Keeper has it. Back four drop. Midfield run away. Forty yards of nothing.

I’d fix the vertical distances before worrying about another build-up pattern. When the goalkeeper has the ball, the centre-backs dropping can be useful. The midfield also moving 30 yards away at the same time creates the gap. I want at least one midfielder connected closely enough to receive or support the next pass, while another can stretch higher. The striker and wingers can threaten depth, but not every player needs to move away from the goalkeeper to create space. Use a full-width build-up game and mark three horizontal reference zones temporarily. The team should avoid leaving the middle zone completely empty. Then remove the markings once they recognise the distance. The key question is: if the centre-back receives now, is the next teammate one pass away or two passes away? Width and depth are useful. Too much separation means the goalkeeper and back four are playing one game while the midfield and forwards are waiting for another.