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Soccer IQ for Wingers

A winger's decisions decide whether a team's width turns into chances: beat the defender, cross, cut back or keep the ball.

Wingers hold the width to stretch a defence, attack the space behind full-backs and arrive at the far post. Without the ball they press and track runners. The reads are about space and timing.

Worked plays

7 plays from Footy Eye's training pool, with the best read and why.

  1. Play 1

    The situation
    You’re the winger. Your full-back has taken your touchline; their block is narrow. The centre-back brings it out. Where do you go?
    Best read
    Inside to the half-space, pin their centre-back
    Why
    Two players can’t own one lane: with your full-back on the chalk, their full-back marks both of you. Step into the half-space and their centre-back must choose between following you and holding the line, the question a narrow block least wants. Dropping short takes your depth away and drags a marker into the crowd.
    The other options
    • Drop short and give him an easy pass You come short into the crowd, and their midfielder follows you.
    • Stay wide, double up on the touchline Their full-back marks you both, and the touchline gets crowded.
    • Spin in behind now and stretch them The ball can’t reach you, and their full-back drops with you anyway.

  2. Play 2

    The situation
    Winger, faced up in their third. Their full-back opens his hips to show you the line; your full-back overlaps, your eight underlaps.
    Best read
    Slide the underlap through the gap inside
    Why
    His body has told you where he wants the ball, and the overlap goes there: into the lane he still covers, with their centre-back sliding to meet the cross. The underlap runs where his hips can’t turn and arrives behind the back line, and a cut-back from there beats a byline cross every time.
    The other options
    • Release the overlap for the cross Your full-back crosses into their centre-back, who clears it.
    • Take the full-back on down the outside He runs you down the line and blocks your cross.
    • Cut inside and look for the shot You cut straight into him and the shot is blocked.

  3. Play 3

    The situation
    Play is on the far side. You’re the wide winger and their full-back keeps glancing in, desperate to tuck across.
    Best read
    Stay high and wide, pinning the full-back
    Why
    Width you never use is still doing work: while you stand on that touchline he cannot tuck in, and their back four has to defend the full width. Come inside and you free him up and crowd the lane your eight is already in.
    The other options
    • Come inside into the half-space He tucks in behind you, and your eight’s lane gets crowded.
    • Drop deep and show for the switch He’s free to tuck in, and their back line narrows.
    • Run in behind him to stretch the line Nobody can find the run, and you’re offside when the switch comes.

  4. Play 4

    The situation
    You’re the far-side winger. The cross is coming from the opposite byline, both centre-backs pulled to the near post.
    Best read
    Attack the back post beyond the far centre-back
    Why
    Byline deliveries clear the near-post scramble more often than they land in it, and the back post is empty because the far winger stayed on his touchline watching. Come in and you arrive from outside the last defender’s vision with nobody assigned to you. Holding width makes you a spectator.
    The other options
    • Hold your width for the switch back You watch from the touchline as the cross drops at an empty back post.
    • Come to the edge for the cutback Free at the edge, but the cross goes long to the empty back post.
    • Drop back and cover You’re heading back as the cross drops at the back post for nobody.

  5. Play 5

    The situation
    You’ve trapped them near side, so they switch to a free full-back. You’re the far winger.
    Best read
    Jump out and press him now
    Why
    A switch looks like an escape, but a ball crossing the whole pitch is slow: it buys the presser time, not the receiver. Jump out so his first touch is already under pressure, facing his own goal. Wait for the touch and you gift a free man the space to turn.
    The other options
    • Drop into the block, stay compact The full-back controls it freely and carries it into midfield.
    • Wait for his touch, then press He takes a clean touch, turns, and is away before you arrive.
    • Tuck in and screen the pass inside The full-back turns freely and runs the ball up the line.

  6. Play 6

    The situation
    Your team sits deeper, in a mid-block. You’re the winger. Their centre-back carries forward unopposed, their full-back waiting wide of you.
    Best read
    Hold the line, press when it goes wide
    Why
    A centre-back carrying in front of your block isn’t the danger; the pass out of it is. Stay in the line and let the pass to the full-back trigger you, arriving as it lands with the touchline halving his options. Jump early and he plays round you into the space you left.
    The other options
    • Sprint out and press the centre-back now He slips it round you to the full-back, who runs into your space.
    • Man-mark the full-back, kill the pass He carries on into the gap you left beside your midfielder.
    • Tuck in and screen the pivot He goes wide, and the full-back has time before you get there.

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