Why The High Line is Crucial in The Modern Game | Football's High Line Explained

Summary

This 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

00:00

🏟️ 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.

05:01

🚫 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.

Keywords

💡High Defensive Line

A high defensive line is a tactical approach in football where the defenders, typically the center-backs and full-backs, position themselves further up the pitch to compress the space available to the opposing team. This strategy is central to the video's theme, as it discusses its advantages and disadvantages in modern football. For instance, the script mentions how teams like Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp and Fiorentina under Vincenzo Italiano use a high defensive line to squeeze space and facilitate an aggressive high press.

💡Aggressive High Press

An aggressive high press is a football tactic where a team's players, especially the forwards and midfielders, apply intense pressure on the opposing team's defenders to win back possession quickly. This concept is integral to the video's narrative, as it explains how a high defensive line supports this style of play. The script provides examples of Premier League managers like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp employing this tactic to box in opponents and prevent them from building up play.

💡Offside Trap

The offside trap is a defensive strategy where the defensive line moves up as a unit to catch opposing attackers in an offside position just before the ball is played to them. The video discusses this as a method to mitigate the risks of a high defensive line, with Liverpool being highlighted as particularly adept at using the offside trap to regain possession and prevent counterattacks.

💡Zonal Marking

Zonal marking is a tactical system where defenders are assigned to cover specific areas of the pitch rather than marking specific opponents. The video references Arrigo Sacchi, one of the pioneers of zonal marking and high defensive lines, and how his approach at AC Milan involved compressing the pitch to limit the opposition's space, which is related to the concept of a high defensive line.

💡Vertical Passing Options

Vertical passing options refer to the ability to play the ball forward quickly to exploit gaps in the opposition's defense. The video explains that a high defensive line allows midfielders and strikers to stay higher up the pitch, creating these vertical passing options and contributing to the team's attacking play.

💡Possession-Based Play

Possession-based play is a football strategy focused on maintaining control of the ball to dominate the game and create scoring opportunities. The video connects this concept to the high defensive line, as the latter is often used by teams that employ a possession-based style to press the opposition and win back the ball quickly.

💡Shadow Marking

Shadow marking is a defensive technique where a player closely follows an opponent without directly marking them, ready to apply pressure when the ball comes to that opponent. The video mentions this in the context of Jurgen Klopp's tactics, where shadow marking is part of the high press and high defensive line strategy.

💡Man-Oriented High Press

A man-oriented high press is a more aggressive version of pressing where each player is responsible for closing down the player they are marking. The video contrasts this with shadow marking and explains how Vincenzo Italiano's Fiorentina uses this approach, which naturally pushes the defensive line higher up the pitch.

💡Energy Conservation

Energy conservation in football refers to tactics that minimize the physical effort required from players, often by reducing the amount of ground they need to cover. The video discusses how a high defensive line can save energy for a team by limiting the space the opposition has to play in, although it also notes that if the defense is unorganized, it can lead to quick fatigue.

💡Transition

Transition in football is the phase of play when one team loses possession and the other team begins their attack. The video mentions how a high defensive line can be vulnerable during transitions if not well-organized, as it can leave the defense exposed to quick counterattacks, as seen with Atletico Madrid's struggles.

💡Defensive Titans

Defensive titans refer to teams renowned for their strong defensive organization and ability to prevent goals. The video uses the term to describe Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone, highlighting their past success with a more conservative defensive approach compared to the high defensive line.

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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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

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