Soccer Strategies

Soccer excellence may look like a feat of coordination and athletic ability, but in reality there is a lot of on-the-field assessment and strategizing, as well as team-member communication playing a key role in victory than meets the eye.

Obviously to play well requires skill in dribbling, shooting, and passing etc. but assuming a match consists of players who are proficient in those areas, the ultimate outcome hinges on getting the ball to the feet of the person with the most time and space, and a position to score. That requires strategy.

A player must have a plan. He must assess the positions of his teammates and their opposition; he must intuit their next move; he must know what he wants to do with the ball before it gets to him; and he must communicate those intentions to his teammates.

Offense
The most efficient approach to offense is to spread out. Take up as much of the field as possible, thus spreading the opponent's defense thin and creating gaps - i.e. possibilities to score.
As such, it is important to keep the ball moving. Send the ball in one direction to draw the defense toward it, only to have it snapped back with a chance to get behind the defense as they take time to redirect.

Defense
As much as spreading out is important in offense, grouping together is the best bet for defense. Closing the gap around the offense prevents them from finding an opening to score.
At the same time it is important for the defense to cover their opponents. They must gauge a safe distance that will allow for a swift change in direction, even while closing in on the ball.