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11v11U15Out of Possession

Should our striker actually press the goalkeeper?

Asked by VickyG
2134 views 2 replies
Other team keeper is good with feet. Ours keep telling striker to go all the way to him but then centre backs are free. Is the press meant to stop the keeper or guide where he passes?

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11v11 tactical • team structure

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The striker’s job is usually to influence the goalkeeper’s decision, not necessarily to tackle the goalkeeper. If the keeper is good with their feet, sprinting straight at them may simply free the centre-back you were previously screening. I’d give the striker a curved pressing line. Can they arrive in a way that blocks the return pass to one centre-back or forces the keeper towards the side where your winger and midfield are ready to press? The rest of the front line has to move as the striker moves. If the winger stays deep while the striker presses, the goalkeeper still has an easy exit. Train it from goal kicks with the goalkeeper active outside the box. The question for your striker is: where do we want the keeper to play next? If the answer is “anywhere as long as it is not to the keeper”, the press has no direction. Good pressing makes the next pass predictable.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

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M

MatchdayMick82

Parent

When ours sprint straight at the keeper it looks energetic but usually just opens both centre-backs. Curving the run looks slower and works better.
L

longdrive82

Coach

Our striker never really tries to win it from the keeper. His job is to take away one side and make the next pass predictable.