Footy Eye
en · Language: English

Beating a high press

Breaking the first line means getting the ball past the opponents' front line of pressers while building from the back.

A high press tries to win the ball near your goal by covering the short passes. The team in possession beats it by finding the player the press can't reach, often with a bounce pass through a midfielder or a switch to the side the press has left.

Sometimes every short option is covered. Then the right read is the longer pass over the press, which turns their aggression into space behind them.

What to look for

  • The free player the press hasn't covered
  • A midfielder who can set the ball back first time
  • The side the press has left open
  • When all the short options are marked, and the long ball is on

The common mistakeInsisting on the short pass into a crowd when the press has every option covered.

Worked plays

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

  1. Play 1

    The situation
    You’re the full-back. Their winger presses your centre-back and shades off the touchline. Where do you go?
    Best read
    Invert into midfield behind his shoulder
    Why
    Inverting turns your back four into a 3-2: you leave the touchline he’s shading and step in behind his shoulder, already past the first line. Your centre-back gets a clean pass into midfield and you receive facing forward. Hugging the touchline waits for a pass down the line he already has covered.
    The other options
    • Push high and hug the touchline The pass down the line never comes; the winger has it covered.
    • Overlap outside and stretch the pitch You stretch the pitch, but the winger still cuts the pass out.
    • Drop flat with the centre-backs You’re flat beside the centre-back, and the winger presses you both.

  2. Play 2

    The situation
    You’re the centre-back on the ball. Their forwards have dropped off and nobody steps to you. Grass ahead.
    Best read
    Carry into midfield and make them commit
    Why
    When the forwards won’t press, the ball at your feet is an invitation: carry it in and you draw a midfielder out, freeing the man he leaves. Passing square hands the invitation back and lets them re-set. A ball-carrying centre-back is a spare midfielder; refuse the grass and you’re playing 10 v 11.
    The other options
    • Play it safe, square to your partner Your partner has it, and their block settles back into shape.
    • Hit it long to the striker The long ball is a 50/50 up front; the grass ahead goes unused.
    • Back to the keeper and reset The keeper has it, and their forwards push up to press.

  3. Play 3

    The situation
    They’re man-marking everywhere. Your winger checks hard inside and drags his marker with him. What’s the read?
    Best read
    Full-back into the space the winger emptied
    Why
    Against pure man-marking you can’t pass through the press; the markers follow the ball into every lane. So move a man instead: the winger’s run inside takes his marker, and the full-back attacks the flank he emptied before anyone recovers. Playing the winger’s feet is a pass into the man he just dragged with him.
    The other options
    • Play the winger’s feet where he showed His marker arrives with the ball and nicks it off the winger.
    • Hold it and wait for a lane Their presser closes you down with every lane still marked.
    • Skip the press and go long It’s a 50/50 up front, and possession is up for grabs.

  4. Play 4

    The situation
    Your centre-back has the ball with nobody within twenty yards. Their back line has pushed up to halfway.
    Best read
    Run in behind their last line now
    Why
    A run in behind only works when the passer can see it, and he has all day. Their line is on halfway with the whole pitch behind it, so one ball over the top turns the entire team. Coming to feet with nobody pressing drags the game back towards your own goal.
    The other options
    • Come short and show for it You receive facing your own goal, and their line stays high.
    • Drop into the pocket in front of midfield Their midfielder closes you down as you receive in the pocket.
    • Stay put and let him carry He carries into midfield, and their line drops back to safety.

  5. Play 5

    The situation
    You’re the six and the ball won’t come, however hard you ask. Their striker is arcing in to press your centre-back.
    Best read
    Take two steps sideways, out of his shadow
    Why
    You are not being ignored — you are invisible. Their striker’s body sits on the line between you and the ball, so that pass does not exist. Two steps sideways take you out of his cover shadow and the lane opens. Dropping deeper leaves you in the same shadow, further from goal.
    The other options
    • Show harder and demand it to feet You shout louder, but he’s still in the lane and it never comes.
    • Drop deeper, level with your centre-backs You drop into the same shadow, and your centre-back gets pressed.
    • Spin and run in behind their midfield Your centre-back has no short pass left, and their striker is on him.

  6. Play 6

    The situation
    Your six is about to receive with his back to goal. Their midfielder is closing him over his right shoulder.
    Best read
    Get round his open side for the bounce
    Why
    A man facing his own goal can only play what he can already see, so appear on the side the presser is not. One bounce off you and the pressure is beaten with the ball going forward. The run in behind is a pass he physically cannot make with his back turned.
    The other options
    • Run in behind, give him something forward He can’t see the run, and the presser arrives on his shoulder.
    • Show on the same side as the presser Your angle runs through the presser, and he cuts out the pass.
    • Hold your position and let him deal With no angle to play, he’s pressed from behind and loses it.

Train it

Short untimed sessions with the reasoning after every answer.

Train Beating a high press

Test it

Ten plays, twenty seconds each, one Football IQ from 60 to 140.

Take the Football IQ Test

Shows up in

All tactics