Marcelo Bielsa: The Master of Building Up Play Against High Pressing Teams
Marcelo Bielsa: The Master of Building Up Play Against High Pressing Teams
Marcelo Bielsa is one of the most influential and respected coaches in the world of football. His innovative playing style, tactics and formations have inspired many other top coaches, such as Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino, Jorge Sampaoli and Gerardo Martino. Bielsa is known for his attacking philosophy that includes a mix of short and long passing, moving the ball to the free player through 'link players', creating numerical advantages, dragging opposition players out of position and exploiting the gaps created.
One of the key aspects of Bielsa's tactics is how he builds up play from the back against high pressing teams. He uses different formations, such as 4-2-3-1, 3-3-3-1 and 3-4-3, to provide a free passing option for the goalkeeper, move the ball to the target or free player, create a numerical advantage in specific areas of the pitch and take advantage of the numerical advantage. He also adapts his tactics according to the opposition's pressing strategy and formation.
Marcelo Bielsa - Coaching Build Up Play Against High Pressing Teams Books Pdf File
In this article, we will explore how Bielsa coaches his teams to build up play effectively against high pressing teams, based on the book Marcelo Bielsa - Coaching Build Up Play Against High Pressing Teams by Athanasios Terzis[^1^]. Terzis is a UEFA 'A' Licence Coach and has produced extensive analysis of Bielsa in nine different tactical situations, supported with nine full training sessions (35 practices). The book won the Italian FA Award for "Best Coaching Book" in 2017.
Building Up Play from the Back Against Two Forwards
One of the common scenarios that Bielsa faces is when the opposition presses with two forwards in a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-3-1 formation. In this case, Bielsa uses a 4-2-3-1 formation with a back four, two holding midfielders, three attacking midfielders and a striker. The aim is to create a 4 v 2 situation at the back and use the holding midfielders as 'link players' to move the ball forward.
The goalkeeper plays an important role in this situation. He has to scan the pitch and identify which side has more space and less pressure. He then passes the ball to one of the center backs or full backs who are positioned wide and high. The center backs can also switch play if one side is blocked by the opposition's press.
The holding midfielders are crucial for building up play from the back. They have to drop deep and offer support to the back four. They also have to move laterally and diagonally to create passing angles and triangles. They have to be aware of their surroundings and avoid being marked by the opposition's midfielders. They have to be ready to receive the ball under pressure and play it quickly to the free player.
The attacking midfielders and the striker have to create space for themselves and their teammates by making runs behind or across the opposition's back line. They have to drag defenders out of position and create gaps for their teammates to exploit. They also have to be ready to receive through balls or crosses from their teammates.
Moving the Ball to the Target Player on the Weak Side
Another scenario that Bielsa faces is when the opposition presses with one forward in a 4-5-1 or a 4-3-3 formation. In this case, Bielsa uses a 3-3-3-1 formation with three center backs, three midfielders, three forwards and a striker. The aim is to create a 3 v 1 situation at 0efd9a6b88
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