In attack…

Start high up the pitch, where we can play over to you if we are pressed high.

This includes being an outlet if the opposition press our flat full-backs.

If, though, we play through and get players free in midfield, stay high and make peeling, forward runs to try and get in behind.

Although, get free in the pockets if you see a midfielder press your teammate, like Firmino does here in the central lane.

Against teams that defend with two 6s, a good position our striker can drop into is in between their two central midfielders, like Jota here.

You might also do this when we have the ball in wide positions in Block C.

Try to recognise moments though, like in the clip below, where you can make the forward run to get in behind and go to goal.

This is an excellent example of combining both the dropping movement, and the run in behind. Watch carefully…

Once we get higher up the pitch, you should stay close to the central lane where we can combine quickly in tight spaces…

…maybe even to get into goalscoring positions where you can touch & finish quickly!

Often, though, you’ll move into positions on the blindside of defenders (think “in their pockets”)…like Kai Havertz does here repeatedly before scoring…

Robert Lewandowski does it here, too, staying on the blindside until the moment he can dart in front of the defender & score a poacher finish.

Just constantly think ‘poacher’ in the box…where you can finish 1-touch with nobody to beat!

This is particularly important when we get to that ‘assist zone’ in Block A halfspaces – watch Firmino’s movement here…

The cue to get free in poacher positions will be when we create a flexible triangle in the wide lane & halfspace, and then a teammate gets free with the ball…

…do this again and again, and you’ll score goals!

In defence…

Defensively, you are a key player – you start the press and ensure we protect the middle. A particularly important job is to block lines of pass into opposition midfielders…

See how the 9 starts in that central position, and even when pressing, continues to block the line of pass into midfielders even while chasing…

This is also important if the ball goes wide. You need to reverse press and block their 6s (watch Firmino here).

If they do play through you, make sure you reverse press with hunger! See our First Grade strikers do it here.

If the wide striker presses and ends up in a more advanced position than you, make sure to drop and cover the passes into the central lane.

As the ball goes into Block B & C, and we drop deeper as a unit, you’ll need to recognise when to drop & cover the midfield zone, and when to push up & squeeze.

If you see an 8 step forward to press & chase, make sure to cover them by blocking lines of pass into midfield.

And most of all, always work hard to ensure the team stays compact, as you’ll see the striker here at the top of the penalty box…

That sort of chasing attitude is what we need from our strikers so we never take a backwards step!