Analysis — Route 1
Tuesday, 06/04/2021 — Real Madrid 3–1 Liverpool
Thursday, 08/04/2021 — Granada 0–2 Man Utd
The long-ball or long-pass tactic may seem simple but it is an intricate skill to execute to perfection. The current round of midweek European fixtures put forward two brilliant examples of this tactic being applied expertly to create goals. Both cases involved perfect technical execution in the pass along with pacy (an understatement) attackers going through to finish but there were some subtle movements and tactics that led to their success as well.
The following review uncovers some of these details and points to the effectiveness of the long-pass game when the conditions are right.
Marcus Rashford vs. Granada
(1) Starting with the opposition, Granada looked to maintain a very high backline and attempted to hold the centre compact. The strikers seemed to tuck in and cover the central midfielders, with Pogba and McTominay both capable of getting on the ball and feeding the attackers. Man Utd looked to stretch the pitch in possession with Rashford and James almost hugging the touchline on either side, with space for both fullbacks to run into.
Playing against James, Greenwood and Rashford this seems like quite a risky tactic with a lot riding on executing the offside trap to perfection. From Utd’s perspective this allows them to exploit the pace of their attackers with passes around and over the backline.
(2) Watching the highlights a couple of times some small, but important, details pop out. Firstly, as play is started with a short goalkick, Rashford walks over to the sideline with the intention of pulling his direct opponent away from his centre back. Secondly, Rashford maintains eye-contact with Lindelöf throughout, showing the importance of non-verbal communication in helping the players execute plays covertly on the pitch.
(3) What follows next is the result of this preparation and communication. With the gap between the fullback and centre back widened, Rashford starts off towards the centre (towards the deepest lying visible defender to correct for offside) before cutting through. The second Rashford starts his movement is the cue for Lindelöf to play his pass. The Swede, under no pressure, sets up and plays a wonderfully weighted pass right in Rashford’s path, highlighting the need for technical expertise in every position on the pitch.
(4) There is still a bit for Rashford to do, starting with bringing the ball down under pressure. With his pace Rashford is able to race ahead of the centre back and bring his body in between the ball and the defender as he deftly controls it. Rashford completes the move with a calm and collected finish past the goalkeeper but the genius of the finish starts with his scan during the run. Running through Rashford checks his shoulder to see what the goalkeeper is doing before turning his attention back to the ball as he controls it. This little scan was enough to give Rashford a picture of the goal ahead of him, allowing him to finish calmly under pressure.
Vinicius Jr. vs. Liverpool
Combine Toni Kroos’ ability to pick a pass and a bit of Brazilian magic from Vinicius Jr. and you get a brilliant goal. The conditions for this goal were similar to the Rashford goal.
(1) Liverpool have been playing a higher line this season but tend to get caught out without Van Dijk there to lead the defense. Vinicius Jr. starts from an inside position to run into the gap between fullback and centre back. Eye contact with Toni Kroos is vital. With Benzema pulling the centre back away, he darts into the space — signal for Toni Kroos to do his thing. Through smart interchange of positions, Kroos finds himself in the backline with time and space to pick a pass. The execution: perfect.
(2) By virtue of his pace, Vinicius Jr. finds himself bearing down on goal with the ball played right in his path. He takes it down brilliantly with his chest, pushing the ball past the centre back so that he is able to cut across and finish one-on-one against the goalkeeper.
While the conditions were ideal for a chance to be created, i.e. fast attacker, high backline and ball-playing ability, the details are what led to a goal being scored.
The long pass tactic will not always work but it is a potent weapon to possess in the armory. Combine it with subtle details of pulling a defender out of position, timing of the run and pass, and communicating effectively with your teammate and you have the ingredients for creating a goalscoring opportunity. This does not come by without teaching your players to play an effective long pass, control a pass from behind and finishing at pace. While a lot of attention is paid to passing through the opponent and quick combinations it is worthwhile also to strengthen all-round ability to adjust to different situations. Examples like this show the value of teaching the fundamentals to the players, especially in the developmental years.
“Route 1” is commonly used to indicate the rudimentary nature of the tactic, but peeling the layers reveals a beauty, elegance, and effectiveness that more than justify it’s continued use.
