Kay picked up the book, feeling its weight and running his fingers over the engraved letters C.C.S on the cover.
Titled 'The Art of Attack,' this book stood out with its unique design.
He observed that each book had a unique design; for instance, the first book, 'The Art of Defense,' had a green cover with gray parts resembling scales.
The second book, 'The Art of Midfield,' had a blue cover and featured wing-like designs on the sides.
Similarly, the last book had a red cover with orange designs resembling fire, almost as if the designs represented the personality of each book.
The book started with a general discussion about the attacking position and its fundamentals.
It explained that the attack position covers the space closest to the opponent's goal, and the primary task of an attacking player is to score goals.
Within the attack line, there are three sub-positions: center forward, second striker, and winger.
Winger: Positioned on either the right or left side of the field near the touchlines, wingers play a crucial role in offensive strategies. Their primary task is to use their speed and dribbling skills to bypass opposing fullbacks and deliver accurate passes to the striker. Some tactics involve wingers cutting inside to the center of the field, and swapping positions with fullbacks. A successful winger needs exceptional speed, stamina, dribbling ability, and passing accuracy to effectively contribute to the team's attacking plays.
Second striker: Also referred to as a support striker, this position operates between the traditional forward and midfielder lines. Their main responsibility is to create goal-scoring opportunities by making passes and openings for the center forward while also contributing to goal-scoring themselves. In certain tactical setups, they may interchange positions with the center forward.
Center forward: Also known as the main striker, this position focuses on scoring goals and often serves as the primary target for offensive plays. A strong center forward needs excellent finishing skills to convert team opportunities into goals.
Attack tactics can vary significantly depending on the type of forward in the team. While all forwards share the primary goal of scoring goals, each player possesses unique characteristics that define their playing style.
For instance, some strikers excel at playing with their back to the opponent's goal, allowing them to receive the ball and create opportunities for wingers.
Others may specialize in scoring from set-pieces, while some thrive in tight spaces, and some excel at exploiting open spaces on the field.
These diverse characteristics contribute to the strategic versatility of the team's attacking tactics.
The book highlighted that changes in strikers with different characteristics require corresponding adjustments in how the ball is delivered to them.
It also emphasized that the attack doesn't originate from the forward line but rather from the goalkeeper, leading to a growing demand for goalkeepers who excel at playing with their feet in modern football tactics.
The speed of attack transitions plays a crucial role in creating dangerous opportunities. When the attack transitions faster than the opponent's defense, it can exploit the chaos and create scoring chances.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Versatile tactics that offer multiple pathways to the goal are considered the most effective, providing the attacking team with a range of options and weapons.
This is because most teams train and play with only one or two defensive tactics.
The opponent could adapt to the first change, but after one or two adjustments, the defense becomes disoriented.
This chaos provides a prime opportunity for the attacking team to score goals.
After finishing the book about the attack, Kay felt entertained and inspired by the new creative ideas.
He then took out the final book from his inventory, the one he had been advised to read last, and put away the previous one.
The last book was different from the others, with fewer pages and a plain cover titled 'General Instructions. (Remind)' unlike the others, it had no special design, looking like an ordinary book from the market.
Kay opened it and began reading. The first part discussed tactics, emphasizing that they are designed to minimize the role of luck in matches and to bridge the gap between teams with superstar players and those with average players.
The book highlighted that many times, weaker teams have defeated stronger ones because their tactics were superior.
Football is, above all, a sport for entertainment.
Tactics shouldn't turn it into a boring game.
It's essential to allow skillful players some creative freedom instead of confining them with complex strategies.
The master class of tactics is achieved when all team players have fully absorbed the coach's ideas and can adapt to the latest actions of the match without any direct input from the head coach.
The second part of the book delves into field positions, emphasizing that these positions are defined to clarify the responsibilities of each player.
Modern football has witnessed a move towards fluid tactics, where players are not confined to rigid positional roles.
Instead, players are encouraged to adapt and contribute across multiple areas of the pitch, moving into different positions based on the flow of play.
This approach creates numerical advantages and confuses opponents. Such fluidity allows for greater creativity, unpredictability, and flexibility in gameplay.
And then the book passed to the third topic which was the effect of psychology on footballers.
The psychological aspect of football is as crucial as the physical and tactical components.
Mental strength, resilience, and a positive mindset can significantly influence individual and team performance.
Many potential players were destroyed by the pressure given by the game, especially since this sport is very stressful; stress could come from the fans, by media, important events, or just the competitive nature of the sport.
In conclusion, the psychological side of football is integral to achieving peak performance.
By nurturing mental toughness, motivation, focus, and team cohesion, players and teams can enhance their overall effectiveness and succeed at the highest levels of the sport.
The pressures in football can be immense, caused by fans, media scrutiny, crucial events, and the inherent competitiveness of the sport.
A psychologically stable player can make better and quicker decisions, which is why coaches play a crucial role not just in tactics but also in motivating and enhancing the mental state of their players.
The last part of the book emphasizes the importance of data in football.
Data is crucial for analyzing opponents, understanding their tactics, and identifying their strengths and weaknesses.
This analysis helps teams prepare more effectively, strategize better, and make informed decisions during matches.
With data, you can identify insights that aren't immediately apparent from simply watching the match.
This information can help you adapt your tactics more effectively, exploit weaknesses in the opponent's strategy, and enhance overall team performance.
The book continues by describing how to profit from data. It explains the importance of collecting and analyzing various types of data, such as player statistics, team formations, and match outcomes.
That was the last part of the book. After Kay finished it, he reflected on the high salaries of data analysts in football.
He realized that many teams had stopped using data analytics, believing the salaries were not worth the investment.
However, Kay understood they were mistaken about the value these professionals brought to the game.
After Kay finished the four books given by the system, he received a notification:
---
See you in the next chapter ...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
For +20 advanced chapters, or support visit my p@treon:
https://[email protected]/BestCoach85