Offensive Soccer Tactics

216 Pages. Published 2004

About the Book

The challenge you face in devising an effective offensive attack just became easier with Offensive Soccer Tactics. Learn the details of the offensive strategies employed by some of the most successful soccer teams in the world.

This book, designed for coaches at the high school level and up, is the collective offensive genius of world-renowned coaches Jens Bangsbo and Birger Peitersen, longtime instructors with the Danish Football Federation as well as other Danish national teams and Italian clubs.

By learning the strategies, systems, and tactics that have been successfully implemented by Denmark's elite clubs and other international powerhouses, you will develop players and teams with more potent offensive skills. The authors begin by covering the basics of possession play, then they take you through effective practice strategies, drills, and game plans. Other key topics include

-creating space, -moving without the ball, -advanced-level passing, -challenging the defender, and -penetrating and finishing scoring runs.

Offensive Soccer Tactics brings these principles together to demonstrate how to finish plays from all over the field, including outside and inside the penalty area. You'll gain a strategic understanding of the sport so that you can make effective decisions relative to your personnel, your offensive proficiencies and opponent.

Your offense will thrive from instruction on incorporating high-percentage offensive tactics into both practices and games. Thoroughly illustrated with detailed diagrams, Offensive Soccer Tactics is the perfect tool to use to keep the ball away from your opponent and score more goals.

About the Author

Jens Bangsbo has been playing and coaching soccer for more than 35 years. He spent 15 years as a top-level player in Denmark, playing more than 400 matches in the top Danish league. In international play, he represented Denmark as both a youth player and as a member of the “A” national team. He is the advisor to the Danish national teams and assistant head coach to the Italian league’s Juventus FC. An instructor at the Danish Football Association since 1986, Bangsbo has published more than 100 articles on soccer and conditioning. He also has written several books, including Soccer Systems & Strategies and Defensive Soccer Tactics.

Birger Peitersen is also one of Denmark’s top soccer figures, having coached the Danish women’s national team and the national champions of the men’s league and serving as staff coach of the Danish Football Federation. In 1982, he received the highest coaching award in Denmark, the Diploma in Elite Soccer Coaching. Peitersen was the expert commentator for international European matches on Danish television in the UEFA Champions League and for Danish radio at the World Cup in 1990, 1998, and 2002 and the European Championships in 1992, 1996, and 2000.

Words of Praise

“I really enjoy the books by Jens Bangsbo and Birger Peitersen. They contain the right level of discussion, examples, and practical drills; and are easy to follow and refer to when developing training sessions. They are my books of choice and I recommend them to others who are interested in learning about the game and coaching young players. They have helped me immensely.” Darren K. Rogers AYSO Region 335 Assistant Commissioner & Referee Administrator Morristown, TN