What is pressing?

How do we press?

For an action to be classified as a press, a player needs to close down their opponent and be close enough to them to be in a position to take the ball from them.

The first thing a player needs to do when pressing is get to their opponent as quickly as possible. The player can be sprinting as fast as possible towards them but there are other factors which will influence how quickly they can get to their opponent.

Anticipation

Anticipating when an opponent is about to receive the ball can have a significant impact on how quickly a player is able to close down the space.

Predicting that a pass is about to be played to an opponent means a defensive player can start travelling towards them before they even receive the ball.

This is an aspect coaches need to consider when delivering a session on individual pressing. Often a simple 1v1, where the defender starts by passing to the attacker, is used to work on individual pressing. 

In this scenario, though, the defender does not develop an understanding of anticipating a pass simply because they play the ball themselves and then start the press. 

Introducing a server who plays the ball to the attacker means the defender can work on anticipating when to start pressing – ideally, as soon as they think the pass is about to be made.

The key is to recognise the triggers that indicate the server is about to play the pass - these may include looking at the attacker before looking down at the ball and raising their foot in preparation to strike the ball.

Slowing down

Once the player starts to press, the next part of the process that they need to consider is whether there is a need to slow down.

In most cases, the player will need to reduce their speed. In some instances, though, continuing to sprint is the right call.

If the player is in a position to get to their opponent at the same time as the ball arrives, they should not slow down, as there will be an opportunity to either steal the ball before it reaches the intended target or a chance to challenge for it.

When this is not the case, and the player is set to arrive after the opponent has received the ball, there will be a need to reduce their speed.

If the defender continues to sprint towards their opponent after they have received the pass, it will make it easy for the player in possession to shift the ball and go past them. 

As the defender gets close to the opponent, they need to slow down and reduce their movements to small steps. Doing so allows them to react quickly to any movements made by the player with the ball.

Body position

Once the defender has closed down the space and reduced their speed, the final part of the process is their body position.

The natural stance a defender wants to adopt as they get close to a player is to stand directly in front of them with an open body. However, this makes it very easy for the attacker to go past them as the ball can be played either side of them. 

Once the attacker starts this action, it is almost impossible for the defender to react in time - they are facing forward, so they will need to turn, which takes time. 

A side-on position with knees bent - rather like the stance of a surfer or skateboarder - is what is actually required.

This stance allows the defender to quickly adjust when reacting to the movements of the attacking player. It also allows the defender to dictate which way they want to force the attacker to go.

Takeaways: The ’Four Ss’ pressing strategy

To help players understand the process of pressing an opponent, the ’Four Ss’ strategy can be used:

Shut down: Refers to the player getting to their opponent quickly and shutting down the space.

Slow down: Reminds the players to slow down as they get closer to the opposition player.

Sit down: Reminds the players to get side-on with bent knees.

Show down: The final step, once in the correct position, is to try to win the ball.