The individuality behind the collective - Part 2: Offensive transitions - FIFA Training Centre

The video footage we examine is from the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ round-of-16 encounter between Belgium and Japan. We pick things up in the 48th minute, when the contest was goalless. We will take a step-by-step look at a fabulous counter-attack from Japan, before exploring the individual contributions from the team's number 7, 8 and 14, highlighting the individual qualities within their contribution to the collective.

Japan's lead in minute 48

Key qualities

Seizing opportunity: offensive opportunism displayed by individual players and collective cohesion between players.

Game understanding: technical and tactical awareness displayed by individual players and collective cohesion between players.

Technical coordination: technical ability and quality of execution displayed by individual players and collective cohesion between players.

The action begins with a Belgium player in possession on the right side of the final third. The player spots the opportunity to play a short give-and-go between two Japan players to a team-mate, who is positioned near to the right edge of the penalty box. The next sequence of action is the catalyst for the great counter-attack that is the subject of our analysis.

Japan's number 14 makes a strong recovery run and regains possession, before playing an infield pass that travels approximately ten metres to the team's number 7. That is the extent (simplicity) of number 14's contribution, which is certainly not as insignificant (or simplistic) as it may initially appear. Indeed, if we take a closer look at the sequence of his actions, we identify a host of key player qualities that are pivotal to the outcome.

(1/4) In terms of breaking number 14's contribution down, when the Belgium player looks to penetrate into the final third, Japan's number 14 is on his toes and on the front foot in a half-turn position ready to react and appropriately positioned to deal with the opposition's run.

(2/4) When the Belgium player slides the ball between Japan's number 14 and his team-mate, the number 14 glances over his shoulder to track the run of the passer, who is due to become the recipient in this one-two.

(3/4) Mobilising himself into full acceleration while anticipating that the Belgium player who receives the ball towards the edge of the box will lay it off into the passer's path...

(4/4) ...and the number 14 smartly accelerates across his path and gets to the ball just ahead of him to make the interception.

Key qualities

At this stage of the action, number 14 has already showcased a number of key qualities, as outlined below.

Tactical awareness: displayed by his body positioning at the start of the sequence, which enables him to challenge for the ball.
Spatial awareness: the quick over-the-shoulder glance provides him with sensory information and means that he is well placed to intercept the pass.
Tactical alertness: demonstrates the speed of thought to cut across the runner’s path.
Tactical discipline: the sprint completed during the recovery displays full commitment and uncompromising discipline.

Had that been the extent of number 14's contribution and even had he not touched the ball, he would certainly still have deserved warm applause from the stands for an inspired piece of danger-averting defensive play. However, his contribution extended much further, with defensive intent occupying only a part of his thought process.

Indeed, he possessed the mental agility and audacity to see offensive opportunism in the midst of defensive adversity. Not content with simply diverting the ball from danger with a toe-poked interception, he recognised that Belgium may have been slightly exposed to a counter-attack, given that no fewer than five of the Red Devils' players were positioned in and around Japan's penalty box. Within the next split second, the whole action switched from a defensive recovery to a counter-attack.

(1/3) While accelerating at pace towards his own penalty area, number 14 somehow managed not only to get a foot in, but also use his body strength to perfection to ease the Belgium player off the ball, whilst at the same time, coming to a virtual standstill as he shielded the ball in a twisting forward motion.

(2/3) In this section of the sequence, he demonstrates admirable strength, balance and poise...

(3/3) ...to drive forward and launch the counter-attack.

We now have a line of Belgium players who are out of the action, a Japanese trident who have space in front of them and are poised, ready to spring into action, with a game-intelligent player on the ball and orchestrating the play. These ingredients combine to make the perfect recipe for a counter-attack. It is worth noting the impact made by number 14, who, at this stage, has had just one touch of the ball.

(1/4) As he advances forward with his head up, he takes a brief glance beyond the number 7, the first team-mate to his right, and spots in the periphery that the number 8 is winding up for a purposeful pursuit into the opposition's half.

(2/4) The Japan number 14 then draws two Belgium players towards him...

(3/4) ...and shows fine spatial awareness and composure to slow the tempo by taking an extra touch before turning slightly infield and playing a perfectly weighted 10-metre diagonal pass into the path of the onrushing number 7.

(4/4) The brief and deliberate drop in tempo created by number 14's composure and additional touches afforded the number 8 a little extra time to advance further up the pitch and into opposition territory and a position from which to potentially break beyond the retreating defensive line.

Before the number 14 makes the infield pass, the three Japan players involved in the move would all appear to be tactically aligned and have a similar game picture.

Key qualities

That concludes our analysis of number 14's involvement in the move, but before moving on, we want to summarise the key qualities displayed in the second part of his contribution.

Tactical awareness: aware of his team's potential attacking threat against a possibly vulnerable backline.
Tactical alertness: displays the speed of thought to seize the opportunity.
Technical awareness: demonstrates the technical understanding and know-how to lead a quick transition from defence into attack.
Spatial awareness: evidenced by the look up to see peripherally beyond the number 7 to identify number 8’s intention to accelerate in behind, while also recognising the need to buy some precious seconds to allow the number 8 to advance a little higher up the pitch. Coming inside and taking an extra touch serves to gain extra seconds and reduce the tempo of the move before playing a weighted pass into the number 7.

Focus on Japan's number 14

Our focus in the following video clip turns to Japan's number 7, the middle man in our telepathic trio, as we examine his involvement in the move and highlight the individual qualities and subtleties within his overall contribution.

(1/6) Immediately before receiving the pass from the number 14, the number 7 briefly scans Belgium's half to assess the game picture...

(2/6) ...and visualise the pass he intends on playing to the number 8, who he spotted in his peripheral vision accelerating down the right wing

(3/6) Japan's number 7 displays fine technical poise as two recovering Belgium players close in and takes the time to assess when exactly to play his pass into the path of the fully accelerating number 8.

(4/6) Having taken an initial touch to control the pass from the number 14, he takes the deftest of touches with the outside of his right boot.

(5/6) This sets the ball up perfectly to play the pass.

(6/6) He then strokes a beautifully timed pass of precision accuracy into number 8's path that evades the outstretched leg of the retreating centre-back on its way through to its intended recipient.

Key qualities

Having analysed number 7's individual contribution, it is now time to summarise the key qualities he displayed during the move.

Spatial awareness: before receiving the pass from the number 14, the quick scan across the line of players to spot the number 8 preparing for full offensive acceleration provided the number 7 with valuable spatial information that enabled him to make an instant decision and clearly visualise his intended pass.
Tactical awareness: the fact that the number 7 had a clear game picture before receiving the ball, instead of having to formulate a picture after receiving the pass, offered him an advantage that bought him some time and allowed him to focus solely on his technical quality, which ultimately served to enhance the quality of the pass.
Technical awareness: he clearly demonstrated this quality with the deft touches that allowed him to set himself up to play the intended pass.
Technical coordination: the pass was perfectly timed, weighted and placed to meet the number 8's run and succeeded in moving the play to the very area where it would cause most damage.

Focus on Japan's number 7

We are now going to move on to discuss the last player in our trident, the number 8. Although his technical contribution was minimal with just one touch, his actions produced the maximum contribution to the outcome. The player, who is active throughout the move, delivers an end product that is worthy of gracing any game on any stage.

(1/6) If we go back to the start of the counter-attack, as the number 14 emerges with the ball, the two other Japan players involved in the move run a few steps forward in unison with their heads turned towards the man in possession.

(2/6) The number 8 exchanges brief eye contact with the number 14 and it appears as if the trio share a moment of football telepathy with all three players in complete unison.

(3/6) Displaying strong confidence in how the move will play out, the number 8 sprints forward with full power as the number 7 sets himself to receive the number 14's pass.

(4/6) Just before the number 7 receives the ball, the number 8, who is now moving at full speed, glances over his shoulder to gather more sensory information.

(5/6) Having updated his game picture and oozing positivity with every stride, he digs deep and drives forward, buoyed by the knowledge that he is capable of getting in behind the opposition's backline. As the number 7 adjusts his movement before executing the pass, the number 8 scans over his shoulder on two occasions to ensure that his movement is synchronized with the all-important timing, weight and trajectory of the pass.

(6/6) Spurred on by the confidence he has in his team-mate's ability to deliver a good pass, he gets in behind the defensive line as the Belgium defender desperately stretches out a right leg in an ultimately failed attempt to intercept the pass.

We pick the action up with the number 8 advancing towards the penalty area as the ball rolls into his path and he prepares to grab hold of the baton in this metaphorical relay race.

(1/7) After having been active throughout the move, this is his moment to shine.

(2/7) He lets the ball run without breaking stride and tricks the approaching defender and goalkeeper into thinking that he is going to take a touch...

(3/7) ...before suddenly changing his mind...

(4/7) ...and delaying contact with the ball whilst adjusting his feet as he lets the ball move slightly wider of the goal.

(5/7) This discrete action buys him the time to adjust his body position more appropriately to unleash a first-time shot and it avoids him from slowing the tempo, which would potentially have allowed the defender to get a challenge in. This delaying tactic also has the effect of pulling the goalkeeper one more step across to his near post.

(6/7) The number 8 then displays perfect timing to drill an inch-perfect shot that flies past the goalkeeper's outstretched right hand and into the far corner of the net.

(7/7) The shot squeezes between the goalkeeper's hand and the upright, with this space having been created by the number 8's agility of mind and body.

Key qualities

Having studied number 8's contribution, it is time to highlight the key qualities demonstrated during his involvement in the move.

Tactical awareness: scanning infield when the number 14 was on the ball allowed him to update his sensory information and focus on his objective.
Spatial awareness: the intermittent over-the-shoulder scans towards the number 7 while moving at pace enabled him to align his angle of movement and tempo with the timing, weight and trajectory of the pass from the number 7.
Technical awareness: allowing the ball to run a little wider offered him a better shooting position.
Technical composure: he displayed real poise when it mattered most in a high-pressure situation on the greatest stage of them all.
Technical coordination: the execution and accuracy of his shot evidenced a high level of coordination in his technique.

Focus on Japan's number 8

The move under analysis offered an example of football of the highest standard from start to finish, featuring opportunism, tactical communication and technical execution of the very highest order.

Our in-depth analysis highlighted the individual qualities moulded together to deliver a superlative display of technical and tactical cohesion between three players in what represented a fine demonstration of complex simplicity.

The sequence comprised at least 12 individual actions, eight of which involved no contact with the ball. These were game facilitators, the nuts and bolts of the move or the subtle nuances that despite being minor in their own right, were highly significant in terms of their individual impact. Indeed, if just one of these was removed from the collective sequence, the outcome would almost certainly have been very different.

Full counter-attack with telestrations