Motivational Soccer Patches

Which Formations To Hide Weak Players, and 3-1-4-2 Formation

Which Formations should I use to hide weak players, and please explain more about the 3-1-4-2 Formation.

Coach Tony, USA

Hi Tony,

  1. Use the Patches to encourage and reward aggressive play -- Yes, they still work up to about age 15 -- a lot of travel teams use them now, and high school teams.
  2. Tony, if you read "Attacking Plan" on Premium, you know that I think it's a mistake to try to teach a Rec team a "build from the back with short passes" style of play -- it simply can't work because you don't have the talent or practice time to get your team to make 5 to 7 consecutive short passes. The only practical approach is to teach them to clear the ball from your Defensive Third by kicking it hard straight ahead. Teach your MF's and Forwards to shift and sag so they are positioned to win the cleared balls.
  3. I was thinking, I may keep 2 or 3 skilled players on the bench and not start them and start 2 or 3 less skilled players. then sub the skilled players in w/ the non skilled a few minutes into the game. do u agree? Yes, this is a good idea -- you must have decent players on the field ALL the time, especially in the center.
  4. Yes, put a good player at CFB, but put your toughest, best athlete at Stopper. On Premium, read "Stopper Importance", "Stopper - How To Select" and "Stopper Role in Rec and Select Soccer".
  5. Play a 3-1-4-2 (3 Fullbacks and a Stopper). Tell your LFB and RFB to "Defend Deep", one off each post and NOT go past the Penalty Box line. Let your CFB come to the top of the Penalty Box Arc, but NO farther. Put a strong player at CFB and your best athlete (not most skilled, but toughest) at Stopper. Tell your Stopper to NOT go past the Center Circle line on your side of the field (i.e., she should NEVER go past the Halfway Line). On Premium read "Defending Deep Basics". Put one or 2 good players at the Center Midfield spots. Put 2 good scorers at Forward. Put your weak players at the 2 outside Mid spots. You can put unskilled, slow players at RFB and LFB as long as they aren't afraid of contact and can clear the ball.
  6. On Premium, read "Most Important Things" to teach.

Tony, the advantage I have is that I talk to coaches all over the world. If you do what I recommend it will work, if you don't, it probably won't work -- like trying to teach your FB's to pass the ball out of the back instead of just clearing it -- if you can keep the same girls for 3 years and are willing to lose most of your games, you might eventually get it to work. The style of play your opponent used is what I recommend.

If you do what I recommend it will work. Try it. You will have more fun and your girls will play better and start to win. If you doubt it, read the Testimonials.

Please let me know what works.

Good luck,

David
SoccerHelp