[Discussion] Defensive Rotation & Sweeper

[Kawee]

Hello all. I know I am not exactly famous around these forums as a tactical guru or anything, but I am an avid reader of the tactical forum and like most of you, just generally obsessive about football tactics.

However, unlike the many people around here who have been looking to play it like... (insert famous attacking teams name here eg. Barcelona, Arsenal) I've always been more in love with the defensive side of things even though my beloved Arsenal seems to have forgotten how to defend. The likes of Tony Adams and Maldini remain some of my favorite players of all time. My favourite defensive system is without a doubt tight man-marking sweeper system. It hurts me that this system no longer exist at the top level, although it did reaps it's rewards when I made a bit of fortune from backing 20 pounds on Greece at the Euro '04.

However, in FM, I have failed to recreate the system I am so in love with. The two problems I find with recreating this system are:

1. The sweeper position

2. The defensive rotation (adapting to danger)

When playing the sweeper position, even with Mexes, I find that they don't do the job of "sweeping up" very well. My back-line still gets beaten by through balls quite often, and the fact that they still try to employ the offside trap even when I tell them not to only elevate the problem.

As for the defensive rotation, this has me pulling my hair at time. Defenders don't respond to immediate danger half as well as I want them to. I don't mind them getting beaten if they at least respond to the danger. It's another issue altogether if they don't even respond. It's particularly a problem with full-backs who insists on staying out wide marking absolutely no-one even if all the action is happening down the middle, but the centrebacks also seem to struggle at times.

So I want to use this thread to discuss our vision of what improvements we want to see in the sweeper position and the defensive rotation. Or not, if you think it's close to perfect as it is.

In this case, I would like to define by what I mean by a tight man-marking sweeper system. It's a defensive system in which the defenders mark all the relevant attackers, while having one man free from marking duty deeper than the back-line. This sweeper should not only look to cover the markers in case they're beaten, they should also look to:

- intercept through balls and long balls over the top since they have the advantage of facing outwards at all times

- help command the back-line since they have the 2nd best view of the defense, after the GK

- In some cases, usually emergency, picks up any free attacker running into the dangerous areas

This means a sweeper system is incompatible with using the offside trap. The fact that you always have a player deeper than the backline makes it impossible to set up an offside trap. And using the offside trap is missing the point of having a sweeper in the first place.

To open up the discussion, I would like to show you my vision of how the ideal tight man-marking sweeper system should work. The key word here is "system." I think it's best if sweeper becomes a system rather than just a position since it allows a much more flexible defensive line, able to react to the hundred different attacks throw at them.

Do excuse my English at times, since I'm a 2nd language speaker, and also excuse my lack of artistic skills. I am only able to use the basic of Paint program to illustrate my points.

*NOTE: I'm going to assume that the defenders are all pretty good, and they have been playing with each other for years. So we can rule out mis-communication or not concentrating as variables, and concentrate on how the system should work in theory.

I would also like to note that I do realize that players are not as static as I will illustrate them, but they are in my example for simplicity sake. It will still not change how the system should work in theory.

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Key:

Red = Defenders

Blue = Attackers

Black = The Ball

-----> = Where the defenders run to

-----> = Where the attackers run to

-----> = The passing

I hope the positions will be easy enough to understand (eg. SW = Sweeper, RW = right-winger, etc etc)

A) As an easy example, a back-4 sweeper defense against a three man attack:

Diagram #1

This is what it should look like. Notice where the sweeper is standing. He is mainly guarding the 18 yard box, but he's tilted to the left because the ball is coming from the left-side of the defense. The following are what he's looking after:

- The front post if a cross comes in

- intercept the through ball into the middle

- challenge the RW if the full-back is beaten by a dribble

- Run across to cover the right-back if a cross-field pass is made

This is simple enough to understand.

B) Sweeper System Against 4-4-2

***The Problems***

Example 1: Leaving the leading striker unmarked

Diagram #2

As you can see in this example, The supporting striker (ST 1) and the two wingers are marked by the CB and the full backs, respectively. Right now, the SW is providing cover for the LB and the CB, and also looking to intercept any through ball and crosses. If the sweeper continues to do his job of providing the cover, then he leaves the leading striker (ST 2) unmarked. By staying deeper to provide cover he's also playing the striker onside. I need not explain how this is a problem. If he chooses to go mark the leading striker, then we've just lost our sweeper. Some people may say that that's the sweeper job to mark anyone who wasn't being marked. But I think that's really missing the whole point of having a sweeper. Yes, in emergency cases, the sweeper should mark an immediate danger, but usually, the whole point of a sweeper system is to have that one last extra line of defense.

Example 2: Leaving the supporting striker unmarked

Diagram #3

In this example, the CB is marking the leading striker (ST 2), and the full-backs are marking the wingers. The sweeper doing his job by providing cover and also to intercept any crosses or through balls. However, leaving the supporting striker (ST 1) to so much space is a recipe for death, especially against players capable of triple threats like Rooney or Arshavin. With so much space, they can so easily run at you, pick out a killer pass, or take a clear long shot. Once again, should the sweeper picks up the supporting striker, then we'll lose our sweeper.

So these are two possible problems with the sweeper system against a two strikers and two wingers. In the next post (due to image limits) I will try to outline how defensive rotation should work in order to counter this.

[Kawee]

In the OP, we saw how the sweeper system could could have trouble facing the two strikers and two wingers approach. In the first example, the leading striker was left unmarked, and in the second example, the supporting striker was left unmarked.

***The Solutions (through defensive rotation)***

*NOTE: Although I outlined two problems, I will only describe the solution to example 1. Once you've read it through, you will easily be able to apply the same theory to example 2.

Take a look again at Diagram #2 so you can understand what is happening.

Diagram #4

Through Defensive rotation, you can see that the RB has left his marker (the blue left-winger), and ran back to mark the leading striker instead. Why? Two reasons:

1. The leading striker is closer to the ball so he is the more immediate danger

2. The leading striker is closer to the goal so he is also the bigger danger

Now, we have the three most dangerous men in attack marked, and a sweeper to cover each of them. The winger on the far side is the one unmarked because he poses the least threat. It's all about risk calculations. However, that doesn't mean the defense should not be wary of this danger.

What if the right-winger with the ball is a David Beckham and he makes a perfect cross-field pass? Suddenly, the left-winger is the most dangerous man because he has the ball and also plenty of space and time. Once again, the defense needs to rotate and shift their defensive structure to meet the immediate danger:

Diagram #5

As you can see here, the defense has shifted to the immediate danger. They had to move quickly, since they only had the time while the ball was moving in the air to get into position. Let's assume they were all fast enough to move into position.

As you can see, none of the defenders actually had to move very far. They only adjusted to the immediate danger while keeping their shape.

The things to notice:

- The two full-backs switch roles as the ball moved across field. The RB now goes to challenge the LW with the ball, and the LB tuck in to mark ST 1.

- The sweeper moved to replace the RB by marking ST 2 and the CB replace the SW as the sweeper.

The second point is important. Because of the pace of modern football games, there are times when defenders have to rotate not just their position, but their roles. The SW had to become a marker because he was closest to ST 2 and the CB, having no one to mark, replace the SW as the sweeper. That's why I suggest the sweeper being a system rather than just a designated position. In some cases, the SW must become a marker, and someone else becomes the sweeper. Bottom line is, attackers must be marked, and someone must act as the sweeper to provide cover. Defensive rotation allows the defense to react to the danger while keeping their shape in the shortest amount of time and running the least amount of distance.

Another very important thing to notice is the sweeper's (in this case, the CB) position. Why is he there?

The reason he's there is because he's providing cover to the two guys marking the two STs. The sweeper must realize that the two strikers are the two most dangerous men so they must provide cover against these two in the case that they can get away from their marker. Also, if the RB can force the LW to just a cross, then the sweeper (remember, in this case it's the CB) must pick up the RW who is sure to run into the box, as shown in the diagram below:

Diagram #6

As you can see, the LB and the SW stuck with their man, and the CB picked up the RW's run into the box. All three players in the box are marked. Are there mismatches? Of course there are. A Clichy will struggle to win an aerial challenge against someone like Berbatov. But at least with this type of defensive rotation, we know that there's always someone challenging for the ball, and there's no such thing as a free header, free shot, or free anything for the attackers. And if a goal is scored, it's easy for the manager to analyse because everyone's duty is clearly seen.

However, what if the RB couldn't force the LW down the line? What if, our RB was an 18 year old Academy graduate, and he was beaten early, after the cross-field pass was made to a left-winger like Robben? A player of Robben's calibre can't be given so much space and time. With the time given, he can dribble into the box and causing all sorts of trouble, he can pick out a sweet pass or cross, or take a clear unchallenged shot at goal. We can't afford this. So how should defensive rotation deal with this?

First, look back at the diagram #5 before looking at this next diagram.

Diagram #7

First of all, take a look at the diagram #5 once again so you can understand this one.

In this diagram, we show how defensive rotation ought to work when the RB has been beaten by the LW after the cross-field pass has been made. The important things to look at are:

- The RB is beaten. I put a cross on him to show that he's out of the equation

- If left unattended, the LW will have too much space and time and will most likely do something hurtful

- Therefore the SW leaves his marker, ST 2, and goes to challenge the LW.

- The CB who was the sweeper then moves to replace SW to mark ST 2.

Why should this happen?

Simple, its all about responding to immediate danger. With the RB beaten and out of the equation, keep in mind that the defense is being outnumbered 3vs4. The LW with the ball, if given time and space is the most dangerous man so the SW has to move to challenge him. This leaves the ST 2 unmarked, so the CB moves to mark him. The two STs must be marked because they're closest to goal and therefore pose the biggest threats. Since the defense is outnumbered 3vs4, one of the attacker will be left unmarked. From the defensive point of view, that unmarked person must be the LW because he's the furthest away, and therefore pose the least threat.

[Kawee]

Personally, I believe that the sweeper system works best when the defense outnumber the attack by 1 person. No more, no less. No more because having less men in defense mean more men to counter-attack with. No less because as have already been illustrated, due to the need of one extra man to act as sweeper, there will always be one player left unmarked. If you have one more than your attackers, then you will have all their attackers marked, and also the sweeper acting as one last line of defense.

In practice, a back-4 using the sweeper system can deal with a front three, easily enough. Everything is quite straight forward. However, as have been illustrated, when 4v4, someone is going to be left unmarked. Therefore, I always look for ways to make it 5v4. My own personal preference would be to play with a DMC.

Diagram #8

As you can see, everyone's marked, and we have a spare man as the sweeper as well. Everyone's job is fairly straight forward: mark your man. The sweeper is the only one who's not marking anyone. He's the one who needs go be able to read the game and anticipate the next move as he tries to provide cover for anyone who gets beaten.

C) Using the offside trap?

I know that I said that the sweeper system is incompatible with the offside trap. However, there are always exceptions to every rule. Below, I will illustrate a possible scenario where one may need to use the offside trap with the sweeper system.

***The Problem***

Diagram # 9

I think the problem is fairly obvious. Because the sweeper system doesn't employ the offside trap, the ST kept pushing forward. The CB and SW tracked him, and thus create this huge space for the RW, LW, and AM to operate in. I intentionally left out the ball, so that people can see that there is all this space for the three attacking midfielders to move into. All these problems just because the ST pushed back our CB and SW. To solve this problem, the defense must use the offside trap.

***Solution***

Diagram #10

So as you can see, the SW and the CB pushed up and left the ST in an offside position, and thus irrelevant. As to whether who becomes the sweeper and who marks the ST once he gets back on side will depend on where the ST moves to and which of the attacking midfielders receive the ball.

Key Points:

- The CB and the SW will have to decide when "this deep is too deep." If they push up too late, they leave too big a gap for the other attackers to operate in. If they push up too early, the ST can easily come back on side, and make a run in behind them.

- There must be perfect communication, obviously. If one moves up but the other stay behind, then not only would they not set up an offside trap, they would also lose either the marker or the sweeper.

This is the summary of how I think the offside trap should be used in the sweeper system (ie. the offside trap option "ticked.") Obviously there are dozens of other possible scenarios, but it would be impossible for me to illustrate them all.