Futsal Tips - Creating an identity (Part 1.1)

PART 1.1: MODEL OF GAME - OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE MODEL

Today I want to explain the first piece of a big puzzle called "team identity". Coach, If you want to success in a team you should involve in that process the players! They need to believe and execute your model of game.

But... What is our model of game? That is the most important question to ask to all the players. Every player need to be listened and they contribute to the construction of the model of game. Our model of game could be divided in two pieces: offensive model and defensive model.

• Offensive Model: Positional (3-1 system or 4-0 system) / Transitions
• Defensive Model: speculation system in 18-20 meters / high pressure system in 25-30 meters*

*There are more different kind of specific system: individual, with changes, mixed, zonal... We want to simplify all.

Imagine we have a 100% and we need to select what % should be assigned to every different kind of offensive model, what is the distribution of that in my model of game? Should decide only the players? Of course not... futsal is a team sport.

Example: I have talked with my players and we want to construct our offensive system as 60% transitions and 40% positional attack.

That decision have an impact with the construction of our defensive system because if you want to attack our rivals with more transitions instead of positional attacks we need to defense creating... SPACE! For that reason, following the example before, we can propose a defensive model as 40% high pressure system in 3/4 of the field and 60% in our half side of the field... we are creating space for our offensive system!!!

But... Is that model like the Bible, untouchable? The answer is no. Our model of game could change during the season because of the rivals. Let me explain that with my own experience. Months ago I have decided with my team this model of game: offensive system (60% transition - 40% positional attack) and defensive system (40% high pressure 3/4 - 60% in 18-20 meters). 2 months after (we played 10 matches) we changed that model to 30% transitions - 70% positional attack and 70% high pressure 3/4 - 30% in 18-20 meters. Why? Because my players feels better with a high pressure and intensive match and they prefer to try to control the game by controlling the ball possession with positional attacks.

Good! Now we know that our offensive system uses 60% of time in transitional attack and 40% positional attack... then we need to translate that time in our training sessions. How? Imagine we have 3 training sessions per week and in every session we use 45 minutes to work a specific tactical concept then the amount of time in a week is 45'x3 = 135' if we use the 50% to work the offensive system (68 minutes) we should use the 60% of 67.5 minutes (41 minutes) to work our main offensive system = transitions.

Example: we have 3 sessions per week and we use an amount of 9 exercises. If we decide to work all the week (the 3 sessions) only offensive system, we need to work at least 5 exercises of transitions (2x1, 3x2, 4x3, using the goalkeeper...) = 60% of the time and 4 exercises dedicated to positional attack = 40% of the time.

Next week I want to detail all the tactical concepts involves in every different kind of offensive and defensive system, following the main goal... define a model of game... our model of game!