Build-Up Play Explained | Why Playing Out From the Back is the Best Tactic | Football Tactics

Building from the Back: Is it the Best Way to Play?

This video discusses the concept of building up play from the back in football, and whether it is a good idea or not. It explores why managers believe this is the best way to start an attack, and takes a look at some of the best managers that use this tactic.

The Rise of Building from the Back

• Building from the back has become increasingly popular in football over the past decade.

• A key component of this was a 2019 rule change that allows players inside the box when starting from a goal kick.

• This can be seen in the number of passes completed by goalkeepers and defenders steadily rising in recent seasons.

• Ball-playing goalkeepers and centre-backs have increased in value exponentially as a result.

Why Managers Believe it's Effective

• When building up play, teams find themselves in an 11 vs 10 situation given that opposing team goalkeeper will not be involved in defending.

• Teams pressing high up on defenders will have to be extremely well organized to stop the ball getting out, given their natural numerical disadvantage.

• Building up play creates space further up the pitch by luring strikers into a trap, drawing them closer to increase space between defenders and midfielders before finding a striker or playmaker.

Key Components of Build Up Play

• Playing out from the back relies on creating triangles and freeing up passing lanes with fast passes and movement to slowly force opposition into leaving gaps.

• Full backs stay wide to stretch the midfield, meaning there are more passing options through the middle if the opposition stays narrow.

• Attackers and wingers have a crucial role to play during the first phase of play, also known as pinning.

Managers Who Use Build Up Play

Pep Guardiola

• Pep Guardiola is arguably the best-known manager for his style of build-up play and success with it.

Thomas Tuchel

• Thomas Tuchel has turned Chelsea into one of the toughest teams to beat by building up from the back since his arrival at Chelsea.

Luciano Spalletti

• Luciano Spalletti has a unique and innovative way of playing out from the back.

Introduction to Pep Guardiola's Style of Buildup

This section introduces the viewer to Pep Guardiola's style of buildup in his early days at Barcelona.

Salida La Volpiana

• Guardiola was a key proponent of the so-called salida la volpiana.

• The term refers to a concept used by the Argentine coach Riccardo Lavolbe in which he would always ensure he had a numerical advantage in defense by having one midfielder drop into the back line.

• By doing this, the fullbacks would have space to push further up meaning Guardiola's teams would immediately switch to a 3-3-4 or 3-4-2-1 when in possession.

Recent Innovations

• In recent years, Guardiola has shifted away from having the CDM dropped between the centre-backs and is more reliant on using the goalkeeper.

• The key innovation we've seen from Pep in recent years is the use of inverted fullbacks to break the press.

Thomas Tuchel's Approach to Buildup

This section discusses Thomas Tuchel's approach to buildup and how it differs from Pep Guardiola's.

Formation Differences

• While Guardiola has used 433 or 4231 for most of his career, Tuchel's time at Chelsea has seen him use the 3-4-2-1 formation.

Attacking Rotations

• Having these attacking rotations along with aggressive wing backs means that opposition will have a difficult time keeping track of who to pick and allows Chelsea to easily break the first line of pressure.

Conclusion

• Tuchel's methods are proving to be incredibly difficult to stop and Chelsea looks like serious title contenders this season.

Innovative Styles of Buildup

This section discusses innovative styles of buildup in football.

Spallity's Back Three Structure

• Spallity has changed how he structures the back three.

• One of the two central midfielders moves from the center towards the half space and outside of the two pressing strikers.

• The midfielder becomes an easy passing option for the centre-backs and is a tricky one to defend as it leaves the opposition in two minds.

• If he's pressed by the winger then it leaves space for the full backs to receive the ball however if he's pressed by the midfielder then it leaves a central gap for the CDM to move forward.

Importance of Half Space on Attack

• Rarely do we see managers use this position during build up but we've seen with these methods how it can be an extremely tricky situation to stop especially when defending in a 442.

• The half space is fundamental on attack.

Other Innovative Styles of Buildup

• These three managers are just the beginning of innovative and unique styles of build up but they're certainly not the only ones and there are hundreds of other managers that have a great approach to this part of the game.

Increase in High Pressing Teams

• With teams building up from the back, this has naturally led to an increase in high pressing teams as this is seen as the best counter to playing out from goalkeeper.

• However, that is a topic for another video.

Favorite Style of Buildup

• Asks viewers what their favorite style of buildup is in comments down below.

Conclusion

This video discusses innovative styles of buildup in football. It highlights Spallity's back three structure, importance of half space on attack, other innovative styles of buildup, and increase in high pressing teams. The video ends by asking viewers what their favorite style of buildup is.