Spanish National Team - Defensive Transition Principles

🎥 Let's take a look at some principles or playing behaviors displayed frequently by the Spanish National Team during the defensive transition phase:

🧑‍🏫 The defensive transition phase occurs when a team looses possession of the ball. This short moment happens between the offensive and defensive phases of the game.

1️⃣ Defensive positional superiority. This consists of having our players better positioned than the opposition. It is important to note that positional superiority during the defensive transition phase originates from the previous (offensive) phase. Having more players around the ball when in possession will allow you to have more players around the ball when you loose it, helping you create counter-pressing.

2️⃣ Defensive numerical superiority. This consists of having more players positioned in the active zone than the opposition. This will allow us to create quick and effective counter-pressing actions. It would be difficult to press and recover the ball with few players around the ball.

3️⃣ Quick forward counter-pressing. This implies that the team must react quickly when loosing possession of the ball and try to defend forward, instead of dropping back and creating pressure on the opposition players. Reducing the space in the active zone as fast as possible.

4️⃣ Defensive line forward movement. It is fundamental that when the team counter-presses and defends forward, the backline is in sync and moves upward to compress the space between the lines. This makes it more difficult for the opposition to find gaps and play through the initial pressure in the active zone.

What are the behaviors or patterns that you look for in your team? Leave your comments below🔥

Guillermo Hamdan Zaragoza