Tactics and Insight

Tactics is the study of shapes, distances, angles, functions, formations, styles of play and so on. It is the X's and O's of pre-game instructions, half time corrections and post game analysis. It is often presented as patterns or principles of play. It can be viewed as "what we will do" in the game.

Insight is the effect that tactics have on the game. It is understanding the benefits or limitations of the tactical decisions. "When you play wide the defender has to choose between marking you and covering the center. If he covers the center, you get the pass. If he marks you, your teammate can dribble through the middle. Playing wide is the tactical concept, creating space. Seeing the dilemma that the defender has is insight. Too often players are told what to do without learning why they should do it. This results in robotic play and a clinched appreciation of soccer problems.

An example. During a small-sided game stop it on occasion and ask a player "why did you choose to make that pass?" Chances are the answer will be 1) I don't know or 2) He was open. If the answer is 1, that's a problem. If it's 2 ask them "so what if he's open?" The answer you get will show a level of insight. Being "open" isn't a very good reason for a pass. One reason that he's open is that he doesn't have the ball. Now that he does is the team in a better situation? How did that pass contribute to the team’s efforts to win the game? A better answer would be " I was under pressure and had to keep possession" or "he was facing the field and could make a better decision." These answers show an appreciation of why a decision was made.

Insight involves value judgments and a grasp of the correct moment. It is the decision of which solution to the soccer problem is the best one and choosing the correct moment. When players understand more complex problems and how to solve them they are said to "have insight or vision." However, the appreciation of when, the correct moment, cannot be overstated.

There is also the element of predicting. What will happen when; what happens if; how will he react when and so on. This is the element that great players, ones that can "read the game," are always "two steps ahead," possess. They can accurately forecast future events using numerous probabilities. This is why asking questions, instead of giving information, is so important in player development. When asked, a player has to think and supply an answer. When told he simply accepts what is said and he may or may not have to think about it. The process of problem solving is given a short cut. They don't have to "figure it out," just supply a knee jerk response or wait until the coach tells them what to do.

Teaching tactics without insight is like learning to steer a car without learning that it helps you to avoid collisions. It results in a shallow appreciation of solutions. Coaching to gain insight (understanding the effects, predicting future events) naturally brings players to tactical and technical solutions. The opposite is not necessarily true. When they understand why they need to find a better way to do things they tend to figure out the how to's on their own and this puts a greater value on the answer.