Breakthrough Balance

Danish Football federation
UEFA PRO LICENSE

Breakthrough Balance

A quantitative analysis on how to optimize scoring opportunities and at
the same time minimize the risks of a counter attack

Denise Reddy
Copenhagen, 2015
2

DENISE REDDY -‐ UEFA PRO LICENSE AT THE DANISH FOOTBALL FEDERATION
2015
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Table of Contents

Summary p. 4
Introduction p. 6
Problem definition p. 9
Limitations p. 10
Definitions of key words p. 12
Theory and methods p. 13
- Theory/Method/Results I p. 13
- Theory/Method/Results II p. 16
Analysis p. 18
Breakthrough Balance p. 23
- Organization (1) p. 24
- Decision-making (2) p. 26
- Re-Press (3) p. 29
Perspective p. 33
Theory implemented in training session p. 35
Conclusion p. 38
References p. 39

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Summary

This paper comes from the idea that the higher up on the pitch a team
sets press, the higher up they will win the ball and hence create more
goal scoring opportunities. Through a quantitative analysis of goals
scored at top international level, I wanted to look at the correlation
between where the teams started their defensive press and from that
press how goals were scored. I divided the length of the pitch into Areas 1
to 4, whereas Area 1 is closest to the opponent’s goal, and 4 is closest to
the defending team’s own goal. My impression was that the defending
team would score more goals off of a ball win when the press is sat high
and won in Area 1 or 2. This was not the case, as my data shows that the
majority of goals scored, were after ball winnings low on the defending
team’s own half in Area 4.

If the breakdown of my evaluation and these results are transferrable to
soccer in general, there are some strong trends in top international
football to argue that defending higher up the pitch leads to more goals.
Of 136 goals analyzed, only a few came as a result of high pressure
resulting in ball winning in Area 1 or 2. 61 of the goals came from
winning the ball all the way back in the defending teams own end, Area 4.
These results led me to think that it was due to the team’s high-‐organized
pressure that teams won ball possession through for example forced long
balls and clearances. After a new analysis of the 61 goals that were scored
from winning the ball in Area 4, this theory was also proven wrong. This
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forced me to do a new diagnosis on why the teams in possession in the
opponent’s Area 4 were most vulnerable to being scored upon after
losing possession.

By analyzing the 61 goals scored after ball wins in the team’s own lower
half, I was able to see the trends and habits, leading up to losing
possession and getting scored upon. My data clearly shows that most
attacking teams lost possession when entering the “breakthrough phase”
of their attack, the final phase where they try to penetrate the opponents
defense line. Through dissecting each goal and what the team in
possession did prior to losing possession, the trends are that teams are
most likely to be scored upon when entering this breakthrough phase on
a dribble, especially in the central zone.

According to the data, it is clear that when the attacking team is entering
this breakthrough phase, they are at their most vulnerable to getting
scored against because of the spaces they are leaving vacant. This
knowledge needs to be emphasized at a greater range in our coaching
philosophy and training methods. I discovered that having a balance in
your team when going from possession to the breakthrough phase is
vital.

To achieve this balance when attacking, there are three aspects that need
to be taking into consideration: organization, decision-‐making and re-‐
press. The decisions being made by the players during this breakthrough
phase -‐ both when it comes to scoring a goal and regaining possession
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when lost -‐ are built on trained awareness and reading the “climate” of
the game. The moments, in which possession is lost, the players need to
know how to re-‐press the opposing team based on the remaining
organization. When the decision is made, and the re-‐press phase has
begun, there needs to be a base of balance built on the organization. This
organization is based off of knowing where we want to have players in
order to create a goal scoring opportunity and not give up areas
susceptible to transition.

Introduction

Football tactics have become extremely complex and with the rise of
technology and innovations our eyes become more open to all facets of
the game. The more we study and break down the different stages in a
game, the more complex and advanced it becomes. Data and analysis give
us probabilities and trends in most areas of the pitch. To work as a
manager in today’s age you need to be able to decode all the information
and come up with your own solutions and strategies that fit your specific
team. Football has become about numbers, percentages and patterns, and
how they all lead to predictability. Through this analysis I wanted to see if
I could find some patterns when it came to goal scoring at the absolute
highest level, and if there were surprising or interesting results I could
use on a broader aspect in my own coaching philosophy.

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I decided to use the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as my database. If we are
going to study any particular part of football, it’s important to do it at the
most elite level. When the technical capabilities of the individual players
are so sufficient, we are then able to look further into the organizational
deficits. I will analyze all of the 136 goals scored in the group play of the
2014 World Cup. In the modern day 32-‐team group play, 136 are the
most goals ever scored. It is only 9 goals shy of the total amount of goals
scored in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. My first part of the analysis
will look and define where on the pitch the teams that scored a goal first
won possession of the ball. Before my analysis I was convinced there
would be a high number of balls won on the opponents half of the pitch
after high-‐organized pressure. I was sure I would be using the data to
prove that most goals were scored due to efficient organization in
defensive pressure. When this was proven wrong, I went on to analyzing
how possession was won, and the vulnerability of the teams entering the
breakthrough phase. This led me to the study of what I call Breakthrough
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Balance -‐ in lack of any other terms regarding this condition-‐, and how
teams would be able to attack 100% but still keep some sort of defensive
balance.

From the beginning throughout the analysis I will change my course of
attack. I will shift my focus from the defending aspect of the game to the
teams in possession. I will with the data identify areas of concern as
teams go from possession to the breakthrough phase. It will be evident
that teams going into the breakthrough phase of their attack were most
vulnerable to being scored on, and based off of this fact I will discuss
tactical solutions and important aspects regarding this subject. I will
research what the tendencies were for the team possessing in the
breakthrough phase prior to losing the ball and conceding a goal. I am
looking to see if there could be a formula to reduce the number of goals
scored off of loss of possession high up on the pitch. And the data
collected will bring me specifically to researching the breakthrough
phase of the team’s attack, where they are most vulnerable to being
scored upon when possession is lost. The balance in the breakthrough
phase of the attack will consist of the organization and decision-‐making
both in the attack and when possession is lost.

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Problem definitions

I.
Goals scored in the 2014 World Cup group play were due to the team’s
defensive organization prior to them winning possession.
A) Did most goals come as a result of high-‐organized pressure and
gaining possession in Area 1 or 2.
B) Were the goals scored off of ball winning situations in Area 4 a
result of the team’s high-‐organized pressure forced long balls and
clearances into Area 4.

II.
Analyzing the trends both regarding the attacking team and the team
winning possession prior to a goal.
C) How can the attacking team enter the breakthrough phase of their
attack and at the same time have a defensive balance to minimize
the chances of conceding a goal if they lose possession.
D) By analyzing the trends of the defending team winning possession,
can we find better ways to prevent a counter-‐attack against during
the breakthrough phase.

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Limitations

In this assignment, I am analyzing the balance of the attacking team when
they enter the breakthrough phase and directly after they lose
possession. This means they will be able to create scoring opportunities
without offering vulnerable defensive areas. I have therefore analyzed
the attack up until ball possession is lost before conceding a goal. To
understand the data I needed to look at the defending team winning
possession, and their defensive breakouts – where were the spaces they
took advantage of, and how could they have been closed. I have not taken
into consideration the loss of possession leading to goal scoring
opportunities, only the ones leading up to an actual goal. There were
many situations where the possessing teams regain the ball quickly after
losing it through well-‐organized defending and good balance. This data
was not collected, but it could be interesting to look at and study the
successful situations in the moments after losing possession.

I did not focus on how the team winning possession went to goal other
than if they did so through transition or possession. This means there is
data on how the ball winning team went to goal, to see their use of areas,
but not if they went to goal through long passes, short passes, clearances
etc. The amount of time it took for teams to actually score after winning
possession was also not taken into consideration.

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To get a better perspective on the first part of my analysis – where the
possession is won – I split the pitch into zones and areas and specifically
examined how the teams in possession lost possession of the ball and in
what zones of the pitch. In my analysis I have all the data collected from
all the zones as well as the areas 4A, 4B and 4C that are representing the
last zone’s middle and outside areas. 4A would be to the left, 4B central
and 4C to the right. Because of the amount of data, the final analysis in
itself will only be concentrating on balls lost in all of Area 4.

The loss of possession in Area 4 can also be looked at from a defensive
perspective. To get a fully, clear perspective of the attacking teams’
tendencies, the defending teams’ tendencies would need to be taken into
a greater consideration. Were there any specific ways teams shut down
crucial areas, and therefore forcing the attacking team into central, well-‐
defended areas? Did the defending team tactically force teams to dribble
instead of pass while entering the breakthrough phase? These questions
will not be part of my analysis, due to the amount of data that would
require.

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Definition of key words

Transition
When the defending team wins the ball and directly attacks the opponent’s
unorganized defense.

Possession
Having control of the ball or maintaining the ball in the team.

Defensive Breakout
When the defending team wins the ball deep in their own end and finds
vacant areas to advance the ball up field quickly and away from pressure.

Breakout Areas
The areas on the pitch the attacking team leave vacant when they lose the
ball when going for a breakthrough.

Breakthrough Phase
When the attacking team in possession tries to penetrate in order to create
a goal scoring opportunity.

The balance between when we go into the breakthrough phase and how we
prevent the opponents from having defensive breakouts when we lose the
ball during that phase.

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Restforsvar
The way in which you position the team in attack when going from phase 2
into phase 3(breakthrough phase), in order to prevent counter-attack.

Re-press
The players involved in the attack are positioned so that when losing the
ball a transition is stopped as quickly as possible.

Transition-Possession
Teams winning possession in Area 4 after defending, quickly transition the
ball out of their defensive end to establish possession higher up the pitch
with players in attacking positions.

Theory and Methods

Theory I
Goals scored in the 2014 World Cup group play were due to the Teams’
defensive organization prior to them winning possession of the ball and
scoring a goal. Teams with an organized and aggressive defense would
win balls in the central zones of the pitch before scoring a goal. If teams
won possession in their own end, it was due to the team’s high-‐organized
pressure that forced passes and clearances higher up the pitch.

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Method I
I reviewed all 136 goals of the World Cup group stage and diagrammed
where possession was won prior to scoring the goal. The goal could come
from transition, possession, free kicks, corners or penalties. As long as the
team did not lose possession before they actually scored. In this context,
possession would mean when the team wins and regains control of the
ball. Control can mean having the ball on the dribble or connecting a pass.
Example: A cross comes into the box and is headed by the defending team
in area 4B and then recovered in 4A by the same team; possession won is
documented in 4A.

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Like mentioned, I split the pitch into 12 areas, 4 Areas dividing the length
of the pitch and 3 Zones dividing the width. The areas are numbered 1-‐4,
1 starting closest to the opponents goal and 4 closest to the defending
team’s goal. The width is divided into 3 zones, A-‐C. Zone A is the left; B is
central and Zone C is to the right. The areas then become A1 through A4,
which indicated the ball was won on the left side of the pitch and either
closest to opponents goal or closest to the goal of the defending team. The
same would apply for the middle, B1-‐B4 and the right side of the pitch
being C1-‐C4.

Results I
Most goals were scored in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup when
the defending team in the area closest to their own goal, Area 4, first won
possession. The numbers show that 61 goals out of the 136 goals -‐ 45% -‐
were originated from gaining possession in Area 4. Possession won in
Area 3 before scoring was the second highest with 43 out of 136 goals -‐
32%. The majority of the balls won in Area 4 are from the team being in
low pressure and winning the ball when the attacking team goes from
possession into the breakthrough phase of their attack. There were only
7 out of 61 times that possession was gained in Area 4 due to a Clearance.
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Theory II
Attacking teams entering the breakthrough phase are giving up spaces
that make them vulnerable to getting scored upon. There needs to be a
way of organizing the teams into having a better balance during their
own attacks, minimizing the risks of goal against when they lose
possession.

Method II
I will look at the 61 ball possessions won in Area 4 that led to a goal, and
see if there were any trends both regarding the attacking team and the
first actions of the team winning possession. I will analyze how
possession in Area 4 was lost, if it was through for example a pass, a

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cross, on a dribble, etc. This is done to specifically look for trends when it
comes to decision-‐making and the organization in attack, specifically
during the breakthrough phase. As part of the organizational analysis, I
will look to the team’s positioning as they enter the breakthrough phase
in regards to re-‐press. I want to see how the players were positioned to
support both the attack and the defense upon losing possession.

Results II
Teams that won the ball in their own end after defending another team’s
possession scored the most goals in the Group stages of the 2014 World
Cup. It is clear that teams entering the breakthrough phase of their attack
are vulnerable to having a turnover result in a goal. Going into the
breakthrough phase on the dribble was the leading cause of loss of
possession resulting in a goal. There were a total of 19 lost possession on
the dribble in Area 4.

20
18
How possession was lost in Area 4
16
14
12
10 A
8 B
6 C
4 Total
2
0
Dribbling
(dead ball)
Cross
Corner
Other
Passing
Clearance
Shot saved
Free kick
Goal Kick

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Analysis

As I researched the goals I noticed there was a common dominator:
teams entering the breakthrough phase in the opponents end were not in
balance when they lost possession. The more I researched the goals the
more I was convinced it was not only positioning or their re-‐press that
needed attention, but a balance between decisions and organization with
the ball that would allow teams to be in better balance when they lost the
ball. The positioning of the attacking players in the final third during a
breakthrough and the decision-‐making of the players in this phase, both
on the ball and off, are vital to prevent the opponent’s offensive
transition. The decision-‐making of the players both on the ball and off
also contributes to creating the balance. In analyzing how the teams lost
the ball prior to being scored upon you can see that there were a total of
19 lost possessions while dribbling in Area 4. It is also evident that most
turnovers occur in Area B4, the central Zone of the pitch. Out of all
recovered possessions 39 out of 61 were won in B4. In accordance to the
data teams should look to enter the breakthrough phase on the outside
areas: A4 and C4 and avoid taking it on the dribble.

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How possession was lost in Area 4

20
Dribbling
18
16 Passing
14
Cross
12
Clearance
10
8 Goal Kick
(dead ball)
6 Shot saved
4
Free kick
2
0 Corner
A B C Total

Basing the analysis on these results being valid, it is clear that teams need
to implement better tactics in their attack in order to create a better
balance when entering the breakthrough phase. Teams possessing the
ball in the opponents end should look to avoid entering the breakthrough
phase on the dribble. In analyzing how the teams lost the ball prior to
being scored upon, you can see that it is evident that most turnovers not
only occur on dribbling, but also that they occur in Area B4, the central
area of the pitch. Out of all recovered possessions, 39 out of 61 were won
in B4.

The goal is located centrally on the pitch, and naturally there will be a
high number of balls lost in that area. This does not mean that teams
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need to enter the breakthrough phase centrally. After dissecting the data,
teams entering the breakthrough phase should avoid dribbling and look
to breakthrough on the outside areas, A4 and C4.

This picture shows Bosnia going from possession to a breakthrough on the dribble in
Nigeria’s Area B4. Nigeria then gains possession and is able to advance the ball forward
without pressure. Nigeria eventually is able to find and exploit the break out area in
front of the last defenders.
[Video Nigeria-‐Bosnia]

Breakout
Teams losing possession during the breakthrough phase need to be
aware of what areas they are leaving vacant. The majority of the goals
were not scored off of direct transition, but rather a transition phase,
which enabled them to advance quickly into the opponents end. While
documenting, I used the term transition-‐possession to label this situation,
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the team being able to break out of numbers in their defensive end and
then establish possession but higher up the pitch with players in
attacking positions.

[Chart 1, left: The chart shows the number of times possession was won in an Area when
the result was direct transition resulting in a goal.]
[Chart 2, right: The chart shows the number of times possession was won in an Area
when the result was possession resulting in a goal.]

What I found to be interesting is that most goals scored started with what
I would call a defensive breakout. The majority of the time when
possession was won in Area 4, there was a clear breakout by the
defending team. Meaning the teams winning possession in Area 4 after
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defending were successful in finding vacant areas where they could
advance the ball whether on the dribble or the pass. These defensive
breakout areas are between the attacking players in the re-‐press and the
remaining players in restforsvar that were not involved in the attack.
Both the Teams going in direct transition to goal and those who scored
after attacking a more organized defense found these breakout areas.

This picture shows the breakout areas Belgium was able to exploit after winning
possession in Area B4. Algeria loses possession dribbling centrally during the
breakthrough phase. Belgium is able to find a breakout area and go in direct transition
to scoring a goal.
[Video Belgium-‐Algeria WC2]

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This picture depicts Japan winning the ball in Area 4 and finding the breakout areas
where they can advance the ball quickly up field. Columbia loses possession by
attempting to dribble centrally during their breakthrough. Japan starts their attack in
transition attacking the open space with numbers, but score in transition-possession.
[Video Japan-‐Columbia WC1]


Throughout my assignment, I felt like there was not one terminology that
could express or cover all the aspects of this attacking balance I am trying
to establish, so I have decided to call it “Breakthrough Balance”.
Breakthrough balance will mean the balance between where and when
we go into the breakthrough phase and how we prevent the opponents
from having defensive breakouts when we lose the ball during that phase.
Through thorough analysis of the presented data, I have found three

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elements in which I feel are most crucial in order to keep this balance;

3 Elements of Breakthrough Balance

1. Organization: where do we want to have numbers in order
to create a goal scoring opportunity and not give up goal
scoring opportunities when we lose possession.

2. Decision-making what are the decision being made during
the break through phase both in order to score and prevent
the opponents from scoring opportunities.

3. Re-Press: The players involved in the attack are positioned
so that when losing the ball a transition is stopped as quickly
as possible

Organization (1)

Most teams are very strategic when it comes to organizing players in
certain areas in the build up phase and while having and keeping
possession. This was also the case when teams possessed the ball in Area
4. When we decide to enter the breakthrough phase, the ‘organization’
around the ball tends to break down. Often, players are making the same
runs into the same areas as well as players on the same line as they enter
the breakthrough phase. The attacking organization during the
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breakthrough phase is vital; teams out of balance become more
susceptible to being scored upon.

The attacking organization must be able to mirror your defensive
organization. It is common for coaches to state that they want to see
numbers in the attack. Numerical balance in the attack means having
numbers in order to defend or maintain the opposing team. Positional
balance is having attacking players in positions they can maintain or
regain possession. The team’s attacking organization as they enter the
breakthrough phase needs to be in order with their defensive
organization when they lose the ball.

Organization will not consist of numbers but players in orchestrated
positions creating balance. This balance will enable better opportunities
in the breakthrough phase and at the same time have players in positions
to regain possession. I have found that Pep Guardiola has a philosophy
reminding of this breakthrough balance I am seeking; that while
attacking there needs to also be a focus on the defensive organization. In
the book “Pep Confidential”, Pep Guardiola’s physical trainer, Lorenzo
Buenaventura, is describing this philosophy well:

“All of this is the result of the analysis Pep carried out on German
Football: who played counter-‐attack football, how, and how to protect
against it. It meant reaching the opposition penalty box in numbers and
all at the same time, and always vigilant not to suddenly be caught on the
counter. If it’s already tough to coordinate a good, efficient, balanced
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attack, imagine how hard it is to add the fact that we need to have half
our minds on what would happen if the attack broke down and how to be
prepared for the opposition counter-‐attack!” (Perarnau2014)

Prevent defense is a defensive alignment in American Football that seeks
to prevent the offense from completing a long pass or scoring a
touchdown in a single play. The goal of this strategy is to prevent the
offense from gaining any significant yardage or scoring a touchdown in a
single play, hence the name of the strategy. This tactical strategy is very
similar to the defending aspect of Restforsvar, where we protect the space
behind the remaining defenders more so than in front. In looking at the
analysis of the goals scored from Area 4 there needs to be a balance in the
organization to also deny the break out areas in front of the remaining
defender.

Decision-making (2)

We need to closely look at the decision-‐making both when in possession
and when we lose the ball in Area A. The decisions made from both the
ball holder and fellow-‐attacking players in the breakthrough phase and
the moments following a loss of possession will become the essence of
finding the balance. Attacking awareness to create scoring opportunities
while being able to prevent transition and regain possession in the
attacking third.

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Decisions to contemplate based on the data

In possession
• What is the team’s organization when entering the breakthrough
phase?
• How should teams enter the breakthrough phase?
• Where on the pitch should teams look to enter the breakthrough
phase?
• How do teams stretch their opponent with attacking runs and at
the same time be in support in both possession and when the ball is
lost?

Loss of Possession
• Do we have an organized balance between our attack and when we
lose possession?
• Are we aware of the remaining players positions when we lose the
ball in Area 4?
• Are we able to re-‐press to win the ball back directly?
• Do we need to prevent players from a defensive breakout by
protecting the space?

A team’s principles in attack should also be conclusive and specific to the
breakthrough phase. The attacking players decision both in the attack
and when possession is lost needs to be based off of their awareness of
the situation. What are the signals in possession to say we are now going

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for a breakthrough? Where are the areas that become vacant by our own
players and are we able to recognize and cover them in order to maintain
or regain possession and at the same time protect against a counter-‐
attack. The attacking team in no way can control what the defending team
will do but they can be in control of their decision making during the
breakthrough phase.

Looking at the chart on page 19, we can see that the most turnovers in
Area 4 came from trying to go into the breakthrough phase on the
dribble. It is also evident that most of the lost possessions were gained in
Area 4B which is the most central zone. Based on this information, teams
should look to avoid dribbling in the center Areas of the pitch when
entering the breakthrough phase.

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In this picture Ecuador are in the last minute of stoppage time with an opportunity in
Switzerland’s Area B4. The ball holder for Ecuador decides to take on the back on the
dribble and loses possession. Switzerland is able to win possession with a defensive
breakout and score in the final seconds.
[Video Ecuador-‐Switzerland WC2]

Re-Press (3)

Restforsvar
The way in which you position the team in attack when going from the
possession phase to the breakthrough phase, in order to prevent counter-‐
attacks. Restforsvar is divided into two parts: defending and re-‐press.

Defending
The players that are not part of the attack are positioned according to the
players the opponents are leaving higher on the pitch.

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Re-‐press
The players involved in the attack are positioned so that when losing the
ball a transition is stopped as quickly as possible.

When it comes to the defending aspect of “restforsvar”, we tend to have a
greater emphasis on positional organization than we do during the re-‐
press. The data is telling us that there needs to be a better organization
when we discuss the re-‐press aspects of restforsvar. The positioning of
the attacking players in the final third during the breakthrough phase and
the decision making of the players in this phase, both on the ball and off,
are vital to preventing the opponents defensive breakouts and transition.
When we speak about re-‐press, the organizational aspect of the players is
not emphasized as much as the pressure on the ball. The term re-‐press
seems to carry with it an aggressive tone with the number one priority to
win the ball back.

Protect, Predict, Press… These are the words of the defensive guru Dick
Bates. He has these three words to explain and remember the importance
and relevance to basic defending. The most important part of defending a
lost ball, is to protect the vacant areas. The second most important aspect
is to make the play predictable to the remaining defenders. The third
most important part of the defending then becomes pressure on the ball.

There are clear areas the attacking team has left vacant in their attempt
to score and are not able to fill quickly enough when the ball is lost
during the breakthrough phase. The majority of goals are scored when
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the team winning possession are able to find breakout areas that they can
advance the ball, either on the pass or the dribble, forward and away
from players that were just in the attack. Breakout areas are vacant space
left after the opponents attack in front of the remaining defenders.

This picture depicts the breakout areas left vacant by Argentina after entering the
breakthrough phase on the dribble. Nigeria is able to quickly advance the ball up field in
front of the remaining defenders.
[Video Nigeria-‐Argentina ]

The data is telling us a bigger emphasis should be put on the attackers
positions in order to take away the opponents breakout areas after losing
the ball in Area 4 on the breakthrough.

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The 3 elements of Breakthrough Balance represented in pictures:

Organization (1)

Decision-making (2)

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Re-press (3)

These pictures depict Japan having possession and balance prior to going into the
breakthrough phase. You can see in picture 2 when Japan decide to take an extra touch
past the Columbian defender, there are 7 players even or ahead of the ball. In this last
picture you can clearly see that Japan has lost their positional balance after losing
possession, which gives Columbia an opportunity to transition out of pressure.
[Video Japan-‐Columbia WC2]

Perspective

After accumulating and analyzing the data I believe that having balance in
your attack, especially in the breakthrough phase, is vital to minimize the
opponents goal scoring opportunities. The research has opened my eyes
to an important aspect of the game that before had not received enough
attention. I will put a bigger emphasis on breakthrough balance in my
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coaching philosophy and training practices. The fact that so many goals
are scored after a breakthrough proves that breakthrough balance needs
to be implemented and practiced to become part of the player’s routines.

During the process of writing this paper I have also come to see the
importance of balance when it comes to changing from attack to defense
or vice versa. Attacking balance is a little harder to orchestrate than just
defensive organization, especially when teams enter the breakthrough
phase. Teams entering the breakthrough phase seem to have a more “all
in-‐approach” and sacrifice their balance for an opportunity to score. By
organizing the attacking balance we create better opportunities to keep
or regain possession and to be in positions to take away the breakout
areas. This also means for the players less energy spent on running back
to a defensive position 60 meters the other way.

Order in the Play
One of Pep Guardiola’s tactical terms defined as:
“The passing sequences need to balance the team’s positioning. If properly
effected, from beginning to end it means their attack will be ordered and if
the ball is lost it can be won back quickly, with little wasted effort”
(Perarnau2014)

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After analyzing the data it is certain that I would spend time
implementing breakthrough balance into my playing and coaching
philosophy. It will then become vital that these concepts and ideas are
trained and become part of the player’s routines. I have illustrated below
a specific session on how to train the breakthrough balance.

Theory implemented in training session

Attacking positioning in reference to our principals of attack along with
creating a balance in order to re-‐press on ball loss. In what areas of the
pitch are we planning on having players to create an attacking balance
that will in turn give us the same balance if we turn over the ball.

Training: Breakthrough balance in Area 4.
6v7 with attacking players in a 3 (1:2) -‐3 and they will start with
possession in the opponent’s final third. The defending team will play in a
4-‐3 and will start by defending in a low press in front of the goal they are
defending. If the defenders win the ball they will have to play out into the
small goals placed in Area 3 Zone A and C. These goals represent the
dangerous breakout areas that the attacking team will try to deny.

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The emphasis will be on attacking balance: positioning players and
discussing their decision-‐making in possession and entering the
breakthrough phase. Players will be instructed to keep possession and
pick and choose when the best opportunities arise to go into the
breakthrough phase. They will avoid entering the break through phase on
the dribble or in the most central areas of the pitch. We will look to
attack through passing with numbers, final balls, crosses low behind the
back line or cut backs. The players will be accountable to be aware of
their movement and decisions in relation to the other players in attack.

If possession is lost, players will be challenged to be aware of the break
out areas and decide when the re-‐press is to win the ball back or when it
is to prevent passes into this area. What specific player will be
responsible for setting pressure on the ball, and what players will be
responsible for closing the breakout areas. We will not take chances in
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trying to win the ball back if in return we give the opponents breakout
space.

When there is a loss of possession the emphasis will be:

1. The balance of the team when possession is lost
2. Closing the defensive breakout areas as quickly as possible
3. Winning the ball back

The players defending in Area A will try to quickly advance the ball to
find the small goals representing the breakout areas. The balance of the
attacking team when possession is lost will be the main focus. The Team
that lost possession will then have to make decisions based off of the
organization they are in when they lose the ball.

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Conclusion

The data collected in this research analysis is telling us that the
transitional phase from defending in Area 4 to winning possession in
Area 4 was responsible for 45% of the goals scored in the group stage of
the 2014 World Cup. Possession being lost while entering the
breakthrough phase in Area 4 accounted for the majority of these goals.
When examining the attacking team in the breakthrough phase there are
specific variables that lead to loss of possession. These same variables
leave the Team vulnerable to a counter-‐attack. Through this analysis it is
clear that teams that were scored on following the breakthrough phase
were not in positional balance. Statistically, teams entering the
breakthrough phase on the dribble were most susceptible to being scored
upon when losing possession. Most loss of possession occurs in B4, the
middle area of the pitch. When entering the breakthrough phase on the
dribble in the central areas, it makes it more difficult to have a well-‐
organized re-‐press when possession is lost.

Breakthrough balance enables players to create goal scoring
opportunities and be able to re-‐gain possession or prevent a counter-‐
attack when possession is lost. It is keeping defensive balance when
teams are in the attack, specifically during the breakthrough phase. The
balance consists of Organization (1), decision-‐making (2) and re-‐press
(3) and how they all need to be considered going into the breakthrough
phase

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References

Pernarau, M. 2014, Pep Confidential – inside Pep Guardiola’s first season
at Bayern Munich.
Publisher: Backpage Press, Great Britain

Merriam Webster 2014, [online] Dictionary, breakthrough, URL:
http://www.merriam-‐webster.com/dictionary/breakthrough
(04.03.2015)

Collins Dictionary 2014, [online], balance, URL:
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/balance
(05.03.2015)

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Breakthrough

“An offensive thrust that penetrates a defensive line in warfare.
Advancement.” (Merriam Webster2015)

Balance

“To compose or arrange as to create a state of harmony.” (Collins2015)

“All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is
the strategy out of which victory is evolved.” Sun Tzu

2015

Breakthrough Balance

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Table of Contents

Definition of key words

Theory and Methods

How possession was lost in Area 4

Decisions to contemplate based on the data

The 3 elements of Breakthrough Balance represented in pictures:

Theory implemented in training session

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