeable.

Park the bus of Portuguese coach Mourinho

The Park the bus tactic is often associated with a defensive approach, where the team focuses on ensuring a solid and impenetrable defensive formation when not in possession of the ball. Only a small number of players transition to attack, allowing the rest of the team to create a strong defensive structure that the opponent cannot break through when regaining possession. This method can cause great frustration for opponents, whose chances for action are limited in Park the bus situations. They often resort to shooting from long distances as a result. Probably the most popular and effective formations associated with the Park the bus tactic are 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1.

How the park the bus tactic originated

The Park the bus tactic is often associated with Portuguese coach José Mourinho from 2004 to 2007. Chelsea, where he was at the time, broke the record for the most clean sheets in a single Premier League season and won the title with just one loss.

Throughout his career, Mourinho became known for using defensive tactics, especially in matches against stronger opponents. His teams, such as Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Manchester United, were sometimes criticized for being too cautious and defensive in their approach.

What does the Park the bus tactic bring?

Park the bus involves preventing opponents from finding space in your own defensive third. Maintaining a solid and compact defensive line with limited space for attacking opponents reduces the number of scoring chances. The defensive shape relies on horizontal and vertical cohesion, allowing teams to create a strong barrier in front of their own goalkeeper. With this tactic, defenders must resist the urge to push forward. Instead, they should pull back, wait for the opponent's move, and deny them the opportunity to find space.

Scottish Route One Football

The Route One football tactic involves kicking the ball high and far in a direct line towards the forwards. It is an attacking movement where the goalkeeper or central defenders boot the ball straight to a lone target player instead of passing to nearby teammates.

Currently, the influx of technically gifted players has made the direct kick tactic somewhat outdated. On the other hand, concepts like ball control, passing, and skills have returned. An exception is the Scottish Premier League, where the number of passes in a single match has been limited to a record nine. The Route One tactic is now relegated to a backup plan.

A brief return to history

The football tactic known as Route One represents a tried-and-true British approach that emerged in the post-war period. Given that the football made of leather was very heavy, it often took five players to kick it at once. They tried to conserve energy by minimizing passes. The restrictions and lack of manpower at that time also meant that football matches were allowed to last only one hour. Therefore, it was crucial to get the ball from one end of the field to the other as quickly as possible.

Benefits and risks of the British Scottish tactic

One of the main advantages of this strategy is the quick transfer of the ball from the defensive third to the attacking side using long, direct passes. This can surprise the opponent and create unexpected scoring chances. With minimal passing, the risk of losing the ball in dangerous areas of the field is also reduced.

On the other hand, the Route One tactic can be perceived as less attractive to spectators who prefer the technical and combinational aspects of football.

Diamond-shaped formations

The Diamond formation in football is known for its characteristic arrangement of players on the field that creates a diamond shape. The positioning of players is similar to the standard 4-4-2 and finds specific use in modern football. It last appeared in Liverpool under the management of Brendan Rodgers in 2014, to instill fear in other Premier League clubs. It was also utilized by the Netherlands under Louis Van Gaal during their unexpected journey to a bronze triumph at the 2014 World Cup.

And what do the history books say?

The most famous example of the formation was Carlo Ancelotti, who won the UEFA Champions League final with Milan in 2003 and finished as runner-up with the same team in 2005. Milan was forced to adopt the arrangement to deploy the talented central midfielder Andrea Pirlo at a time when the attacking midfielder position was occupied by Rui Costa and later Kaká. The strategy was gradually abandoned after Andriy Shevchenko left Milan in 2006, when they began transitioning to the 'Christmas tree' formation.

Over time, the Diamond formation has adapted to various playing styles and coaching philosophies due to its flexibility and ability to provide a strong central base, ensuring its lasting place in a wide range of football tactics.

Advantages of the Diamond formation

One of the main advantages of the tactic is its ability to provide a strong central base. With players arranged in a diamond shape in the center of the field, the team can better control and dominate the midfield, which helps with ball retention, distribution of passes, and limiting space for the opponent.

The arrangement also allows for a strong defensive midfield combined with attacking potential. The defensive midfielder at the back of the diamond can support the defense, while the attacking midfielder and forward can be key players in creating and finishing attacking plays.

False Nine or the false nine

The False Nine is a football tactic associated with a forward who positions themselves deeper in the field than a traditional number nine striker. The main aim is to get to the ball outside the positions of the opponent's central defenders, thereby causing disruption and breaking down the defense.

Where does the False Nine come from?

According to available information, the False Nine was first used by the Corinthians team in the late 19th century. The central forward GO Smith preferred to deliver passes to the wings with through balls. This was a change from the traditional way, where the striker stayed as high up as possible.

Other teams include River Plate from the 1920s, whose central forward acted as a so-called 'conductor' in a formation with five forwards. In the Austrian national team of the 1930s, Mathias Sindelar appeared as a dropping central forward, and later Nándor Hidegkuti and Péter Palotás were used in the same way in the famous Hungarian team of the 1950s.

However, the term False Nine only started to be used in more modern times. The idea is that a striker can have the number nine on their jersey, but move around in false positions – that is, in places where you wouldn't usually find a number nine.

Advantages and disadvantages of the False Nine

A central forward who repeatedly drops back toward the ball into deeper positions from their starting position can effectively create gaps in the opponent's defense. If the opponent's central defender steps up to the striker, space is created for other players, especially for the winger or attacking midfielder, who can exploit the gaps that arise. When a defender drops back while the central defender steps up to the striker, space opens up for an attack around the narrowing defensive line. If no defender comes, the central forward can receive the ball and move freely between the lines.

Playing with a False Nine requires a striker with excellent ball skills who is also capable of receiving the ball under pressure between the lines. Without these abilities, the False Nine becomes practically ineffective.