Why do teams play out from the back?

Why do teams play out from the back?
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All the best teams do it. Guardiola, Klopp and Bielsa all advocate it. But why do they encourage their teams to play out from the back?
As JJ Bull writes, it gives teams greater control over the game.
Illustrated by Alice Devine.
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[@laoganmafootballclub6632]

This is why I signed an Ajax-educated goalkeeper on FM

[@purushothaman6698]

Calvin Raatsie is really good

[@klaejomind]

@@purushothaman6698 charlie setford 🤌🤌

[@laoganmafootballclub6632]

@@purushothaman6698 HOW DID YOU KNOW

[@purushothaman6698]

@@laoganmafootballclub6632 😎

[@itsverynice]

@@purushothaman6698 haha!

[@kylianhaaland7054]

Ederson plays out from the back superbly but he can also win the game by a single long pass to the attackers.

[@leandrogripp1251]

The thing with Ederson is that he doesn't just send the ball forward, he'll try a long pass if he sees an actual good opportunity

[@stevencooke6451]

A great attacking keeper can do both which is harder to defend.

[@wastedpunk407]

When it doesn't work, it makes a team look like a bunch of clowns but when it does, it's one of the best things in football

[@adnanazmat6392]

Mathematically playing from back is the smarter choice for good teams.

[@jessiej1746]

@@adnanazmat6392 it’s probably the smarter choice for most teams since it seems to work out fine the vast majority of the time.

[@adnanazmat6392]

@@jessiej1746 Yes if the players have good ball control, and can play calmly when pressed it's the better choice.

[@robert2690]

@@adnanazmat6392 What classifies as a “good team”?

[@robert2690]

@@adnanazmat6392 Are you implying that if your defenders have lack of technical skill, are you sure it’s “mathematically smarter”??

[@R3in_Ch]

I'm about to take a dump and tifo posted a new video. perfect timing

[@Nyante]

Indeed🤣

[@Mspeg1967]

Like clockwork

[@rikachu571]

Playing our from the back makes sense if you have players with the technical and tactical proficiency to do it. The problem comes when players who lack these abilities still try to attempt it and get exposed doing so.

[@wthwasthat8884]

The current Ireland national squad are trying to do this. They used to kick to midfield or go route one and sometimes it worked. Now with terrible players who panic when pressed Ireland can't even qualify for the Euro's and likely won't qualify for the next WC despite getting an easy group. Goes to show you that playing "attractive" football with below average players has a price.

[@rikachu571]

@@wthwasthat8884 you see it at grassroots too, an obsession with there being a 'right' way to play. In club football, provided you have the resources, you can buy the players to fit a system. At grassroots and international level, you have to fit the system to the players you have. If that means being solid at the back, having hard working midfielders and looking to score on the break or through setpieces, then so be it.

[@RezhwAmanj]

@@rikachu571 I think the problem is that at the academy level, young players can be trained to keep the ball under pressure and find options before punting it long. This will help them improve in the long term at the cost of some short-term defensive instability. Coaches at this level who prioritize winning over developing talents may select squads based more on pace and physicality and less on technique and footballing IQ. If an entire country adopts this sort of philosophy, then the players representing the national team will be less technically gifted than what the nation can actually provide, and as a result they won't be able to play "attractive" football.

[@stevencooke6451]

@@RezhwAmanj I completely agree. That is why many leagues around the world have abandoned keeping score. You want players and managers to experiment and fail. When the ball ends up in your net you still want to understand why.

[@puneet25892]

VAR = 2:20 offside

[@toughstuff7187]

Goal Keepers that are good at passing are so under appreciated, Ederson, Ter Stegen, all deserve more appreciation for their vital role in the buildup.

[@rheinhardtgrafvonthiesenha4869]

Funny I think the complete opposite, I feel like goal keepers that actually save the ball are underrated. They’re called “shot stoppers” almost with distain when in fact that’s what they’re there for

[@TwistedSoul2002]

@@rheinhardtgrafvonthiesenha4869 Yeh- Ederson and Ter Stegen aren’t underrated at all.

[@joeabraham7236]

Allison

[@crkan0608]

Ederson isn't just "good at passing", his long passes are lethal and second to none. Literally.

[@oumdead9542]

@@crkan0608 yeah Ederson is top 5 for best long ball givers... across all positions!

[@franke4391]

"The benefits (of playing from the back) can often outweigh the risks" Not at Man Utd

[@mirzamuhtasimfaiyaz4086]

especially when you have 'the fridge' and his swedish sidekick

[@sreyanbiswas6068]

I disagree

[@jameslearing970]

@@mirzamuhtasimfaiyaz4086 Lindelof and Maguire are both great ball playing defenders.

[@arcturus2739]

@@jameslearing970 But they can't defend quick transitions when United lose the ball.

[@wallahhabibiiii]

Yes Which is why he said “OFTEN”

[@rushanahmed7521]

Passing out from the back is legit a very tough tactic to implement, I personally respect a team which uses this tactic regularly as it shows the technical ability of the team collectively and also communication and decision making

[@Sizdothyx]

It's likely because it requires your center halves to have a little bit of every part of a midfielder's skill-set: carrying the ball, having the vision to find the best route forward without hoofing it up, the charisma to bring the defensive line out to put pressure on the opponent's defense. Not even Cannavaro could boast having _all_ of that in his repertoire, and he was the Ballon D'Or winner as a defender. I'm actually glad that it's being brought back into the mainstream, as the 2010s, 2000s and 1990s were dominated by center-halves being man-marking brutes who just cancelled out the long ball.

[@rushanahmed7521]

@@Sizdothyx agreed, a ball playing defender is key in playing out from back, also not only that, coaches like pep insist on a left footed centre halve too, only so that one cb can move towards his right and other to left quickly and instintively

[@veckgames]

It serves 2 purposes mainly: 1. Keeping possession is easier to do when making short-passes as opposed to long-passes; 2. It invites the defending team to press high and opens up space in behind defences. Where it falls flat: 1. Obviously, when you lose possession in a compromising position trying to play from the back; 2. When the defending team doesn't take the bait and keeps their shape. Every strategy and tactical approach in football has merits and weaknesses, which is why a tactically diverse game is beautiful to watch.

[@joewasike6875]

👌🔥

[@fllx7957]

Man I remember after the World Cup 2014 we suddenly had to do lots of passing drills in goalkeeper training just because of the dominance of Manuel Neuer. For me the best goalkeeper of all time.

[@stevencooke6451]

And one of the best centre backs.

[@Sizdothyx]

The "playing out from the back" has Beckenbauer to thank for being viable at all, as it classified the center of defense as a proper position of on-ball skill rather than physicality and positioning. Boggles the mind why it died out between the mid-90s and late-00s.

[@dzemilmehovic5271]

probably it dies as liberos started disappearing. They were usually skilled guys in defence next to one butcher/rock. Like last true libero was Miodrag Belodedici. And you can count Sammer and Matthaus with him but they were DMs converted to libero. After those 3 liberos disappeared and well, imo thats the reason

[@dzemilmehovic5271]

but idk should you count Sammer and Lothar as liberos coz they werent natural liberos.They would drop between 2 CBs and all. But like last guy who actually played libero as his main position ever since he started playing football and stuff and began playing there-was Belodedici. Ultra underrated defender btw,prolly most underrated ever, legit was just that 1 level bellow Beckenbauer imo (Baresi,Scirea,Pasarella,Vasović etc).

[@finding_aether]

I am not sure it really died out. Teams like Arsenal and Barcelona consistently played out from the back in the 1990s and 2000s. Heck they even played midfielders as centrebacks to allow this tactic. Part of the reason why it died out was better fitness of players in the 1990s allowing for better pressing strategy, and the reason it is returning is that changes in offside law allows this strategy as playing a high line becomes more risky. This create space for centrebacks to play.

[@kidpagronprimsank05]

@@dzemilmehovic5271 Sammer is natural libero. But, as you might see, many great libero likes Beckenbauer, Scirea, and Sammer started their career as midfield before dropped back to libero

[@dzemilmehovic5271]

@@kidpagronprimsank05 well exactly. But i mean he was midfielder for alot more time in his career than libero. So thats why i said not natural,not that he just started there but he was only libero in BVB if i remember well. Guys like Beckenbauer also dropped to libero but they were midfielders for very short time compared to how long their careers were. Therefore i consider Belodedici last "natural" libero,he wasnt midfielder or anything when he started-he always played libero in youth and all

[@sd_forrest]

Tifo make a video on diamond formations.... 🙏🙏

[@banjiola1671]

They have already

[@cfcmoi11]

I'm so thankful to Pep for using Cruyff football and playing a style I enjoy watching.

[@prometheustv6558]

He used Cruyff football and made it his own

[@littlewing62]

because they want to keep the ball. attack is the best defence

[@kevinveigas103]

Possession football, not attacking, the two are different

[@R3in_Ch]

Look at peps city against chelsea. possession ain't always means attacking

[@casperguo7177]

@@R3in_Ch that’s ancient history, says Enrique

[@ayanbhattacharjee1076]

@@casperguo7177 *medieval

[@PipJim80]

That is one of the reasons. The main reason is to pull the opposition into your half to create more space

[@108u9]

Mourinho sees his name not mentioned as a top coach: “Reszpec, reszpec”

[@ajmalaj4381]

He uses playing only in the back strategy

[@rishavsingh2390]

@@ajmalaj4381 Staying in the back strategy

[@purushothaman6698]

He's in his own tier of greatness

[@purushothaman6698]

@@rishavsingh2390 seeing football from 2018 I suppose?

[@michaeldavid5427]

This video reminds me of Alisson’s mistakes vs. Leicester this season, playing out of the back resulted in 2 conceded goals that game which shifted momentum completely and ensured a Liverpool loss.

[@andyphung9757]

Frank de Boer’s pass for Dennis Bergkamp for THAT goal in the 98 WC is the prime example of the beauty of playing from the back.

[@welowee7610]

When i was a kid and playing Fifa, i always pass the ball to the defender from the GK. I don’t know why they just using this tactic nowadays 🤣

[@muhammadtarunaaldiramadan248]

SAME

[@hannesp3493]

Same. But in FIFA only one player ever comes to press at a time… so passing out from the back is way easier. Also, your 65 rated centre back’s pass will always hit the target in FIFA unlike real life

[@alistairholmes8686]

I did this because whenever you kicked the ball out the chances of you getting the ball was always slim

[@backwards9772]

When I have the lead I always pass the ball between my CBs and GK and then the opponent quits

[@maw86]

Very concise and insightful look at ball control, and the footy analysis was great too.

[@bri1085]

Tifo's tactics board is a good example of VAR would be great, 2:20 he's miles offside there

[@nickj.7876]

Sweet video braah! Keep em coming and I will keep watching!

[@piercewhitlock7918]

These tactics worked for pep mainly because of the goalkeepers, neuer and ederson can use their feet. IMO pep was able to expand on the idea of playing out of the back at city, with Edersons trump card being his booming kicks upfield. The treat of a long ball from the keeper to a striker in on goal allows city more space inside thier own half to build out of. I would love to see how many assist ederson has if city get haaland over the summer. That duo will combine for many goals hopefully.

[@sizwe.amabaso732]

I wish someone could tell South African coaches about this, the players kick the ball around like youth players

[@melodica5407]

It could be either the incapability of the coach or the players though

[@Kay_Mow]

This is why I stopped watching the PSL every team has a similar playing style

[@robert2690]

Or maybe coaches FAILED to coach players to learn technical skills.

[@denverjohnson5662]

Hoping SAFA will subscribe to tifo

[@bkingg1]

also the pitch has to be top condition in order for the passes to be les risky

[@nubfix3161]

because it's easier for possession based tactics?

[@melodica5407]

I remember many premiere league teams used to loft the ball up-front and finger crossed for the attackers to do their job (rafael benitez's liverpool does this a lot), but around early to mid 2010s they don't do that anymore

[@sethspace5207]

Bringing back the WM from the 1930's

[@purushothaman6698]

🐐 formation

[@masternoel123]

Reject 4-4-2 Return to WM 😎

[@bamboohpenguin5528]

@@masternoel123 friendship with 4-4-2 over now WM is my best friend

[@SDCLFC1]

Yeah - perhaps not quite, I'm not sure, but I keep looking for it - I think a proper WM is 3-4-3 with the M/F four made up of 2-2 box - so 3-2-2-3. There are a lot of number and formations changes in different parts of the game and it's call to see how they pop-up and change. T wo teams look like they're playing the same 4-3-3 but it keeps changing to weird set-ups like a 2-2-3-3 when attacking or something - the question must be, how do we get one more player in the right area at the right time to give us a chance

[@bakaweiner6956]

Bring Sir Herbert Chapman back to life...

[@purushothaman6698]

Bring back the 1 million song. It was devine 😭😭😭😭

[@utsavlal9175]

a video on how to defeat france

[@clarenceonyekwere5428]

“The center backs split wide and the defensive midfielder drops deep” has become Tifo’s 2021 meme, replacing “Tifo’s choice is. Ibrahim Sangare” from 2020. That meme served us well

[@100ttben]

Love how it gets close to a w-m formation like teams used to play 100 years ago

[@presleymeck]

2:20 that's offside

[@cmltron8262]

As a fledgling football fan, I've noticed over the past couple of years that teams have been doing this more and more, but never really understood why. Now I do. Thx.

[@clarkfielduk]

there's an offside in the build-up to the goal at 2:26. I'm disappointed, Tifo.

[@kelleesmi]

I hope the whole tifo staff is getting some crazy overtime for cranking all these videos out

[@yousifabdullah5202]

these adds just get better don't they 😂amazing 🙌

[@indrohari1908]

Its more of bait so opponent press high and leave space with vertical pass became deadly .. There is risk for sure but chances create resulting from playing from the back tend to be more efficient, deadly in other word higher xG .. And players with lack of technical ability can do playing from the back if coach implement "set play" so the build up pattern is fix and rigid and execute accurate and good timing or tempo make opponent cant do anything about that .. Automatism a la Conte for example ..

[@sweetfancymoses2942]

Var called you offside at 2:21

[@tilakmishra8823]

2:19 VAR check complete, no goal, offside

[@super_organist]

Robertson tends to pass the backwards so much these days and that invites pressure. He hardly passes forward. I hope Klopp talks to him.about that

[@balajidprabu]

Do a video on edurdo Mendy, Chelsea so that we can know he's really good or just got lucky with good defenders around him

[@pringles1717]

italy might not wanna play out from the back in the knockouts they look most likely to concede from that decision. long balls would be preferable imo because their midfield quality is good enough that they should maintain more possession than the opponent

[@romiarkan450]

Nothing says you're "cultured" in football tactics quite like having your team pass out from the back and press high up the pitch

[@pcgodz1176]

Because it's a goal kick.... If it's a corner then it's attack from the front. Joke aside, it's probably just modern trends. Since everybody is doing it and it works, why not follow suit.

[@nashtuby9912]

How do you guys get people to sponsor your video? Do they reach out to sponsor any next upload you have or do they have to see the content?

[@tiyamikemsonthi4591]

One of those goals at 2:21 is offside😂

[@DawryMike]

This story originally appeared on MANSCAPED

[@bluest.9320]

It was recommended to you by Ibrahima Sanagre

[@TheStrongmansteve]

It's because we've become obsessed with possession percentages and pass completion stats. Players like Lewis Dunk look like worldies because they pass the ball sideways a lot. We have games where teams have 70% possession and still lose, the only stat that matters is the score

[@jacksurtees8577]

2:20 VAR is disallowing that goal 😂

[@jjni-243]

2:20 VAR! It's clearly an offside

[@guyl1001]

Without the “1 million subscribers” clip at the end, those videos are just not the same

[@thebmacd3222]

I like your advertising boards

[@jimfelix1476]

3:38 since when did Tony Jaa started playing from the back?

[@Dragonaut111]

Unless you're Turkey in which case you simply boot the ball from the GK down the field, continuously until you are convincingly beaten with less possession than the miniature VW car that brought the ball onto the pitch at the start of the game. Sorry how they played still makes me angry.

[@robert2690]

When an opposing team plays out the back, as a team, you sit back and compact, they have have the wings. The goal net isn’t at the wings, it’s at the center. So when the opposing team chooses to “stretch the defense”, as long as your team hires a defensive minded coach and disciplines their team to play good defense and STAY COMPACT, then crosses is MOOT. Possession is one thing but it’s how you use it. If you have possession but you failed to convert it to goal, then you waste all that possession.

[@j_ramone]

The question i always ask when i see Lindelof and Maguire pass across our penalty box lol

[@RJLpt]

I always play from the back in PES and FIFA videogames for the exact same reason. 1:02

[@fossa2355]

Why not

[@jonpaul3868]

Germany played 3 flat backs with Nuer passing the ball in the back against Portugal is the best thing I Saw at the euro 2021 👍

[@chlope5645]

make a vídeo about ruben amorin’s sporting

[@CMichaelH]

2:20 Checking Goal VAR Decision NO GOAL offside

[@sean19922k7]

2:20 VAR would have ruled that out for offside

[@archismanchakraborty7395]

That Leeds's keeper will be French no. 1 some day Mark my word

[@Lions4322]

Oh no doubt. Meslier is great and fearless. Under Bielsa's tutilage and acceptance for error, Meslier will grow - both in ability and confidence

[@sangeetadhumasker5189]

Togo football plz make a video on destroyers in midfirld

[@shin31jimmy]

2:20 I think that’s offside there.

[@frknwrld999]

2:21 offside

[@majackslelo827]

Nice😁

[@rounakdutta3241]

2:20 Offside

[@omarBigOrashid18]

Keep the ball, retain possession, control your own game. More possession = less likely attack from the opposition. Simple in theory, difficult in practice.

[@Lions4322]

Yes. And frankly, some coaches dont see it this way. Mourinho, for example seems to infer more risk from having the ball than having a deep line of defence.

[@omarBigOrashid18]

@@Lions4322 Low block and counter might not be the most attractive tactic, but it's pretty effective at the right times. Mou's resume proved that.

[@bri1085]

Playing out from the back isn't really a possession thing, more about space, it stretches play the opposition are higher up the pitch

[@bri1085]

@@omarBigOrashid18 Mourinho doesn't only play low block football, his Madrid team were a great attacking unit

[@omarBigOrashid18]

@@bri1085 Yeah and they are known for their lightning-speed counter attacks which is mostly combined with cohesive defending.

[@David-kc4we]

Juventus needed this video a couple months ago

[@Viewer41]

Its VERY easy for Pep to "only play out from the back" when his first job was Barcelona with Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol etc. How would he cope of if he had to start out in the lower leagues and work his way up like most other new managers are expected to?

[@prometheustv6558]

Where did you think he managed before Barcelona. He managed Barcelona B in the lower leagues.

[@prometheustv6558]

He still had to create the system

[@casperguo7177]

Trained in La Masia, played for Barcelona as a 6 all his career, started his coaching career at Barcelona youth teams. There is no if for Guardiola, of course he will play the Cruyff way. Look to Juergen Klopp for a humbler start

[@prometheustv6558]

@@casperguo7177 he turned out to be a much better manager than a Cruyff tho

[@kithaupang]

Guardiola attributes Cruyff for his managerial education and success.

[@applywriting]

Kudos to Leeds & Bielsa's PR. Imagine calling someone who hasn't won a major trophy in over 2 decades as one of the best manager in the world alongside Klopp & Pep. People do crazy things if they're paid right.

[@jamesllewellyn398]

Bit of a superficial analysis from an otherwise insightful channel. Would like to see some data to support the points about the benefits outweighing the risks. I would add to the theory that playing from the back draws the opponent forward creating more space either between lines or in behind.

[@nikhilrajan0211]

Hi Tifo, long time consumer of your content and a big fan.. however this video falls short of the mark ...not for the content (super how you can explain football with such simplicity and specificity). Falls short because of a whopping 1m08s of sponsored content in the end +10s in the beginning. For a 4m51s video, about 26% is just pure sponsored content. Hopefully your next ones have lesser ratios for sponsored vs actual football content. Thank you!

[@raulcolaco7688]

WM everywhere...

[@Kyle-mt7su]

Make a video on a spurs ideal manager

[@william81595]

2:00

[@zahirharris7860]

Striker receiving the ball @2:20 is clearly offside

[@almightyhartono]

Mustafi and Mertesacker do this few years ago.. Impossible right ? And the funny thing is they get Top 4..

[@brothermalcolm]

Who are the keepers at the end of this video?

[@champagnerocker]

It would be perhaps far more challenging to produce a video extolling the benefits of aimlessly hoofing the ball up the pitch as far as you can giving the ball immediately back to the opposition.

[@Ajxle]

It has massive benefits and is especially amazing for lesser teams. why do you think a team like burnley is still in premier league. Despite not spending much like other teams.

[@deniden1236]

Offside at 2:20🐸🐸

[@felanguicle]

@2:20 miles offside...

[@TheRadYT]

Why is this question?

[@morgjones13]

Because not every team is managed by Tony Pulis

[@blackcrowesboy7126]

I been using this style on Fifa but didn't know it had a name

[@heitard]

offside at 2:20

[@VanderJamesHum]

So Joe Hart is essentially loving proving Pep wrong, showing he can learn to play this way excellently.

[@sobtrdeszl7806]

That's offside right there 2:19

[@viannie420]

Yes,but what about Rodon?

[@th-ou5dz]

i want watch about nagelsman's muinch

[@lilidili1962]

the quality of this channel went down hill since the athletic bought them what a shame

[@homeboy_lp]

people often miss out on courtois’ ability to pass and handle the ball with his feet. since joining real he regularly helps with the build up play and hasn’t made an error once.

[@ewan7283]

he has made errors, although he has become better with the ball

[@bri1085]

He's not exactly great at it either

[@hlokomani]

This is why Stones was on Pickfords case

[@matthewrichardson4487]

hitting it long can be just as effective as playing out from the back. i dont get why so many managers stick to trying to keep the ball when they dont need to

[@Stinkmeaner420]

Because if it is done properly, it allows the team to better control the tempo of the game

[@matthewrichardson4487]

@@Stinkmeaner420 yes but often times teams without the technical quality still do it and end up giving the ball away and conceding. long balls to control the tempo of the game work just as well imo. not to mention using set pieces to dictate the flow

[@rod.lunx0]

Ederson is, in my opinion, the best goalkeeper currently and also the one with highest potential.

[@carminemarconi5634]

I personally hate this. The risk outweighs the rewards for me. One bad pass away to giving up a goal

[@wishiknewaname9307]

It’s the back passing and side passing that’s annoying & killing the game

[@CarlMarxPunk]

Thinking about Loris Karius

[@nelsongeorge5655]

Meanwhile, Southgate : what are you rambling about. Side pass, back pass, long ball and mate.