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Miss passes need disguise and deception
Editor Dan Cottrell adds further context to two sessions.
A miss pass cuts out a player in the attacking line. There are three reasons to do this…
- The receiver might be in space or close to other players who are in space.
- The receiver is a better ball carrier to take the pass.
- It pulls the defence out of position. A couple of miss passes can stretch the defence.
The miss pass execution by the passer is no different from a long pass but it does need to have some disguise otherwise the defender who might be attracted by the missed player simply drifts out, losing any potential advantage.
Your players need to concentrate on passing with a small wind-up and without planting their feet. They start with hips square - facing up the pitch – and finish with their hips turned towards the receiver. The power then comes from the core of the body. They must not fall away with the pass.
Sometimes the pass will need more power, so there’s a bigger follow through. Contrast these outcomes in the two pictures, with Sexton more in balance, whereas Horne has to power through to the target.
These details mean that the passer still engages the defence. But their job is not yet finished. Once they have passed the ball, they must finish with a positive line of running. This is the clever bit.They run forward and between the defenders who will be sliding across to cover the pass. Now they are between the defenders, these players will have to change their running lines to help cut off the attack. The passer is also getting into a position to receive a return pass.
As Sean Holley puts it – looking to get two touches on the ball in the move. Use his simple miss pass decision making exercise on page 4 to work on good passing and a positive line after the pass.
The other element of the miss pass is the line of the receivers. With simple changes of angle before the pass, they can drift through gaps in the defence. With the ball in the air for a bit longer, they should be able to assess their lines more effectively, and certainly try to change their angle of run once they’ve received the ball.
Focus on the weak point and double up
Many attacking teams like to cover the width of the field from sideline to sideline when they are in possession. A common defensive mistake in response to this expansive threat is to spread their defenders out in an effort to mark all of the attackers. This often hands the initiative to the offence as it opens up spaces.
If the defensive coach asks themselves: “Where is the offence’s point of weakness?” in this situation, they will find that the answer lies much closer to the point of contact.
When the attack begins to spread out, it also means it has fewer players available to win the tackle situation when it arises, so taking the risk and getting two players in can be worth it.
Key points are:
- Identifying the second pass – An attack is often at its most vulnerable when the second pass made, for example from 9 to 10 to 12. At that point, there may be only two potential support players in position to clean out any defenders in the tackle area.
- Two players in – Commit two players to the breakdown after the tackle, not just the tackler. The attacking supporting players may be able to clear one threat, but the other player will have a good chance to go for the ball.
- Win the ball! – The defender on the ball needs to send a good picture to the referee that they are legal (on their feet) and have their hands on the ball (not resting on the ground).
Use Eamonn Hogan’s decision-making game on page 5 to identify and exploit their attacking weakness.
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