Press !
What I have learned from some of the best coaching minds in field hockey about the full press, half-court and a low press…
TLDR;
The Full Press
Few tactics in field hockey spark as much debate and excitement as the full press. It’s a strategy that demands precision, coordination, and relentless intensity. When executed well, it can suffocate opponents, force turnovers in dangerous areas, and set the stage for immediate attacking opportunities. But it’s not without its challenges. Let’s dive into the full press—its advantages, disadvantages, areas to win the play, backup plans, and how it can be the catalyst for your team’s attack.
What is a Full Press?
The full press is a high-risk, high-reward defensive strategy where the entire team pushes up the field to pressure the opposition in their defensive third. The goal? To disrupt their build-up play, force mistakes, and regain possession in areas where you can immediately threaten their goal.
Key elements of a successful full press include:
Compactness: Staying close as a unit to limit gaps.
Intensity: Pressing with conviction and energy.
Coordination: Ensuring every player knows their role and moves in sync.
Advantages of the Full Press
Forces Mistakes: High pressure disrupts the opponent’s rhythm, leading to rushed decisions, misplaced passes, and turnovers. As Shane McLeod highlighted, the ability to win the ball back quickly is a critical skill in modern hockey, especially when it leads to immediate scoring opportunities [3].
Creates Turnovers in Dangerous Areas: Winning possession close to the opponent’s goal increases your chances of scoring. Raoul Ehren emphasized that turnovers in central pockets are far more advantageous than those on the sidelines, as they allow for quicker transitions into goal-scoring opportunities [8].
Limits Opponent’s Time and Space: By pressing high, you deny the opposition the luxury of time to make decisions, forcing them into errors.
Psychological Impact: A well-executed press can intimidate opponents, setting the tone for the game and boosting your team’s confidence.
Immediate Transition to Attack: Turnovers in the opponent’s half allow for quick, direct attacks, catching the opposition off guard.
Disadvantages of the Full Press
High Physical Demand: Maintaining the intensity required for a full press can be exhausting, especially over an entire match.
Vulnerability to Long Balls: Teams with strong aerial skills can bypass the press with overhead passes, exposing the space behind your defensive line.
Risk of Being Overrun: If the press is broken, it leaves large gaps for the opposition to exploit, leading to dangerous counterattacks.
Coordination is Crucial: A single player out of position can compromise the entire press, making communication and understanding vital.
Limited Sustainability: The full press is not a strategy you can use for 70 minutes. It must be applied in bursts, at strategic moments in the game.
Winning Areas in the Full Press
Wide Channels: Force the opponent to play down the sidelines, where options are limited. Use the sideline as an extra defender, as Kwan Browne discussed in his masterclass on defensive strategies [5].
Central Pockets: Intercept passes in the midfield to immediately transition into attack. Ehren’s insights on pressing with four players to create turnovers in central areas are particularly relevant here [8].
Near the Circle: Apply pressure on defenders near their circle to force turnovers in high-danger areas, increasing the likelihood of scoring.
Backup Plan: When the Press Fails
Recognize When to Drop: If outnumbered or stretched, drop into a compact block to regain defensive shape. As Ehren pointed out, the intensity and compactness of your press are crucial to its success, but knowing when to retreat is equally important [7].
Cover Defenders: Ensure a deep cover defender is positioned to intercept long balls or counterattacks. This was a key takeaway from Kwan Browne’s masterclass on defensive setups [5].
Communication: Clear and constant communication between players is essential to adjust positioning and intensity.
Transition to Counter Defense: If the press fails, prioritize closing the center and forcing the opponent to spend time progressing, giving your team a chance to reset.
Using the Full Press as the Start of an Attack
The full press isn’t just a defensive strategy—it’s an attacking weapon. Here’s how:
Immediate Counterattacks: Turnovers in the opponent’s half provide opportunities for quick, direct attacks. This aligns with Shane McLeod’s emphasis on the importance of winning the ball and transitioning quickly [2].
Disrupt Opponent’s Shape: High pressure forces the opponent to defend deeper, creating space for your team to exploit.
Psychological Advantage: A successful press can demoralize the opponent and boost your team’s confidence.
Example Drill: Play a small-sided game where a goal only counts if all players are over the halfway line when the goal is scored. This encourages the team to press high and transition quickly into attack.
Key Coaching Points for the Full Press
Compactness: Keep the team close together to limit gaps and support each other.
Pressing Triggers: Recognize triggers like poor body positioning, wide horizontal passes, or bad receptions to initiate the press.
Angle of Approach: Force play into predetermined areas, such as the sideline or a specific pocket.
Intensity and Commitment: Press with full conviction to ensure the opponent feels constant pressure.
Final Thoughts
The full press is a powerful tool in a coach’s arsenal, but it requires discipline, fitness, and coordination to execute effectively. It’s not just about tactics—it’s about creating a culture of trust, accountability, and shared purpose within your team. As Ben Bishop noted, high-performing teams thrive in environments where players can be themselves and build strong, authentic relationships. This trust is the foundation of any successful press [1].
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Sources:
1: Ben Bishop in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/off-ball-skills
2: Shane McLeod in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/ama-about-paris-with-shane-mcleod
3: Adam Commens in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/values-based-coaching
5: Kwan Browne in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/long-corner-defence
7, 8: Raoul Ehren in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/ask-me-anything-session-with-raoul
The Half Court Press
1. What is a Half Court Press?
A half court press is a defensive strategy where the team sets up its defensive line around the halfway line or slightly deeper. The goal is to allow the opposition to bring the ball into your half, but then apply pressure in a compact and organized manner to regain possession in advantageous areas.
2. Advantages of a Half Court Press
Compact Defensive Shape: By staying compact, you reduce the space for the opposition to exploit, especially in the central areas of the pitch. Raoul Ehren emphasized the importance of playing close together in any press, as it ensures intensity and reduces gaps for opponents to exploit [6][7].
Energy Conservation: Compared to a high press, the half court press requires less physical exertion, allowing players to conserve energy for counterattacks or later stages of the game.
Forcing Errors: By inviting the opposition into your half, you can bait them into making risky passes into "fake spaces" (as Ehren calls them), where you are ready to intercept [6].
Control of Key Zones: It allows you to dictate where the opposition plays, often forcing them wide or into less dangerous areas, as highlighted by Todd Williams, who stressed the importance of controlling where the ball enters your defensive zone [4][5].
Counterattack Opportunities: Winning the ball in midfield or just outside your defensive 25-yard line often creates excellent counterattacking opportunities, especially if the opposition is caught out of shape [4][5].
3. Disadvantages of a Half Court Press
Risk of Deep Penetration: Allowing the opposition into your half increases the risk of them reaching your defensive circle if the press is not executed properly.
Requires High Discipline: Players must maintain their positions and avoid being drawn out of the press, which can create gaps.
Limited Immediate Pressure: Unlike a high press, the half court press does not apply immediate pressure on the ball carrier, giving the opposition more time to make decisions.
Vulnerability to Overhead Passes: Teams with strong aerial skills can bypass the press entirely, as Russell Coates mentioned in his workshop on outletting [3].
4. Areas to Win the Play
Central Pockets: Winning the ball in the central areas of the pitch is ideal, as it provides the best angles for launching counterattacks. Ehren noted that pressing with four players allows you to force passes into these pockets, where you can intercept and transition quickly [7].
Wide Channels: Forcing the opposition to play wide and then trapping them along the sidelines is another effective strategy. This limits their options and increases the likelihood of turnovers.
Hotline Denial: Deny direct vertical passes (the "hotline") by positioning players to cut off these lanes, as emphasized in pressing principles [8].
5. Backup Plan
Drop and Compact: If the press is broken, the team must drop quickly into a compact defensive block, closing off central spaces and forcing the opposition to play wide. This was highlighted in the concept of "organized urgency" during defensive transitions [8].
Tackle Back: Players further from the ball must track back to prevent overloads and support the defense. This ensures that even if the press fails, the team can recover and reorganize [8].
Communication and Roles: Clear communication is crucial. Each player must know their role in the press and the fallback structure if the press is bypassed.
6. Using the Half Court Press as the Start of an Attack
Immediate Counterattacks: Winning the ball in midfield or the opposition's half often leaves them out of position, creating opportunities for quick counterattacks. Todd Williams emphasized the importance of turning defensive moments into attacking platforms [4][5].
Structured Build-Up: Once possession is regained, the team can transition into a structured attack, using the space left by the opposition's stretched formation.
Penalty Corner Opportunities: Effective pressing can lead to turnovers in dangerous areas, increasing the chances of earning penalty corners, which are critical scoring opportunities [5].
7. Practical Tips for Coaches
Train Pressing Triggers: Identify and practice pressing triggers, such as poor body positioning, wide horizontal passes, or bad receptions. These are moments to apply pressure and win the ball [2].
Simulate Game Scenarios: Use small-sided games with frequent turnovers and uneven numbers to train players to react quickly and execute the press under pressure [8].
Focus on Communication: Ensure players understand their roles and communicate effectively during the press and transitions.
8. Conclusion
The half court press is a versatile and effective strategy when executed with discipline and intensity. It allows teams to control the game, conserve energy, and create counterattacking opportunities. However, it requires careful planning, clear communication, and adaptability to counter the opposition's strengths.
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Sources:
2, 3: Russell Coates in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/outletting
4, 5: Todd Williams in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/winning-the-relegation-battle
6, 7: Raoul Ehren in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/ask-me-anything-session-with-raoul
8: Andreu Enrich & Russell Coates in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/transitions-are-like-jazz
The Low Press
The low press is a defensive strategy that prioritizes compactness, patience, and discipline. Unlike the high press, which seeks to disrupt the opponent high up the field, the low press focuses on denying space and forcing the opposition to make mistakes in less dangerous areas. It’s a strategy that requires a deep understanding of positioning, communication, and timing. Let’s explore the low press—its advantages, disadvantages, areas to win the play, backup plans, and how it can transition into an attack.
What is a Low Press?
The low press is a defensive setup where the team drops deeper into their own half, often between the midfield line and the 25-yard line. The objective is to stay compact, deny central spaces, and force the opponent to play wide or make risky passes.
Key elements of a successful low press include:
Compactness: Keeping the team close together to limit gaps.
Patience: Waiting for the right moment to engage or intercept.
Discipline: Maintaining shape and avoiding unnecessary risks.
Advantages of the Low Press
Denies Central Spaces: The low press forces the opponent to play wide, where their options are limited. As Raoul Ehren explained, compactness is key to making it difficult for teams to penetrate centrally, which is where most dangerous attacks originate [6][7].
Reduces Risk: By defending deeper, you minimize the chances of being caught out by long balls or quick counterattacks.
Conserves Energy: The low press is less physically demanding than a high press, allowing players to conserve energy for key moments in the game.
Encourages Mistakes: The compact shape and limited space force the opponent to take risks, increasing the likelihood of turnovers.
Builds Defensive Confidence: A well-executed low press can frustrate opponents and boost your team’s belief in their defensive structure.
Disadvantages of the Low Press
Allows Possession: The opponent is given time and space to build up play, which can be dangerous if they have skilled playmakers.
Limited Immediate Counterattacking Opportunities: Winning the ball deep in your own half means you have a longer distance to cover to create scoring chances.
Requires Discipline: A single lapse in concentration or positioning can open up dangerous spaces for the opponent to exploit.
Vulnerability to Overloads: If the opponent commits numbers forward, it can be challenging to defend against overloads in wide areas.
Psychological Pressure: Constantly defending deep can lead to mental fatigue and a sense of being under siege.
Winning Areas in the Low Press
Central Zones Outside the Circle: Deny access to the circle by intercepting passes or forcing turnovers in the central areas just outside the D. This is the "hotspot" where most dangerous plays develop [4][5].
Wide Channels: Force the opponent to play down the sidelines, where their options are limited. Use the sideline as an extra defender to trap and regain possession.
Inside the Circle: Maintain discipline and compactness to block shots and intercept passes. As Fede Tanuscio emphasized, defending the aerial into the circle is a critical skill in the low press [4].
Backup Plan: When the Low Press is Breached
Drop Deeper: If the opponent penetrates the 25-yard line, drop even deeper to protect the circle and force them to play wide.
Double Teaming: Use two players to pressure the ball carrier in dangerous areas, while maintaining the overall defensive shape.
Communication: Clear and constant communication is essential to adjust positioning and cover gaps.
Transition to Counter Defense: If the low press is breached, prioritize closing the center and forcing the opponent to take longer routes to goal, giving your team time to recover.
Using the Low Press as the Start of an Attack
While the low press is primarily a defensive strategy, it can also be a platform for launching counterattacks. Here’s how:
Quick Transitions: Winning the ball in your own half provides opportunities for fast, direct counterattacks, especially if the opponent is caught out of position.
Exploit Wide Spaces: Use the space left by the opponent’s advanced players to launch attacks down the flanks.
Build from the Back: A low press allows for a more measured build-up, giving your team time to organize and exploit gaps in the opponent’s structure.
Example Drill: Play a small-sided game where the defending team must win the ball in their own half and transition into attack within 10 seconds. This encourages quick decision-making and sharp counterattacks.
Key Coaching Points for the Low Press
Compactness: Keep the team close together to limit gaps and support each other.
Patience: Wait for the right moment to engage or intercept, rather than chasing the ball unnecessarily.
Communication: Ensure constant communication to maintain shape and cover gaps.
Anticipation: Read the opponent’s movements and passes to intercept and regain possession.
Final Thoughts
The low press is a strategy that requires discipline, patience, and a deep understanding of positioning. It’s not just about defending—it’s about controlling the game by denying the opponent space and forcing them to play on your terms. As Raoul Ehren highlighted, the key to any press, whether high or low, is compactness and intensity. The low press is no exception [6][7].
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Sources:
4,5: Fede Tanuscio in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/defending-the-aerial-into-the-d
6,7: Raoul Ehren in https://my.thehockeysite.com/p/ask-me-anything-session-with-raoul