Let's talk long balls; a direct approach to find CF during build up.
- Knowing your CF well. Preference to receive into feet/onto chest/head.
- Knowing the CB, your CF is playing up against.
- Weather conditions ie wind.
- Support off CF to maintain rhythm and speed of the build up.
- A long ball to CF is more of a 50-50 ball.
- The priority is to retain possession and progress the build up accurately and with pace - rhythm.
Coaches/analysts/practitioners, can you coach a team to find CF against a high press/block and against a 3-5-2/4-3-3. Key technical points (but not limited to):
- Detail on the pass/long ball: Pace on the pass - height of the pass - mid air and not too high as CB will smash into CF - Spin of the pass inwards/outward - number of bounces before the touch.
- Ball into feet - back spin - loads of pace on the ball so that CB does not have loads of time to set - Loads of pace so that CF can ’set’ to teammate - Mid to low height on the ball.
- CF set and protect the body - hands - protect the ball - hands - ‘feel’ the defender - deep breath before touch - take a touch/set following nudge off defender - keep the ball down.
- Ball onto chest/head - back/side spin - good pace on the ball - Mid height on the ball.
- CF set and protect the body and ball - make yourself big and hands out and wide - deep breath before touch - take a touch/set following nudge off defender - keep the ball down.
- On the deck: loads of pace on the ball - curve into CF’s run - away from CBs - hit through the ball and ‘clean’ zipped on the floor passes - minimal bounces and before CF takes a touch - Aim foot/space.
- Defender needs to lose sight of CF; and/ or CF needs to keep moving so that CB can't see the ball and CF at the same time.
