I’m not too familiar with soccer/football, but I’ve watched Ted Lasso for the second time and I still don’t fully grasp what total football is. Can anyone break this down to barney level for me? What exactly is total football? What are the pros and cons to it vs other styles of play? It just does not compute in my head.
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Typically, teams will play to a certain structure, e.g. a 4-3-3 structure with four defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards. However, the only “special” role in football is the goalkeeper, who is the sole player who can grab the ball with their hands. Everybody else – attacker, defender, midfielder, wing, striker – those are just descriptions of what your usual job is, not a rigid role enforced by the rules. Attackers can and will defend, defenders can and will attack.
Total football is a playstyle that embraces this idea. If your players are sufficiently flexible, and for some reason an attacker is further back in the field, and a defender further forward, they can just take each other’s spots in that structure, rather than both run back to their respective positions.
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