Why The High Line is Crucial in The Modern Game | Football's High Line Explained
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the high defensive line strategy in modern football, highlighting its advantages and potential pitfalls. It emphasizes the importance of this tactic for aggressive pressing and possession-based play, as exemplified by managers like Klopp and Guardiola. The script discusses how a high line can compress space, facilitate quick transitions, and create offensive opportunities, while also noting the risks of leaving space for counterattacks. It also touches on strategies to mitigate these risks, such as the offside trap and ball-oriented defensive movements. The video concludes by questioning the suitability of a high defensive line for every team, suggesting it's more effective for certain styles of play.
Takeaways
- 😀 Play by Metrica Sports is a platform for coaches and analysts to manage video analysis, offering a tool for coding games, player sharing, and more.
- 📚 The high defensive line is a tactic used by modern teams to press opponents aggressively and control possession, with examples like Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool and Pep Guardiola's teams.
- 🔒 The effectiveness of a high press relies on the correct positioning of the defensive line to close off passing lanes and prevent the opposition from advancing the ball.
- 🚫 A high defensive line squeezes space between the defense and midfield, making it difficult for the opposition to create chances and facilitating quick transitions into attack for the pressing team.
- 🏟️ Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool exemplifies an effective high line, with players like Robertson, Van Dijk, Matip, and Alexander-Arnold maintaining an advanced position to limit the opposition's space.
- 📊 Vincenzo Italiano's Fiorentina also employs a high defensive line, transitioning into a 4-5-1 to aggressively press and minimize space, leading to a high number of offside calls against their opponents.
- 🤔 The high defensive line requires disciplined and fast defenders who can handle the risk of leaving space behind for opposition attackers to exploit.
- 🔄 The offside trap and using the ball as a reference are strategies to mitigate the risks of a high defensive line, with Liverpool being particularly adept at catching opponents offside.
- ⚠️ Despite its advantages, the high defensive line can lead to goals if the defense is unorganized or if the midfield fails to move the ball forward effectively, as seen with Atletico Madrid's struggles.
- 🏆 The high defensive line is not suitable for every team and requires specific tactical understanding and player attributes to be effective, as demonstrated by Atletico Madrid's transition challenges.
- 📈 The high defensive line is likely to remain popular for possession-based teams due to its benefits in regaining early possession and creating dangerous opportunities.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video?
-The main topic of the video is the analysis of the high defensive line in modern football, discussing its advantages, disadvantages, and its effectiveness in different teams' playstyles.
What is Play by Metrica Sports and how is it related to the video?
-Play by Metrica Sports is a video analysis tool used by coaches and analysts. It is mentioned in the beginning as the sponsor of the video, suggesting its utility for analyzing tactics like the high defensive line.
Why is the high defensive line considered crucial for an aggressive high press playstyle?
-The high defensive line is crucial for an aggressive high press playstyle because it helps to shut off passing lanes and options further up the pitch, preventing the opposition from moving the ball forward effectively.
What is the role of the fullback in a high defensive line strategy?
-In a high defensive line strategy, the fullback's role is to stop any passes out wide and be ready to defend against any balls played into the center, helping to close off space between the defense and midfield.
How does the high defensive line affect the midfielders and strikers' positioning?
-The high defensive line allows midfielders and strikers to stay further up the pitch between the opposition's midfield and defense, creating vertical passing options and enabling quick rotations of possession into less crowded areas.
Can you provide an example of a team that effectively uses a high defensive line?
-Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool is an example of a team that effectively uses a high defensive line, with players like Robertson, Van Dijk, Matip, and Alexander-Arnold naturally playing in an advanced position to squeeze space.
What is the main disadvantage of playing with a high defensive line?
-The main disadvantage of playing with a high defensive line is that it leaves a large amount of space behind the defense, which can be exploited by opposition attackers with through balls and runs into the space.
How can a team prevent the danger of leaving space behind the high defensive line?
-Teams can prevent this danger by using an offside trap, which requires organized movement from the back line to catch strikers in an offside position, or by using the ball as a reference to adjust the defensive line's position based on the ball's location.
What is the offside trap and how does it work?
-The offside trap is a defensive tactic where the defensive line moves up as a unit just before the ball is played, aiming to catch the opposition's attackers in an offside position, thus nullifying their attacking threat.
How does Fiorentina's approach to the high defensive line differ from Liverpool's?
-While both teams use a high defensive line, Fiorentina, under Vincenzo Italiano, employs a more aggressive man-oriented high press, with defenders following attackers' movements closely, often resulting in a naturally higher defensive line.
Why might a high defensive line not be suitable for every team?
-A high defensive line might not be suitable for every team due to various factors such as the team's overall tactical approach, the ability of the defenders to handle the pace and awareness required, and the potential for increased fatigue and defensive errors.
What is an example of a team that has struggled to adapt to a high defensive line?
-Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid is an example of a team that has struggled with adapting to a high defensive line, as their shift to a more possession-based style has left them vulnerable to quick transitions and has not fully aligned with their traditional strengths.
Outlines
🏟️ High Defensive Line in Modern Football Tactics
This paragraph introduces the concept of a high defensive line in football, sponsored by Play by Metrica Sports, a video analysis tool. It discusses how top teams like Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp and Manchester City under Pep Guardiola use an aggressive high press and possession-based play to dominate games. The high defensive line is crucial for this tactic, as it helps to close down space and prevent the opposition from building attacks. The paragraph also explains how the defensive line works in tandem with the midfielders and forwards to press the opponent and regain possession effectively. Examples of successful implementation are given, including Liverpool's backline and Fiorentina's aggressive high press under Vincenzo Italiano.
🚫 The Risks and Countermeasures of a High Defensive Line
The second paragraph delves into the potential weaknesses and strategies associated with employing a high defensive line. It acknowledges that while this tactic can conserve energy and create more scoring opportunities, it also exposes a team to the risk of conceding goals through long balls and offside traps. The paragraph highlights the importance of organization and pace in the defensive line to counter these threats. It also discusses two key defensive strategies: the offside trap, which requires precise timing from the defenders, and the use of the ball as a reference to adjust the defensive line's position dynamically. The paragraph concludes with examples of teams that have struggled with this tactic, such as Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone, illustrating the importance of adapting defensive tactics to a team's strengths and style of play.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡High Defensive Line
💡Aggressive High Press
💡Offside Trap
💡Zonal Marking
💡Vertical Passing Options
💡Possession-Based Play
💡Shadow Marking
💡Man-Oriented High Press
💡Energy Conservation
💡Transition
💡Defensive Titans
Highlights
Play by Metrica Sports is introduced as a fundamental tool for coaches and analysts to manage video analysis.
The platform offers a comprehensive solution for video analysis from game coding to player sharing.
Play by Metrica Sports is praised for its intuitive and easy-to-use interface.
A coupon code 'football meta' is offered for a 10% discount at checkout.
The high defensive line is a key tactic in modern football, discussed in the video with its advantages and disadvantages.
Aggressive high press and possession-based play are dominant tactics for title-challenging teams.
The importance of a correctly positioned defensive line for an effective high press is emphasized.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are cited as examples of managers utilizing high defensive lines effectively.
The video explains how a high defensive line supports pressing tactics by limiting passing options for the opposition.
Liverpool's defensive line under Klopp is highlighted as an effective example of a high defensive line.
Fiorentina's aggressive high press and high defensive line are critiqued and analyzed.
Different pressing systems are discussed, including shadow marking and man-oriented high press.
The weaknesses of a high defensive line, such as leaving space for through balls, are examined.
The necessity of pace and awareness for defenders in a high defensive line setup is pointed out.
Fiorentina's susceptibility to conceding goals from through balls and red cards is discussed.
The offside trap and using the ball as a reference are presented as strategies to mitigate risks associated with a high defensive line.
Atletico Madrid's struggle with adapting to a possession-based style and high defensive line is used as a case study.
The video concludes by questioning whether a high defensive line is suitable for every team and invites viewer opinions.
Transcripts
this video is brought to you by play by
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sharing play by metrica sports is the
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10 discount the high defensive line has
become something of a talking point in
the modern game and more and more clubs
are choosing to start their defenders
further and further up the pitch but
what's the reason behind this choice
well in today's video we're going to be
breaking down the main advantages and
disadvantages of a high defensive line
and why it might not be the best choice
for every team
over the past few years the dominating
tactic for title challenging teams has
been an aggressive high press and
possession-based play in order to box in
opponents and not allow them to get out
of their own half
examples include the two premier league
pace setters in jurgen klopp and pep
guardiola
well for this style of play to be
effective it may look like the strikers
are the ones doing all the work but none
of this would be possible if the
defensive line wasn't correctly
positioned let's take a look at why the
high defensive line is crucial for this
playstyle
if you want to know more about the high
press check out this video for more
information
when a team looks to press the opponent
the aim is to completely shut off
certain passing lanes and options
further up the pitch
while the strikers and midfielders have
an incredibly important job during the
first phase it would all be useless if
the defensive line sat back to cover the
space in front of goal as it would
increase the space available for the
opposition to move the ball forward
for example let's say the opposition
worked the ball to the full back from
here central options will be cut off by
the midfielders a ball back to the
center back will be cut off by the
striker and the winger will put pressure
on the full back in possession
from this situation one of the only
options is to chip the ball over the
midfield into the attackers
now if the defensive line sat back then
this space would immediately create a
lot of danger and the defending team
would quickly be outnumbered in defense
so to stop this from happening the
backline has to move up as a unit and
close off space between defense and
midfield
the fullback will need to stop any
passes out wide and the two centre-backs
will be ready for any balls into the
center
now the advantage isn't only for
regaining possession but also means the
team can immediately have a lot of
players in attack to quickly create a
dangerous opportunity
given that the defensive line will be
high up on the pitch it means the
midfielders and strikers won't have to
drop as deep as they would usually and
can stay further up between the
opposition's midfield and defense to
create vertical passing options and the
close proximity between the lines also
means the team can quickly rotate
possession into a less crowded area of
the pitch
essentially while it may seem
counterintuitive to leave so much space
between the defenders and the goalkeeper
by effectively limiting the space a team
has to play then it makes it much harder
for them to even create a chance in the
first place and will struggle to get a
player past the backline
a great example of an effective high
line can be seen with jurgen klopp
liverpool the backline of robertson van
dyke matip and alexander arnold will
naturally play in a very advanced
position and will keep their line high
in order to squeeze the space available
a good example comes from their recent
league cup final against chelsea with
chelsea having a number of different
goals disallowed for offside another
good example from this season is
vincenzo italianos fiorentina who have
come under a lot of criticism for their
aggressive high press and high defensive
line their 433 will transition into a
4-5-1 when out of possession with the
defensive line squeezing the space as
much as possible and allowing the front
six players to adopt an aggressive high
press
so far this season the backline of
biragi giulio milenkovic and adriotsola
has been excellent a recent example is
their game against ac milan where they
were able to catch the opposition
strikers offside an impressive seven
times
what separates liverpool and fiorentina
from their approach however is a
slightly different pressing system
while jurgen klopp tends to prefer
cutting off key passing lanes and shadow
marking forward options italiano has a
preference for a more aggressive man
oriented high press meaning each player
will quickly close down the player in
possession
for this reason the defense will often
find themselves naturally further up the
pitch as they will follow any attackers
movement if they drop deep to find space
now while it does have some significant
advantages and is a dominating tactic in
the modern game it does have some
weaknesses that the defense will always
need to be aware of playing with a high
defensive line will naturally leave a
large amount of space behind the defense
meaning there is plenty of room for the
opposition attackers to run into and get
on the end of any through balls
as it requires the whole line to move as
a unit constantly it's easy for the
defensive line to be distracted at times
meaning the striker could find himself
on side and can lead to the team
conceding goals which look remarkably
simple
over the course of the game a high
defensive line can save the team a lot
of energy however if the defense is
unorganized it can lead to the teams
getting tired very quickly as they will
constantly be running back to goal
for this reason it requires defenders
with enough pace to challenge the
strikers and be constantly aware to the
danger of a ball over the top
with fiorentina the team does often find
itself keeping strikers on side and will
concede a lot of goals from through
balls the team also leads the charts for
red cards in the serie a with their
aggressive approach likely being the
root cause for this issue
nonetheless there are a few ways teams
will look to prevent this danger the
first is the offside trap
the offside trap requires a lot of
organization from the back line which
will look to move up as a unit just
before the ball is played in order to
catch the strikers in an offside
position
while it's definitely not as drastic as
it was in the 1980s an offside trap is
common in most teams with liverpool
being one of the best in the modern game
catching the opposition offside more
than any other team in the league
the second way is by using the ball as a
reference this principle comes from one
of the founders of the high defensive
line and zonal marking arrivosaki during
his time at ac milan this approach
brought him plenty of success saki would
look to have his team compressed into a
space no more than 25 meters long to
limit the space the opposition had to
play in
by using this approach rather than
trying to catch the opposition offside
with a perfectly timed run the team will
look to move depending on the position
of the ball
for example if the player in possession
has space to play the ball forward then
the defensive line will move backwards
while if the player on the ball is in a
closed position then the line will push
up as a unit
while this approach naturally leads to
less offside calls it ensures the
defenders are always ready for any balls
in behind and can quickly cover any
dangerous runs from the attackers
it's essential that any team that wishes
to play with a high defensive line
masters both these methods of stopping
the opposition from getting in behind
finally with all that being said you may
think that the high defensive line is
the best solution for every team however
this is far from the case and some teams
have struggled to adapt to this new
style of play a perfect example is diego
simeone's atletico madrid once the
defensive titans of europe simeone's 442
was renowned for being one of the
hardest teams to break down in europe
the team would sit back cover the space
in front of goal and hit teams with
quick dangerous transitions but over the
years atletico had become a more
possession-based team partially out of
necessity and also because their squad
has more ability to play on the ball
however atletico have never truly taken
on the identity of a possession-based
side and the more they attempt it the
more they get hit with quick transitions
the switch to a back three means the
team has less cover if possession is
lost given that the fullbacks have
pushed up on the flanks and it can leave
the back three isolated in transition
the main issue isn't necessarily with
the defense but with the midfield
struggling to move the ball forward it
means their high defensive line often
gets caught off guard and leads to the
opposition quickly attacking the
backline
so while it's certainly not for everyone
the high defensive line will likely
remain a popular choice for
possession-based teams with the
positives of helping the team regain
possession early far outweighing the
negatives and now let me know what you
think what do you make of the high
defensive line and where do you think
defensive tactics are heading in the
next few years let me know in the
comments down below along with any
suggestions for future videos and if you
enjoyed this content please leave a like
and subscribe for more thanks for
watching
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