Developing soccer skills: Covering and recovering

SCW: What are some of the basic principles we might start with for younger players around covering and recovering?

MK: The German language has a very popular word in coaching - ’Tiefenstaffelung’. Essentially what it means is that you are staggered when defending the depth.

If we consider two players defending together, we don’t want the pressing player and the player not pressing in the same horizontal line, because one pass into the gap beats both to a goal-side position.

This ’Tiefenstaffelung’ word refers to the player not pressing being lower, horizontally, than the player who is pressing the ball. Now, it is much harder for the opponent to play a pass into the gap.

A great starting point to teach covering, and also recovery, is a 2v2 where you are teaching the player pressing the ball to do it without fear. The player that is not pressing should get into a lower horizontal position.

"Covering is almost an insurance policy for pressing - making sure we can take a risk..."

Now, if the opponent plays a square ball, that [covering] player might go out and press and the player who was previously pressing now recovers into a covering position. This is a really nice way to start.

A nice rule in a Rondo, in a 5v2, is that defenders don’t allow the opponent to pass between them. You could say it’s an extra round in the middle in a rondo if the opponent manages to split a pass between the two defenders who are closing the ball.

The 2v2 is the starting point of teaching covering and recovery. It can be done from a very young age because it’s a game situation that is quite easy to oversee.

You have a limited amount of references compared to a bigger game. This means that the tasks you have to perform are going to be slightly easier and more straightforward.

SCW: Younger players, or those new to the game, naturally want to chase the ball. Sitting in the right space and covering isn’t the most glamorous action. How do we sell it as a more positive action?

MK: You have to ask questions along the lines of risk versus reward. What is the risk of both [defenders] going extremely high, relative to the reward? How much more of a chance do we have to win the ball? 

Obviously, situationally, there might be moments where it makes sense to close the ball down with two players. But defending, just like attacking, is always a balancing act.

You are always trying to balance not conceding goals with trying to win the ball back - and, on the other side, you are trying to balance scoring goals with not losing the ball.

Making players aware of this balancing act - valuing the protection aspect while also trying to encourage them to be on the front foot to win the ball back - is really key.

The best way to do that, perhaps, is by showing them different situations and then asking questions that make them reflect about risk versus reward.

SCW: When it comes to covering, how important is leadership and communication on the pitch?

MK: I think it’s crucial. That’s where a coach comes in. If we are coaching the whole time in our training sessions, and there are no periods where we quietly observe, then we don’t get players that talk a lot. The coach is doing all the talking. 

It’s really key that we allow players to discover a concept through the training we have created. 

Then we coach them more actively to see how we can help them improve and can take a step back to observe how they are using it independently of us.

In terms of who needs to communicate in what moment [on the pitch], a good general rule is that those players behind the other players should generally be more vocal because they have a bigger picture of the field. They can see more of the overall picture.

So, a goalkeeper should be someone that talks a lot, [as should] a centre-back. The far-side full-back, when the ball is on the wing, should be very actively communicating. 

Having this rule that the players further from the ball, who can see more of the overall picture, more actively talk helps to ensure that these players are actively participating in the game and are helping the players closer to the ball.