Off the ball movement

Soccer (Individual Skills) / Popular

Create space and time your runs without the ball.

What coaches agree on

  • Position yourself on the defender's blind side, where they cannot watch you and the ball at the same time.
  • Check over your shoulder to read where the defender is, both before you start your run and again as the ball is traveling to you.
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  • Watch for the space a defender leaves behind when they step out to press the ball or chase a runner, and move into it immediately.

Common mistakes

  • Standing flat-footed waiting for the ball, or sprinting straight into the space with no change of pace or direction, lets the defender read the run and shut it down before it pays off.
Winger Movement | AllTactics
Intermediate

Winger Movement | AllTactics

Coach's take: Simple but genuinely useful — explains the 'why' behind the movement, not just 'run here.'

3.4