By Kim Smith
There are teams that play soccer within an established formation, a system that teaches generations of players and brings great successes, and then there are teams whose system of play is formulated by the existing players’ talent. Whether at the national, collegiate or youth level, the chosen system of play, its consistency and education directly affects a team’s path to goal.
For the University of North Carolina Women’s Soccer team, the attacking 3-4-3 system runs at a finely tuned frequency that Head Coach Anson Dorrance has utilized and taught for the past 31 years. And why not? He’s won 20 National Championships. One of the benefits of coaching at the top level is the advantage of being able to select not only the best athletes, but the most skilled and experienced at specific positions.
The US Men’s National Team has also had consistency of formation, allowing for greater understanding of positions and movement of the surrounding players in the 4-4-2, the most commonly preferred formation in US Soccer. Though change often comes when defeat fills the locker room. While playing Brazil, the US 4-4-2 formation shifted into a 4-2-2-2 and because a brief taste of success shone through, Head Coach Bob Bradley decided to further explore this system.
Division I Idaho State Women’s Soccer Team requires a greater flexibility from Head Coach Allison Gibson when she’s deciding what system to play because her team sits in the middle of the NCAA standings. “I recruit the best possible athlete, players with speed, a hard work ethic and we teach them the system.”
Idaho State Coach Allison Gibson
Though if players are in a role that doesn’t compliment their abilities and exposes their weaknesses, frustration will simply trump success at the Division I level. For Gibson, who has, in her 3 seasons at Idaho State won a Big Sky Conference title and earned a bid for the NCAA College Cup, she initially struggled in a 4-3-3 system in her 2009 season. Within this system, speed and a natural propensity to attack the spaces in the middle and attacking third are required by the outside backs. Gibson’s breakdown came with her frontrunners not being able to beat the 1st line of defense and they weren’t able to possess the ball long enough for the defenders to get forward. In addition, the defenders weren’t too keen on getting involved in the attack. “It was counterproductive. By the time the defenders would join the attack, our forwards lost possession. Now they’re having to track back and balls are being played behind and we are exposed in the space between the forwards and the backs.”
Once Gibson decided to switch mid season to a 4-4-2, she encountered a 5-game winning streak. “My system has to fit my players.” Her team was comprised of 13 freshman and sophomores and at any given time she had 6 freshman starting. She discovered her players were more comfortable playing a 4-4-2. With a 3 front forward line, players were getting in each other’s way. “Just making the adjustment and giving them what they’re more comfortable with, it eliminated the work load of our outside backs and the forwards were able to focus on their role instead of their positioning.”
Within Coach Gibson’s chosen system, education is paramount. She teaches her players its intricacies and function, often times through the use of a white board. At Idaho State and as the Head Coach of the U-17 ODP Region IV team she breaks down the attacking and defensive tendencies and individual positions for her players. “A lot of girls are visual learners. It’s important to paint the picture for them so that they can transfer it onto the field.” Subsequently, when the players understand their roles and the positions of their teammates, collectively, they are able to solve any breakdowns on the field.
As the former Director of Coaching of the Youth Girls for the Colorado Rush Soccer Club in Denver, Allison Gibson emphasizes the importance of being flexible, sticking to one system and fully educating the kids within that system. “At the ODP level it’s interesting to see kids who are familiar with the entire system, not just their position. They know the center back’s role, the left back and as a result they are flexible in playing multiple positions.”
Not only is a great understanding of the system important, but the consistency of play within a chosen formation is key, especially with girls. All too often, coaches change the formation before a match in response to the opponent, which psychologically takes players outside of their comfort zone. With constant change, players start to wonder why they are always adjusting to the opponent. Committing to a single system builds confidence and muscle memory. “Instead of changing your 4-4-2 system when playing against a 4-3-3, educate your players on how to adjust. Know what your 2 central midfielders are going to do to deal with 3 midfielders, how to defend and attack. Communicate with your players on how to deal with different systems.”
Fortunately there is a system of play for any desired style of play. Though, no matter what system is chosen, the education and consistency are essential. When these two are in place, the team can begin to progress towards their desired goal.
