Funnel defensive strategy.

Many of the leading clubs in world soccer use the "funnel" to force the opposing play into the middle and across the field.

The purpose is to strangle the attacking move by running it into the traffic jam of defenders in central areas. This tactic holds true up to the top of the penalty area, and from there, to the goal line where wide positions force the play "wide."

Besides squeezing the play, the funnel defensive strategy also shortens the recovery runs of midfield players trying to get back into the action.

For years, the mantra was always to show the play "wide" and away from the goal. This was almost a soccer commandment with the result of doing otherwise considered an offense.

By making the winger go wide, down the wing meant unlocking the central area by another route. Once the winger dribbled past a defender or two, it forced central defenders to come out, or, at least, hedge their bets in dealing with this problem. The result was space in central areas in the penalty box for strikers to attack.

MARKED IMPROVEMENT

Crosses have always provided a rich source of goals. During the past 20 years, "modern" tactics have tried to nullify their effectiveness by forcing the wide players "inside" towards the middle of the pitch, thus eliminating the cross.

Even with this knowledge, goals are still created with crosses, often due to poor individual defending. Too often a back will "dive-in" to tackle and provide the attacker with an open area to deliver the ball to a striker.

Defenders can prevent an enormous amount of error on their part by closely marking their man. Getting close enough to threaten the ball will achieve two objectives: the dribbler's vision goes down to the ball and the play gets slower.

Winning these two "downs"--eyes down and slowing the move down--will result in trouble for the attacker. If attackers cannot look up, they won't see nor be able to pass to a teammate. The analogy is similar to riding a bike and only being able to look at the pedals.

Blue Cross and turnovers here we come!

By slowing the move down it allows teammates time to close in and help apply more pressure on the ball. The clock is ticking against the attacker so be patient as time is a defender's friend.

WIN THE BALL

Good defenders are devious and smart in finding ways to win the ball. The best defenders look to intercept and pass it forward in the same motion. That speed of thought and action will often catch their opponents off guard and stick them on the wrong side of transition.

Getting an individual to learn good defensive habits will translate into good defensive team organization. That is, if the nearest defender to the ball inflicts these "downs," then the team will willingly support the effort.

However, reckless or passive defending will have the opposite response. Such non-defending is the fastest way to rip open your own defense. Such players are "double agents," wearing our shirts, but in truth, playing for our opponents. They are dangerous teammates.

Once the idea of "funneling" is planted into your team you win other rewards as well. Besides becoming more compact as a defensive unit you are now taking away another asset--speed.

If the opposition has quick, wide players, the "funnel" system will feed them into central midfield areas where eager teammates are waiting to meet an often out of control dribbler flying from one touch-line to another, going across the field.

When the dribbler goes across the face of the defense, the attack will have been deflected to safety. The time to worry is when the dribbler is going past defenders towards goal. Therefore the general rule of thumb is to "show" speed into the middle and across the field.

Let them attack the sidelines!

Employing new ideas like "funneling" is not only fun, it increases ways of developing clever defensive schemes to outwit unsuspecting teams.

Popular opinion may believe that unconventional thinking is akin to committing soccer treason. But unless you think outside the box, how can you prevent your opponents from getting into the real box--your penalty area!

RELATED ARTICLE

Most teams "funnel" from the halfway line back into their own half. Look at this example below: the blue #11 is channeling the white #4 into the middle of the field where it is congested. The pressurizing player, #11, has to first "channel" or push the play inside, then press onto the ball. The defender, #11, must get into a position to threaten a tackle, around 3 to 4 feet, creating the "two downs"--vision down on the ball and slow down the attack. Note: If blue #11 has done his job then white #7 is isolated and the ball cannot be played to him. The same tactic applies to killing an overlapping run by a wide back player.

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BY GRAHAM RAMSAY

Director, Education & Training

Maryland State Youth

Soccer Assn.

If you have any questions regarding this article or any other articles from Graham Ramsey, please email him at [e-mail].