2. Evolution and Revolution of Systems

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1 2. Evolution and Revolution of Systems Inevitably, winning teams become the standard for lesser teams. World Champions often set the trend. Through the years the game has changed, with rule changes bringing about the fastest adjustments in team play. For instance, when the rules were first formalized in 1863, forward passes were not permitted. Consequently, soccer was then a dribbling game as that was the only way to make forward progress. The game of rugby still employs the no forward passes for thrown balls. You are allowed to kick the ball forward or run forward with the ball in the hands, but not pass it forward with the hands. Association Football soccer quickly changed, when in 1866 forward passes were allowed, but the advanced player receiving the ball had to have at least 3 opponents between the attacking player and the goal line (the introduction of the Offside Rule). Three players back played the forward onside

2 As you can see in the graphic, teams played with a back line of just two, plus a goalkeeper, as one defender could easily catch the opposition offside by stepping up just before the ball was kicked to the most forward attacker leaving the other defender to cover if the trap failed. Offside rule change in 1925 meant the previous offside trap no longer applied and so in the situation above the attacking player remained onside In 1925 the offside rule was changed and stipulated that only two players needed to be between the advanced player receiving the ball and the goal line. With the goalkeeper normally being one of the two, it changed the game dramatically. So in the graphic (above) with the 1925 rule the foremost attacker would be onside. This offside rule, with only slight modifications, has survived right into the modern game. Today s rule says level rather than between the advanced player and the goal line, but that is the only minimal change.

3 Offside is a key factor in Systems of Play and we will cover the tactical implications of offside in some detail later. Returning to the 1900 s and after the offside rule change in 1925, Herbert Chapman, the Manager Coach of Arsenal of England, revolutionized the game in the 1930's by withdrawing the centre half back, who had previously been playing in mid-field as a half back to the centre back position. This resulted in a back three right (full) back, left (full) back and centre half (back). In reality, he was now the center back (today s term). The success of Arsenal resulted in Chapman's tactical shape, called the WM Formation, dominating British soccer for over three decades. By joining the lines between the attacking players and defending players it shows the WM formation. At that time, and for many years to come, not only did the players have set positions, they had standard numbers. #2 was the right back, #3 the left back, #4 the right half, #5 the centre half, #6 the left half, #7 the right winger, #8 the inside right, #9 the center forward, #10 the inside left and #11 the left winger. Goalkeepers did not have a number as they distinguished themselves with their different colored jerseys.

4 Players were marked by numbers in the WM Formation With other teams playing exactly the same way, what happened was the players were paired off on a manfor-man basis by number. For instance, the Right Back (#2) would mark the opposing Left Winger (#11) and the Left Back (#3) would mark the opposing Right Winger (#7) and as the graphic above shows the pairings went right the way through the team. When the Hungarians played England in 1953, the Magical Magyars, as they were called, totally baffled the England team, as the Hungarians played 2 strikers and 2 wingers and did not conform to the numbers on the shirt. Not that they had to. It was a self-inflicted English rule.

5 Nandor Hideguti wore the #9 on his shirt, but actually played in behind the twin strikers in a role that was to be called later, the Deep Lying Center Forward. Or what the Italians call the Mezza Punta. The role continues in the modern game. The problem for England (in white shirts) was who should mark the Hungarian #9 well, the English #5, of course! and who should mark the two strikers, which was one more player than the old WM formation catered for? Six Hungarian goals later, England hadn t come up with the solution. Withdrawn Hungarian striker wearing #9 baffled England

6 However, it wasn't just the tactical arrangement that led to England s first defeat on home soil. The Hungarian team was probably the best in the world at that time even though they failed to win the World Championship in This new way of playing changed the whole defending system and forced teams to play with at least 4 back players. This led to the era of the system, with the Brazilians using this formation to great effect in the '50's and '60's. The comprised a Back Four (two outside fullbacks and two center backs), two out-and-out (central) Midfielders, two Wingers and twin Strikers. It was predominantly an attacking formation with two wingers and two strikers

7 As well, on Continental Europe, various Systems of Play were being developed in the very competitive soccer leagues of Italy, Spain, Germany, Portugal, France and Holland. Many of the systems had, at the heart of their organization, a tight man-marking defensive system with a covering player the Sweeper playing the Libero role at the back of the defence. The free defender (Sweeper) lies behind the three man-marking defenders We will talk more about the Sweeper Man-Marking System as well as the Zonal Defending System later, but first we recommend that you now go out of this segment to cover the important aspects of the game that are employed by every successful team the world over the Principles of Play.