20 Soccer Journal July-August 2010

This article was published originally on VitalFootball.co.uk in February 2010.

By Peter North

The philosophy for the system of playThis is a comprehensive tactical layout of how Manchester City boss

Roberto Mancini likes to use his players. Before coming to City, Man-cini played at Inter with two main systems, the 4-4-2 and the 4-3-1-2 (4-4-2 diamond), as shown at right (Diagrams 1 and 2, respectively).

The only common factor in any team is the use of a back four. Man-cini uses a zonal defending system, which alters depending on where the ball is during each phase of a game.

With a 4-4-2 as shown in Diagram 1, the defensive block is a bank of eight players made up of the four in defense and the four in midfi eld. The job of this block is to act as a compact unit, which would defend as one in front of the penalty area and would slide along the width of the fi eld depending on whether the ball was in a wide or central position. See Diagrams 3 and 4.

The aim of defending with a compact block of eight is a focus on the area with the ball, using the concept that opposing players can move into attacking zones as long as they don’t receive the ball. This ball-oriented defending enables players to close down the area around the ball as effectively as possible. This also enables players to double up on the ball carrier.

If the ball is moved into any area on either side of the penalty box, the fullback will pressure while a midfi eld player will rotate into the back four, making sure that in any defensive phase, a tight back four is maintained. The midfi eld player will drop into line with the ball and cut off any space behind the ball. See Diagram 5.

Two holding midfi eld players will play close to central defenders and support them to prevent 1 v. 1 situations in central areas. When de-fending from a long ball played toward the back four, a central defender will attack the ball, and the remaining three defenders drop back to provide another line of coverage. The defending midfi eld player drops in to a support position to pressure any second ball. See Diagram 6.

The two strikers also have to contribute to the defensive scheme in two ways:

the goal.

and prevent a coordinated buildup. See Diagram 7.

This defensive setup provides the foundation for the attack; it em-ploys the same concept of catenaccio in an updated form. The aim is to draw teams to specifi c areas of the fi eld, regain possession of the ball and counterattack into the space behind the opposing team. This happens when the strikers play early, fast, one-touch soccer and combine through the defenders. The strikers also must move along the width of the fi eld while defending and provide early options for passing when the regaining the ball by the midfi eld or defensive players. See Diagram 8.

This system worked best when Mancini packed his team with attacking speed and by adding a target man in the form of Ibrahimovich. If a counter is not possible after regaining the ball, possession would be maintained and attacks would be made into one of three key spaces. The ball could either be held around these areas until a killer pass is found or could be moved on fast through these areas via combination play.

The key spaces:

halfway line to the side of penalty area and the end line.

normally referred to as Zone 14, which is the space between the lines of defense and midfi eld line. See Diagram 9.

Diagram 1

Diagram 2

Diagram 3

Diagram 4

The 4-4-2 as used by Mancini.

The 4-3-1-2 as used by Mancini.

Movement of the defending block when the ball is wide.

Movement of the defending block when the ball is in a central position.

Soccer Journal July-August 2010 21

Diagram 5

Diagram 6

Diagram 7

Diagram 8

Movement of the defending block when the ball is in a wing position.

Movement to defend against a long ball.

Movement of the strikers to pressure for the ball.

An example of a counterattack by forwards.

The aim for attacking these key spaces is to hold the ball along the fl anks in Zones 1 and 2 in order to fi nd a precise killer pass or a cross to target player. Doing this sucks players over, creating space on the weaker side towards Zones 2 and 3 for passes and switches of play.

The aim of Zone 3 is to play passing combinations, long shots and through passes from this area, pressuring the back four by moving in behind as much as possible on the attack. Direct running with players capable of winning attacking 1 v. 1 situations also is done at angles from these areas between fullbacks and center defending players.

The goal is for a high speed of play, pace, precision passing and crossing, all of which are the keys to attacking in this system.

With the 4-3-1-2, the goals of the system are much the same; how-ever, there are differences:

Coaching the system of playTo coach the system, many drills can be used. These include small-

sided games, attacking shadow play and defensive rehearsal. Below are examples of drills Mancini has used to coach his system.

Many Italian coaches use a form of defensive rehearsal as seen in Dia-Diagram 9

Diagram 10

Movement of the strikers to pressure for the ball.

An example of a counterattack by forwards.

Diagram 11

Movement of the strikers to pressure for the ball.

grams 11 and 12. The coach uses corner fl agpoles with different color fl ags and places these fl ags around the fi eld. By calling out a color, the coach can

22 Soccer Journal July-August 2010

see how his whole team slides defensively. In Diagram 11, the coach uses seven poles around the perimeter of the defensive team. In this diagram the coach called the color on the pole in the lower right area of the defense. He can then be very specifi c with his players in terms of defensive positioning.

In Diagram 12 the coach is using 16 poles with different colors. These poles are spread over three quarters of the fi eld. This variation can help a team learn defensive positioning in the pressing positions as well as defending in the half fi eld.

yards. The better the players, the wider the zone should be, The team of four in the middle slides defensively as the ball moves between the play-ers in one of the outside zones. The defenders try to prevent a penetrat-ing pass through the middle zone to the opposite side. Each through ball is a goal. Each team should take four to fi ve minutes in the middle

midfi elders should take a turn in the middle.

11 V. 11 SHADOW DRILL TO FULL PLAY USING A FOUR-STEP METHODStep 1: One team acts as defenders and defends set patterns by the

opposing team under the direction of the coach.Step 2:

sure; the defending team executes movements into a pressing position without being able to press.

Step 3:tions are random.

Step 4: Full game with full pressure evaluating the quality of the team pressing movements.

Coaching points:

Daily training schedule Mancini requires his players to follow this daily schedule:

to strength training.

and one after every session. These sessions consist of isometrics divided into heavy and light muscle groups specifi c for soccer

strength training session, the players move on to training, which

training sessions.

These training sessions offer a variety of training methods, which are aimed at improving one tactical or technical theme through different periods of the game or in specifi c tactical situations. Here is a sample of training activities:

small-sided games focusing on team shape and defending move-ments aimed at constricting and squeezing space.

is used. During these patterns, players concentrate on the quality of movement; the aim is to perform these patterns perfectly at high speeds. See the defensive rehearsal above.

thought by using restricted touches.

based on practicing quick transitions.

the players will learn their roles on the fi eld. These games focus on the defensive cohesion between the defense and the midfi eld in the block of eight.

passing patterns from the defensive third, through the midfi eld

Diagram 12

Diagram 13

Diagram 14

and into the attacking third.

training routine.