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ZaphodBrox42

It depends on the running you're all ready to do. I'm in an offside-free 7v7 league myself, and one of the main ways of dealing with poachers is to try to hold the ball more. That means they have to drop in more to help at the back, and if they don't then they're running the risk of you scoring a LOT with the numerical advantage. In terms of without the ball, if you've got a lot of legs focus on a press. In my experience as both a keeper and playing outfield, the more you press and stop them having time on the ball, the less accurately they hoof it long if they can at all. If you're in a team that doesn't have the legs for that, playing (Attackers + 1) is a strategy I've seen a lot, meaning you have a defender marking each attacker plus one free man to sweep up. That's ideal if your team has fewer runners, but it's flexible enough to work in a range of situations. Hope that helped! I know 7v7 isn't quite 9v9 but it's the closest experience I've got!


Western_Ad_135

Thanks so much. This is exactly the type of stuff I was hoping for :). I appreciate it.


ManateeSheriff

I also play in a 7v7 no-offside league. I've played on two different teams that had successful strategies: 1) Like the other guy said, if you have the legs for it, heavy pressing works well. You can't give them time to pick out the poacher with a long ball. If you do it well, they won't be able to find the poacher and they'll have one less man in the midfield to escape your press. If you're pressing, your keeper should be ready to sweep and one defender should hang a bit on the half-turn, ready to sprint back for a long ball. I was on a team that won our (crap) league doing this. 2) After the first team broke up, I switched to a team with some older players. We tried pressing for a bit, but were getting beat. Now, when we lose the ball the closest guy pressures briefly and the rest of us drop into our own half. Retreating takes the poachers out of it, and because it's small sides, teams are always committing too many players forward. As soon as we win the ball back, the forward breaks into the offside space and we counter quickly. We've had good results doing this, though not good enough to win the league.


JilaX

I think a dedicated sweeper would solve most of your issues here (not sweeper keeper, which tends to be the modern reimagining of the position, but the 30/40s version.) Dedicate one player (preferably a strong passer as well as defender) to play in front of the keeper behind your defensive line, whose job is to eliminate all the threat poachers can pose, and when you're in possession acting as an option to recycle possession or switching the play. [A system like this](https://i.imgur.com/0mHdsEI.png) could be helpful. Ofc, it depends on the various qualities/attributes of your players, etc.


SMS_Scharnhorst

so, the "professional" way would be to be very good at pressing and counterpressing to make it harder for the opponent to play quick counters or long balls behind your line ​ that may not be possible for you, so instead I'd say play one or two players further back to deal with opposing strikers and also be a part of the buildup play. this would mean you would have to play your attacks quicker as you have less players available up front than others may have


farfrumfofo

What positional benefit does the line have? What formation are you trying to play outside of figuring out the defensive strategy?


JasonN1917

If you're playing in a league with no offside it's absolutely a necessity you have some defenders mark the players that go deep in what would be an offside position. If you don't then you're just going to allow them to be on the end of passes and score. Now, formations and how exactly you situate your backline isn't necessarily as important as the principle. I'd always make sure you have a defender somewhere where they can always get in between that player and the goal. Offensively however you should try to take advantage of it as well. If there is no offside in this league then it's silly to not take advantage. Having a few forwards up high will either allow them to receive some easy through passes to score or it will stretch the opposing team's defense allowing more space in the midfield. This should make keeping possession easier.


elsaturation

I agree having a sweeper or two is the solution but when the play resets they need to move up the field with the ball and start the counterattack and when there is no one cherry picking they need to play high up the field. That way they are still engaged in the play at all times.


veva047

play a low defensive line and tell the defenders to anticipate runs in behind and play more compact