With the introduction of high-pressure football, teams’ approach to the passing game has changed dramatically. Gone are the days of simply looking for space and circulating the ball. Football is now a game of timing and nerve. As soon as you win the ball back, top teams look forward, not sideways. And when they do, one clean vertical pass can destroy a defense in a matter of seconds. This type of passing used to be seen as an expression of creativity; now it’s just a form of survival. Next time your team wins the ball back, take a closer look at how they’re distributing it, particularly during the first three passes. Where do you think the game will go?
Why High Pressing Changed the Passing Logic
The extreme danger in which the safe circulation of the ball occurs as a result of high-pressure systems is based upon how much the opponent has restricted his/her own area for movement. High-pressure can be demonstrated by someone playing man-to-man defense. Man-to-man is nearly identical to playing live casino Canada, and the cards have already been dealt. Historically, players would continue to recycle the ball by moving laterally and waiting for the opposing line to reset. That method of play is obsolete. Coaches today want their players to immediately advance and take advantage of the pressure induced chaos, and then instantly get back into their defensive shape.
This is exhibited throughout most European football leagues. For example, players at both Manchester City and RB Leipzig are taught to move the ball forward with the ball within 2 seconds of regaining possession. The players do not rush the vertical pass. The vertical pass is calculated and is placed at the defender(s) who are still returning to the field. The short amount of time that the defenders are disoriented is sufficient to cause damage to the opposing team’s structure.
The Role of Defensive Compactness in Vertical Risk
Tight defensive blocks create both a threat and an opportunity. While a tight defensive block reduces opportunities for wide passing, it creates temporary openings in central areas. These are the most damaging areas for vertical passing.
There are several factors that contribute to vertical-risk situations:
- Narrow lines of midfield players that reduce the distance that defenders must recover
- Defenders stepping out of position to start the press
- Players positioned in advance of the lines
All of these factors combine to increase the potential benefit of vertical passing, and therefore the risk involved. With a single vertical pass, a team can eliminate multiple defenders. Therefore, vertical passing is now a signal that a team is in control under extreme pressure.
First-Line Breaks After Ball Recovery
Some of the highest-risk vertical passes occur at the instant a team recovers possession of the ball. In that brief moment when it seems like there is no organized order to the chaos of the game, the momentum of the game could potentially flip from one side to another as rapidly as a spin of Sweet Bonanza Xmas. Players on the other team are making movements, changing directions, and rearranging their own positions. Liverpool and Bayern Munich have each instructed their first receiver to move forward as quickly as possible before taking full control of the ball.
Why Vertical Passing Defines Modern Control
Modern control is no longer defined solely by possession or volume of possession. Control is defined by what occurs when the space is restricted. Vertical passing eliminates pressure and dictates the next phase of the game. A single action can break a press. Elite teams do not dominate through repetition. They dominate through timing. Vertical passing defines modern control due to its direct, clear, and decisive nature.
