Do you know well the game systems in soccer?

Today we will tell you everything about the bases of the game systems. What they are, how to apply them to your team to get the most out of it, and more. Let's start with the basics.

What is a game system?

We call the game system the position that the players of a team acquire on the field of play BEFORE their offensive or defensive movements. Normally the players acquire this position after a withdrawal, center kick or goal kick, in this way we manage to occupy the field in a homogeneous way.

With gaming systems we seek to have under control:

• The position of the players on the field of play.
• What each player does.
• How the team interacts as a unit on the field.

How will we develop a good Game System?

We have to keep in mind different factors, such as the correct distribution of the players on the field, the correct transitions, the correct response to the game (attack and defense), the movement of the players without the ball and, above all, all, keep in mind that the players have to interact from their position.

We must make clear the distinction between:

• The line of defense (initiation), which is made up of the central, lateral and goalkeeper.
• The Creation Zone (Centre), made up of the midfielders, defensive midfielders, midfielders and we could even include the lanes with the most additions.
• Front line (Finishing), strikers and wingers plus additions.

What game systems are there?

• Game system based on width of space: The characteristics of these game systems are based on a strategic-tactical perspective, creating offensive width when the team has possession of the ball and defensive depth when the opposing team has possession of the ball. Specifically, its intention is to correctly occupy the field of play to seize the ball, and subsequently, create situations of uncertainty in the opposing team with the incorporation of players from the back lines to the most advanced ones.
• The Game Systems called Position: These systems base their strategy on seeking and possessing maximum width on the field of play to offer a greater number of possibilities and options to the ball holder. The most used formulas for these position systems are the 1-3-4-3 and 1-4-3-3.
• The so-called Occupation and Incorporation Systems: In the first place, from a tactical point of view, these systems seek offensive depth, incorporating players from further back lines onto more advanced lines in order to correctly occupy the spaces that are generated behind the lines of the opposing team. As a result, these systems could also be called "those game systems based on a perfect rational occupation of the field of play, and a perfect Defense-Attack transition". In summary, it is achieved that the possession of the ball and, consequently, that the initiative of the game, is possessed by the opponent and the weight of the game falls on him. Subsequently, after recovering the ball, the objective is clear, to direct the game looking for the free spaces that the opponent has generated as a result of advancing their lines. Among these systems the most prominent are: 1-4-3-2-1, 1-4-2-3-1 and 1-5-4-1.
• In the rational occupation of the analytical terrain: These systems are characterized by a perfect layout, establishing horizontal lines where the players play very closely, and vertical lines, where defensive depth is sought. The rational occupation of the field of play occurs in two ways:
  • Reorganization after the end of the game against goal.
  • Restructuring after losing the ball, followed by a quick rearrangement of the lines.
• Game systems that affect the transverse plane. Transversal occupation systems such as 1-4-3-3 and 1-4-4-2 characterized by: Decreased distances covered by the player, solid during the game, priority of possession over depth, distribution of players in horizontal lines densely populated and greater protection of the players during the game. Disadvantages that this type of system can present:
  • Lack of depth throughout the game.
  • Imbalance between lines.
  • Difficulty neutralizing the opponent's game.
  • Over uses the "offside".
  • Problems collecting rejects in the longitudinal plane
• Game systems that affect the longitudinal plane: These systems are defined through procedures that have a distribution in which they position their actors so that they relate the positions of one line to another. In addition, coaches must be very clear about two issues when putting this type of system into practice: The availability of players with a high technical-tactical level and having players with a great commitment to effort.
• The prototype system: It gives the greater length of the 1-3-4-3 diamond whose main virtue is to facilitate the game between the lines, which gives it greater depth.

So what types of gaming systems do we have?

• Games called position: 1-3-4-3 | 1-4-3-3
• Occupation and incorporation systems: 1-4-3-2-1 | 1-4-2-3-1 | 1-5-4-1
• Mixed systems: 1-3-5-2 | 1-4-5-1