Weak-side trap vs low zonal block

Don’t force the game. Invite the defence to overcommit… then punish the space that the defence chose to leave.

Feb 03, 2026

Let’s start with the uncomfortable truth: against a good low zonal block, you’re rarely “breaking them down” with one action. You’re moving them, wearing their reference points, and then striking the space they had to abandon to protect the centre.

That’s why a weak-side trap is such a strong concept versus a low block: it’s not just “switch the ball.” It is a pre-planned invitation. We invite the block to over-shift to the strong side. We shape our spacing so the weak-side receiver gets time and angle. Then we trap them on the weak side with speed, numbers, and circle behaviour — while our rest defence is already set for the bounce-out.

This is where Tanuscio’s principles around double width + overloads + post-up [1] and his definition of the low block’s purpose (protect scoring area, force recoveries in “safe zones”) [2] meet Coates’ third-man logic (defenders ball-watch, third player becomes free )[4]. The trap is basically: manufacture ball-watching, then punish it.

The tactical model: roles + spacing + ball speed + trigger to trap + trigger to switch

1) Roles

I’ll use generic roles here so you can map it onto your own structure (3-2-3-2, 4-3-3, etc.).

Back five / build unit (ball circulation + security)

This is Fede Tanuscio’s “double width” logic: create 2v1s and stable circulation lanes [2].

Two central backs: hold the reset line, control tempo, deny counters by being positioned to deal with the first outlet.
Two wide backs: provide width, receive on angles that threaten up the line and inside.
One low mid: connects and “tempts” the block to jump.

High mids (two key jobs)

High mid (ball-side): becomes the “magnet” that attracts the block’s midfield line and striker screen.
High mid (weak-side): stays patient and available for the switch, but also protects the next pass if we lose it (rest-defence logic).

Front unit (posts + pins + circle behaviour)

Again, Fede Tanuscio’s post-up emphasis is essential here [1]. Also Alyson Annan’s circle behaviour insights frames what we actually occupy and finish with [7].

Post striker: shows at the edge/inside channel to receive under pressure and set a third-man.
Far striker: pins far post + holds weak-side defenders honest.
Wide forwards: one is the “strong-side overload” actor, one is the “weak-side time receiver.”

2) Spacing

Against a low zonal block, if your spacing collapses, you give them what they want: compactness, predictable passing lines, and easy interceptions [2].

So the spacing rules I coach are:

Maximum width in the build unit (double width) to force lateral running[1].
One connector underneath, one connector between lines (not two underneath). If both mids sit too low, your “switch” becomes safe but toothless.
Weak-side winger stays wide until the moment of trap. If they drift inside early, you remove the trap’s time advantage.
A fixed “rest-defence triangle” behind the ball (more on this in the rest-defence section): two behind, one screen.

3) Ball speed

Versus a low block, slow circulation is not patient possession. It’s charity.

Tanuscio’s emphasis is basically: circulate fast enough that they have to move and eventually lose their reference points [2]. I’d summarise ball speed for the weak-side trap like this:

Two-tempo circulation:

Move them (fast, mostly first/second touch).
Kill them (one fast switch that arrives with time, then immediately accelerate into the trap pattern).

4) Trigger to trap

A trap without a trigger becomes players “kind of” attacking and “kind of” being safe. It ends up being neither.

Here are the triggers that make sense versus a low block (and align with the sources):

The block’s far-side winger/half has tucked in , you can see the weak-side channel is now free.
Your weak-side receiver can catch on an open body , facing forward or at least facing the circle edge.
Your post is set , post striker has shown and is ready to set the third-man / bounce pass [1].
Your rest defence is already locked , two behind + one screen, no “hope defending”.

When these are true: switch, then immediately overload the weak side and attack a top-corner / baseline decision. Tanuscio calls out the top corners as a key weakness area in low block behaviour [2].

5) Trigger to switch

The trap is not always on. In fact, if you force it, the low block wins. So your switch triggers (the “get out” rules) matter just as much:

If the weak-side receiver is closed before the ball arrives → don’t play them in. Reset and move them again.
If the post is not set → you can still play wide, but your next action is not “force a circle entry.” Your next action is “rebuild the post and the third man.”
If the weak-side defender is stable and square → don’t dribble into a set tackle. Use give-and-go / third-man instead [4].
If we cannot attack with speed within 3–4 seconds of the switch → the trap has expired. Recycle.

That last rule is my favourite because it’s brutally honest. If we switch and then slow down, we’ve simply relocated the ball, not created an advantage.

The decision-rule framework or how the weak-side trap actually works

Think of the weak-side trap as a repeatable 4-step loop:

Step 1: Overload to tilt the block (strong side)

Your strong side is not where you want to finish. It’s where you want to drag them.

Tanuscio explicitly talks about overloading a side (often the right) to create combinations and outcomes [1]. The key detail is: don’t overload with bodies standing still. Overload with roles: receiver, bounce, third man, and pin.

Step 2: Use the post + third man to hide the real penetration

Coates’ framing is gold here: defenders track ball and receiver, not the third player [4].

So your best weak-side trap entries usually come from:

A bounce off the post (one-touch set), then
A third-man into the weak-side channel (or top-corner pocket), then
A fast decision (cross, slip, baseline, or shot).

Step 3: Switch fast enough to create “time”

This is where “patience” gets miscoached. Patience does not mean slow. It means you are willing to move them 6–10 passes if needed, but those passes must have intent and tempo [2].

Step 4: Trap = arrive weak side and accelerate into circle behaviour

This is where circle entry thinking from both Fede Tanuscio and Alyson Annan matters: what does the ball-carrier do when the trap is on [6] [7]]?

Your weak-side carrier needs a simple read:

If defender jumps out → slip behind / baseline.
If defender holds → deliver to post/deflection lane or attack top corner for a cross/PC outcome.
If the lane is crowded → recycle immediately and keep moving them.

And Simon Blanford’s outcomes thinking should sit in your head the entire time: are we producing high-value chances, or are we just accumulating touches and low-probability shots?[9]

If we lose it here, what happens? → rest defence + immediate counter-press rules

This is the make-or-break section. Because a weak-side trap is, by definition, a moment where you commit numbers and angle your attack aggressively. If you do that without a clear rest-defence plan, you are basically paying for your circle entry with an opposition counter.

Andreu Enrich’s transitions work is the backdrop here [5], and our earlier article “Lost Ball? Now What?” gives the practical language for immediate reaction rules [8].

Rest defence structure

I want you to picture three layers:

First control layer (counter-press layer)
The nearest two to the ball on loss must be able to press instantly. If they are not close enough to affect the first touch, then you did not have a trap, you had a hopeful attack.
Second control layer (screen + protect centre)
One player sits in the lane that matters: the central outlet. This matches the low block’s own logic (protect the middle) but applied to your attacking transition defence [2].
Third control layer (two behind, split enough to win the next race)
Two defenders behind the ball, not stacked on one line. One can step, one can cover.

Immediate counter-press rules (simple, coachable)

When we lose it in the trap zone, the rules are:

Rule 1: First three seconds are for winning it back, not for recovering shape.[8]
Rule 2: The first presser takes away the forward pass. Force the carrier sideways/back.
Rule 3: Second presser takes away the inside pass. Do not get played through the middle.
Rule 4: If the ball beats the first press, we do not chase. We “snap” into rest defence. That means: protect centre, delay, force wide, then reset.

The coaching nuance: you are not telling players “press hard every time.” You are telling them when the press is on and when the delay is the smarter option. That’s the transition maturity Andreu Enrich keeps circling back to in his earlier masterclass [5].

Thanks for reading The Hockey Site! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Game: “Tilt & Trap” (7v7 + 2 jokers, half pitch)

Objective: Train strong-side overload → switch → weak-side acceleration, with rest defence already built in.

Set-up

Half pitch. Full width.
Two neutral jokers (one plays for team in possession as a centre-back screen, one plays as a high connector).
Mark two wide channels (left and right) and one “trap box” just outside the circle on the weak side (top-corner-ish).

Constraints

You can only score after:
1. At least one pass into a wide channel on strong side, then
2. A switch that reaches the opposite wide channel, then
3. A catch/receive inside the “trap box” within 3 seconds.
If the defending team wins it, they have 5 seconds to counter and score into mini goals at halfway.

Coaching points

Are we overloading with purpose (post, bounce, third man), or just gathering bodies? [1]
Is the switch fast enough to create time?
Is the receiver open-body?
On loss: do the nearest two affect the first touch, or do we get “played out” immediately? [8]

Training progression 2 (11v11 or 9v9)

Phase Play: “Low Block Rep + Weak-side Trap Finish” (9v9 in 2/3 pitch, or 11v11 full)

Objective: Train the trap as a repeatable team behaviour against an actual low zonal block.