out of possession
Cross Engagement
Stop Crosses
- Engage wide players.
- Stop the cross at source.
Ask the team to aggressively engage opposition wide players as they enter a crossing position. Your defenders will look to either force the opposition wide player to turn back, or block any attempted cross into the box.
Positive Feedback
- Reduces the amount of crosses coming into your box.
- Gives opposition wide players less time and space on the ball.
Negative Feedback
- Leaves more spaces in central areas for the opposition to exploit.
- Easier for defenders to be dragged from position.
Balanced
- A balanced defensive strategy.
The team will adopt a flexible defensive strategy, looking to find a balance between protecting central areas and denying crossing opportunities.
Positive Feedback
- A flexible defensive strategy.
- Provides a balance between central and wide protection.
Negative Feedback
- Allows more crosses into the box than when looking to stop the cross.
- Doesn't protect central areas as well as when inviting crosses.
Invite Crosses
- Protect central areas.
- Allow the cross to come in.
Ask the team to prioritise compacting central areas of the pitch, looking to funnel the opposition out wide. Your defenders will look play more narrow and protect against passes into the middle, inviting the opposition to play crosses into the box from wide.
Positive Feedback
- Makes it harder for the opposition to find space in central areas.
- Effective when your team has an aerial advantage inside the box.
Negative Feedback
- Opposition wide players have more time and space on the ball.
- Allows more crosses to be played into the box.