UNC Master The Pressing Basics Again
As the new college season kicks off recently, it's always interesting to watch UNC and their pressing style
under Anson Dorrance. The ability to effectively implement a pressing system requires a number of
conditions. Players must have a profound understanding of the system and what kind of movements
they should make at what time. There is an enormous amount of teaching required as this particular
philosophy is only as strong as the weakest link. It also takes a complete willingness from every single
player and staff to develop and commit to the game plan. Italian coach, Arrigo Sacchi also pointed to the
decision making process as key when he said, “Pressing is not about running and it’s not about working
hard. It’s about controlling space."
Without question, speed is a major component to pressing, but developing a high pressure defensive
system at the elite level is much more complex than that alone. Jorge Valdano argues there are three
types of speed in his book, ‘The Infinite Game’ which are impacted by personality, technical ability and
intelligence levels.
- Speed by running – movement in a certain distance
- Speed by thinking – ability to make split second decisions
- Speed by technique – speed of play and precision of technique
Therefore, without the ability to make the correct decisions, execute defensive actions under pressure,
and embrace the system, players with speed and aggression, are not guaranteed to be successful in a
pressing game. The higher the level, the more intelligence is required from the pressing team and the
greater the consequences are if they get it wrong. I believe that this aspect of pressing is overlooked by
a lot of coaches and we tend to generalize our players as having great ‘game intelligence’ or lacking it.
Instead, it is a complex awareness, focus, and identifying triggers – all of which can be coached. Before
deciding to press, each player must make the following decisions:
- Which player do I leave in order to go and press?
- What angle do I approach from?
- What is the risk-reward of going to press?
- Where do I recover to after pressing?
Below is a great example of how UNC get the details right. As the goalkeeper receives the ball and takes
a first touch to her right side, the left sided attacker, Emily Fox, begins to close the space on the right
back. This causes the goalkeeper to hesitate and then enables the forward to make the tackle and take
advantage of the situation. Without her teammate closing that angle, the forward would probably not
have gotten the opportunity to make the tackle.
When you watch UNC, you can see a real consistency in how confident their players are in making those
decisions, and how often they get them right. Below are some principles that I have outlined and
detailed in my Modern Soccer Coach: Pressing book and that stand out to me when watching UNC play.
Starting Positions
“Don’t mark a player, cover the space between two players. The opponent thinks they are unmarked,
making pressing easier.” – Pep Guardiola
Players must understand that positioning prior to the press can dictate whether they actually get an
opportunity to implement it at all. Inviting the press is all about an appreciation of distances and the
discipline to commit to without giving into the temptation of tight marking. While pushing numbers
forward and marking opponents may give the impression of applying pressure high up the pitch, it
actually discourages even the best possession teams from building their attack. Presented with this
picture, the goalkeeper will likely opt for a long, lofted pass over the press and the attackers will have to
recover in defensive positions as the 50-50 ball is contested in midfield. Below we can see that when the
opposition goalkeeper has the ball, the two UNC forward have marked their direct opponents, the two
center backs, and leave a passing lane open for the opposition holding midfielder. UNC have left the
holding midfielder open to receive the ball, but as soon as the ball is traveling, they make their move to
close it down aggressively. This pressing trap allows them to win the ball in a central area and create an
opportunity on goal.
Readers vs. Reactors
“Physical problems come when you get tired in the mind, then the body follows.” - Jurgen Klopp
There are typically two types of players in a high pressing system. There are those who can interpret
cues and see potential situations develop (Readers). Then there are those players who wait and respond
to everything the opposition is doing (Reactors). Against good teams, you need a lot more ‘Readers’
than ‘Reactors’, especially with space constantly being vacated in potentially dangerous areas for
opposing players. This is why pressing is so difficult to coach: if the players move when the coach tells
them or when the ball has arrived, it is typically too late to apply aggressive pressure and the opponents
can play out. In the clip below you can see the weak side forward for UNC making an aggressive run
inside once the opposition midfielder is left open and, although she checks her shoulder before
receiving, the pressure is so aggressive that the UNC player has arrived and won possession, creating a
central transition and an opportunity on goal.
Flexibility
"Our players are are not required to step on the field and play 90 minutes, they are required to step on
the field and sprint – and there’s a big difference between those two development platforms." - Anson
Dorrance
One of the most overlooked aspects of pressing for me is the willingness of a team to sustain the
intensity and work rate throughout the game. It's not just about pressing from goal kicks, or doing it for
the first ten minutes of a game, but instead about collectively committing to it when the opportunities
occur during the game. This example below shows UNC pressure the ball initially where two players
work together and win possession in a central area. Rather than recovering and keeping possession in
the transition however, the UNC midfielder who helped win possession makes another run, this time to
threaten the space in behind the back four. This causes a huge problem defensively and eventually
results in a penalty kick. Successful pressing is not just about doing the running defensively, it's also
about taking advantage of the opportunities that arise from the defensive work, no matter where that is
on the field. The quote above is from a previous interview that I did with UNC head coach, Anson
Dorrance, and for me is a powerful one that describes the playing style, coaching philosophy, and team
culture that has represented UNC for many years.
