Formations
The 4-3-3 Is a Starting Picture, Not a Fixed Shape
Read the 4-3-3 formation beyond its lineup graphic: track changing player roles, team shape in possession and defense…
The reading list
All articles
Read Southern Match Journal by the parts of the game that interest you: the starting shape, the work of a role, the movement between phases or the space a team tries to make.
Roles
The Full-Back’s Two Jobs: Hold the Line or Join the Attack?
Read a full-back’s choices by tracking the wide lane, the player’s route forward, and the passing options that open or…
Phases
Why Teams Build from the Back
Why teams build from the back depends on the options ahead: learn how to read pressure, support, and the next pass to…
Space
The Pressing Trap: When Chasing the Ball Opens the Middle
Learn to read a football pressing trap by following the first runner’s angle, the receiver’s options, and the next…
Match Reading
A First Match on Television: Follow One Player Away from the Ball
Follow one player away from the ball to read a televised football match through movement, open space, and the choices…