Piedra Vista High School

Girls’ Soccer

2024 -2025
The Field
 Field Terminology
Goal Line

Goal Area
Penalty Spot
6 Yard Line “6”

18 Yard Line “18”

Touchline

Center Circle
Center Line

Center Spot

Penalty Arc “D”

Penalty Area

Corner Arc
 Thirds

Attacking Third

Middle Third

Defending Third
 Attacking Third

Attacking Third
Attacking Third

 Risky Play is acceptable if there is a good chance of

creating a scoring opportunity.
 Dribbling
1. Take on Opponents
2. Create Space
3. Take Space
 Middle Third

Middle Third
Middle Third

 Balanced Safe Play vs Risky Play

 Create support options quickly
 Dribbling
1. Take Space
2. Create Space
3. Take on Opponents
 Defending Third

Defending Third
Defending Third

 Prioritize Safe Play

 Limit Risky Play
 Build from the Back
 Dribbling
1. Take Space
2. Create Space
 Channels

Left Channel Right Channel

Center Channel
 Right Channel

Left Channel
 Center Channel

Center Channel
Right Channel

Right Channel
 Zones

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9
The Team
 Basic Positions
1 - Goalkeeper
2 – Right Back
3 – Left Back
4 – Right Center Back
5 – Left Center Back
6 – Holding Midfielder
7 – Right Wing
8 – Center Midfielder
9 – Striker
10 – Attacking Midfielder
11 – Left Wing

11 7

8
10

3 6
2

5 4

1
Multiple Formations

 We will vary our formation based upon the needs of the

game.
 The Game Moment, Zone of the Field, Opponent, Game
Principles and Time will be taken into consideration to
determine the best formation to utilize
 Our formation may change quickly during games
The Game
Moments in the Game

 Attacking (we have possession)

 Defending (opponent has possession)
 Transition
➢ Defending to Attacking (we gain possession)
➢ Attacking to Defending (we lose possession)
Attacking
(In Possession)
Attacking Principles

 Penetration (Break lines)

 Support (Diamond)
 Width (10 yards beyond widest defender, if possible)
 Mobility (Adjust location constantly)
 Creativity (Individually, in pairs and small groups)
Attacking Play (Sub-Principles)

 Prioritize Possession (Look for attacking options with

high likelihood of success)
 Outnumber (More of us around the ball than them)
 Unbalance (Draw their players out of position)
 Play Behind the Pressure (Invite pressure and use the
diamond)
 Combination Play
 Give and Go (1 – 2)
 Overlap
 Double Pass
 Take-over (Leave)
 3-player combinations
 Attacking in Zones 1, 2, 3

1 2 3

▪ Look for passing opportunities into high probability

scoring Zones (1 and 2)
▪ Crosses or shots from inverted wingers from Zones 1
and 3
 Goal Scoring Zones

5 5
1
2 2
4 4

1– Highest probability of success

2– Mid probability with inverted shots
3– Low probability of scoring
4– Low probability with inverted shots
5– Lowest probability of success
 Attacking in Zones 4, 5, 6

▪ Use these Zones to build attacks by creating time for

player to make unbalancing runs ahead of the ball
▪ Overload to create numerical superiority or unbalance
opponents
▪ Create diamonds quickly to prioritize possession
▪ A combination (2 of 4) of the 2, 7, 3 and 11 should
provide width

4 5 6
 Attacking in Zones 7, 8, 9

▪ Move the ball into the Middle Third (Zones 4, 5 or 6) as

quickly as possible while maintaining possession
▪ Zones 7 and 9 are safest to play into if a forward
option is unavailable
▪ The 7 and 11 should provide width for the attack

7 8 9
 Defending
(Opponents in Possession)
Defending Principles

 Pressure (Prevent the opponent’s forward movement)

 Cover (One or more teammates at a 45-degree angle, 7
to 8 yards from the pressing defender)
 Balance (Additional players appropriately spaced near
pressing and covering defenders)
 Compactness (Appropriate spacing between defensive
lines and defenders)
 Patience (Wait for the attacker to make a mistake)
Defending Play (Sub-Principles)

 Immediate Pressure (Win the ball back in 6 seconds or

less)
 Organized (Appropriate distance between players and
lines)
 Disciplined (Our way every time)
 Outnumber (More of us than them around the ball - +1
at a minimum)
 Set Traps (Use touchlines and opponent’s weaknesses)
 Ball oriented defending
Defending Strategies

 Low Block (Defending Third)

 Mid Block (Middle Third)
 High Block (Attacking Third)
 Player Marking
 Most dangerous player
 Tracking runners in our penalty area
 Create traps
Pressing

 Immediate pressure to win the ball back in 6 seconds or

less (closest player(s) to the ball)
 Pass that is difficult to control
 Pass to technically weak player
 Player with the ball facing their own goal
 If the ball is not secured within 6 seconds, get
organized in our defending shape
 Defending in Zone 1

4 5
2
9

11 7
8
6 3

10 8
7

3
6
11

10
9
5 2
4

▪ Take away the pass up the touchline and try to force a

pass inside.
▪ Use the diamond press (11, 3, 9 and 10) to take away
the easy passing options
▪ Utilize the Keeper/Sweeper position
▪ Drop into a Mid Block if the opponent breaks pressure
 Defending in Zone 2

4 5
2 10
11 9

6 3
8 7
8

7
3
11

6 2

10
9

5 4

▪ Try to force a pass to their GK.

▪ Use the diamond press (9, 10, 11 and 8) to take away
the easy passing options
▪ Utilize the Keeper/Sweeper position
▪ Drop into a Mid Block if the opponent breaks pressure
 Defending in Zone 3

4 5

9 3

6 10
2
7
8

8
11

2 11

7 6

10
9
4
3 5

▪ Take away the pass up the touchline and try to force a

pass inside.
▪ Use the diamond press (7, 2, 9 and 8) to take away the
easy passing options
▪ Utilize the Keeper/Sweeper position
▪ Drop into a Mid Block if the opponent breaks pressure
 Defending in Zone 4
1

▪ Force opponent to the touchline or into supporting

teammates

2 4 5
3

9
7 6
8

11 8
6 10 7

3 9
10 11

5
4 2

1
 Defending in Zone 5
1

▪ Force opponent to play the ball to their teammate in

Zones 4 or 6
▪ Set traps for a right-footed opposing 11 in Zone 6

4 5

3
2 9

8
6

11 8 7
10

7 11
6
9
10
3 2
5 4

1
 Defending in Zone 6
1

▪ Force opponent to the touchline or into supporting

teammates

3
4 5

6 7 11
8
10

7 2
8
11
6
10
9
4
5
3

1
 Defending in Zone 7
1

▪ Force the opponent to play wide

▪ Defend Zone 8 with at least 7 players
▪ Step up to take space when the opponent passes
toward their goal (drop pass)

5
4

2 3

10 8
11
7

6
7
11
8 10
9
3
5 4 2

1
 Defending in Zone 8
1

▪ First priority is preventing a shot on goal

▪ Patient defending is required to prevent the opponent
from unbalancing our defensive shape
▪ Force opponents to play into Zones 7 and 9 to make
play predictable
▪ Step up to take space when the opponent passes
toward their goal (drop pass)

5
4

2 3

10 8

11 6 8 7
7 11
9 10
3 2
5 4

1
 Defending in Zone 9
1

▪ Force the opponent to play wide

▪ Defend Zone 8 with at least 7 players
▪ Step up to take space when the opponent passes
toward their goal (drop pass)

5
4
2 3

9
11

6
8 10 7

11 8
7 6 2
9
10

3 5 4

1
 General
Information
Diagonal Play

 Diagonal Pass to Diagonal Run

 Diagonal Pass to Vertical/Horizontal Run
 Vertical Pass to Diagonal Run
 Vertical Pass
 Diagonal Pass to Diagonal Run

5
4 9
3
2
7

11
10
11
8
6

7
8

6 2
3
9 10

4
5

1
 Diagonal Pass to Vertical Run

5
4 9
3
2
7

11
10
11
8
6

7
8

6 2
3
9 10

4
5

1
 Diagonal Pass to Horizontal Run

5
4 9
3
2
7

11 10

11
8
6

7
8

6 2
3
9 10

4
5

1
 Vertical Pass to Diagonal Run

5
4 9
3
2
7

11
10
11
8
6

7
8

6 2
3
9 10

4
5

1
 Vertical Pass

5
4
3
2
9

11 7
10
11
8
6

7
8
6
2
3
9 10

4
5

1
 Vertical Pass to Vertical Run

5
4
3
2
7
9

11
10
11
8
6

7
8
6
2
3
9 10

4
5

1
 Breaking Defensive Lines

2 4 5 3
11 9
7
10 8
7 8 6 11
6
2
10 9
3

4
5

1
Throw-ins

 Taken by 2, 3, 7, 11 or a player who can throw a long

distance
 Quickly down line if the opportunity presents itself
 Throw to the 4 or 5 to switch the point of attack if
outnumbered down field or the opponent is organized
 Positional rotation by players nearby to create options
Time Management

 In the last 5 to 10 minutes of the game:

 If Ahead
 Prioritize possession in the Attacking Third
 Try to win Corner Kicks

 If Behind
 Get the ball into play quickly
Set Plays
 Attacking Kick-Off 1

4 5
2 3

8 6

11
7

10 9

3 11 9 10 8 7 2

5 4

1
 Defending Kick-Off 1

4 5

2 3

8 6

10
7 9 11

11 10 7

6 8

3 2
5 4

1
 Attacking Goal Kick 1

4
5
2 3
9 7
11

3 8 2
10

10 8

7 11

9 6

5 4
1
 Defending Goal Kick 1
1

4 5

9
3
2

8 6

7
11 10

8 6

7 11
3 10 2
9

5 4

1
 Defending Corner Kick 1

5
4

6
2

11
10 9 3

10
11 6 8
4 7
8

7 3 5 1 2
Free Kicks

 Defending
 One player should step between the ball and the goal to
prevent a quick shot
 Once the direct path to goal has been eliminated, the
player should immediately begin walking backwards to
prevent a possible card
 Limit their long options first

 Attacking
 Two players on the dead ball
 Look for numbers up opportunities
 Utilize a short pass if there is a large distance between
the ball and the closest opponent
Questions?