Using Positive and Negative Space in Soccer

by Ric Miller

Between the ball-handler and the goal behind him lies an area that is usually less well-defended than the area under direct attack. This "negative space" is useful in maintaining possession, relieving pressure, switching the point of attack, and creating shots. The reason is simple. As the ball is played forward, the opposing defenders tend to focus more on the ball than on the negative spaces on the field.
Bob Gansler, our former national coach, once had his team intentionally play a ball forward into a crowded area, to draw the opposing defenders to the ball and thus open space and reduce the pressure in other areas. The passer, instead of following his pass, stepped away from the "target" receiver who, after drawing the pressure, returned the ball negatively (backward) to the original passer. Since the latter now had a less obstructed view of the spaces under attack, he could change the point of attack to a more weakly defended area. The Dutch call the receiver of a back pass the "window" player. The idea is simple: Play the ball back before playing it forward.
Good teams use negative space with purpose. A window player receiving a pass back at the top of the penalty box will drive the ball at goal with a first touch shot or use the space created around the ball (really the extra time) to produce the killer ball through.
In the attacking or high middle third of the field, the target receiver, usually a striker, will be closely followed by a marking defender. The target receiver will often be able to draw the sweeper out of position and flatten the back of the defense, creating opportunities for the dangerous through ball.
Good teams intentionally use negative space to their advantage: watch Brazil, watch Ajax, watch Virginia.

Brazilian Magic
Before developing a practice session on the use of negative space, I'd like to offer an example of Brazilian brilliance. During the period between 1958 and 1970, Brazil, with players like Pele, Rivelinho, and Garrincha, won three of four World Cups and dominated the game. Twenty-five years later, with young stars like attacking defender Roberto Carlos, creative midfielder Juninho, and striker Edmundo, they are once again among the elite.
Any description of their play must begin with their ability to maintain possession, then move on to create the final third. They control possession, even in a crowd, with (1) precise passing to the receiver's feet (instead of just knocking the ball into space), (2) precise individual control of the ball, and (3) effective use of negative space. Rarely does Brazil give up possession easily. Once in control of the ball, they will invariably advance into their attacking third before risk losing it by trying something creative and dangerous.
For example, in its World Cup '94 game against the U.S., 19.2% (29) of her possessions produced four or more passes in her attacking half to the U.S.'s 6.6% (10); and in their rematch in Copa America, the ratios were 13.8% (23) and 6.6% (11), respectively.
When necessary, Brazil can play more directly or use the counterattacking game to take advantage of the opponents' commitment to attack, as they did against the U.S. in the second half of their Copa match.
For a team so committed to the attack, they also recover well to play excellent team defense. That wasn't always true of earlier Brazilian teams that seemed to care only about attacking.
The key to Brazil's all-out attack today is that they rarely lose possession while everyone is venturing forward. Their one drawback is that their ball-possession play takes time to develop, to bring players forward; consequently, the defense often has time to organize. Brazil will often create forward opportunities by playing first backwards. Diag. 1 shows the sequence of play that preceded Juninho's free kick and Aldair's headed goal in their Copa 1995 game against the U.S. It's an example of Brazil's mastery of the use of negative space.
Play started with a Brazilian free kick near her penalty box. Eleven passes, 28 touches, and 33 seconds later, eight players had advanced the ball to the flank area at the opposite side of the U.S.'s penalty box. There Cobi Jones fouled Roberto Carlos to give up the scoring free kick. It all began with an innocuous pass (#1) to keeper, Taffarel, who immediately returned the ball (#2) to Aldair, his central defender. Aldair, in turn, knocked a long pass on to Edmundo's thigh (#3) as the latter retreated into negative space - with Alexi Lalas all over his back.
With his third touch, Edmundo played the ball back to Jorginho (#4), his wide defender, then ran wide to the touchline where he got it back (#5). Edmundo, with Lalas chasing, now dribbled to the center of the field - again using negative space.
To this point of the possession, the ball had been advanced into the central, bottom portion of the final third by combining a long pass with effective use of negative space - all against an organized U.S. defense. Many teams - certainly the Europeans - would have dropped the long ball into space beyond Edmundo and tried to create a chance at goal before most of the defenders recovered. Or, when Edmundo had space on the flank, they might have tried a hopeful cross. But not the Brazilians. They looked for more daring play in their final third.
Edmundo followed his dribble by playing a ball forward to Savio's feet (#6). Savio, playing the target with his back to goal and with Mike Burns close by, dropped the ball on his second touch back to Juninho (#7), the most creative player on the field.
Juninho then took a short dribble and gave his midfield mate, Zinho, a nice pass through (#8). He could have taken a shot, but opted, as Brazilians often do, to try for a more daring chance.
Since, by this time, the U.S. had recovered and organized inside the penalty box, Zinho chose to retreat and again to drop the ball back - this time to Roberto Carlos, a wide defender (#9). Zinho followed that pass with a run wide to give Carlos a good passing option if he needed one. Carlos then returned the ball (#10), sprinted inside to the goal line, received it back (#11), and was finally fouled by Cobi.
Notice: Once the long ball was played, a pass forward was followed by a pass or a dribble backwards into negative space. Brazil's first option in the attacking third was to spring someone through - like they did here with Zinho - to get a daring chance close to goal. Most balls - except the one through to Zinho - were played to feet rather than space; and both strikers, Edmundo and Savio, were targets.
Finally, notice how on releasing the ball, Edmundo, Zinho, and Carlos all made runs to provide the passing options that facilitate the maintenance of possession. The good player, once he has passed the ball, doesn't just stand and watch.
The key to developing a team's play in negative space is to get the players to conscientiously think about it in practice.

Practice Sessions
The practice sessions start with two warm-ups, as shown in the drills below: starting with the Circle Drill at the top and then the Three-Ball Game.

Circle Drill
The team is divided into groups of eight, who form circles 20 yards in diameter with one player in the middle. Three players around the circle are given a ball. The player in the middle starts the drill by running away and then coming back toward a player in possession, calling for the ball (Pass 1). His first touch lays the ball back (Pass 2) to a free player on the circle, who plays the ball (Pass 3) to a player without a ball. The player in the middle then starts another run and keeps play dynamic (Passes 4, 5, and 6). After a minute, another player rotates into the center and the play continues. A defender or two can be added to increase pressure and add some game realism.

Three-Ball Game
Highlights one of the important reasons for using negative space: switching the point of attack. Six 10-by-10 yard squares are laid out with flat cones at the bottom half of the field, and 16 players are divided into three teams of five plus a goalkeeper. While one team and goalkeeper man the six boxes, the other two scrimmage each other. The objective is to play and air ball into the hands of one of your three receivers.
Restrictions:
1. A ball cannot be played to a receiver already in possession of a ball
2. Only a ball played first forward and then back can be played to a receiver in the run of play.
Player 3 or 5 can play to goals A or B, but not to C because the latter already has a ball. When a receiver catches, a ball, he holds it while the coach serves another.
Note: The receiver cannot pick up a ball from the ground. After the third ball is caught, either one team has captured all three or the two have split possessions. In the first case, the game ends and the losers switch places with the receivers - the goalkeepers stays in place - but in the second case, a receiver from the team last scored against throws his ball back into play. The first team to capture all three is declared winner and continues to take on all comers.

Wing Attack
This drill brings the play into the attacking third. The top half highlights shooting. Player 1 passes to 2, who has dashed around Cone 1. Player 1 then moves laterally for the return pass from Player 2. Player 1 then serves the ball to Player 3, who cuts around Cone 2. Player 3 then drops the ball back to 2 for a shot, and they all rotate.

Final Third Combo
This drill develops a creative sequence in the attacking third. Four attacking players are involved. Players 1 and 2 start at flat cone markers and make curved runs first away and then back towards the ball, while players 3 and 4 attack from near the midline.
Following a short dribble, Player 3 passes to Player 1 who, in turn, drops the ball back to 4. The latter then passes forward to Player 2, who again drops the ball back to 3 following the latter's overlap run. Player 4 follows his pass forward; 2 continues to step out and create space at his back; and 1 provides the attacking width by continuing to run down the wing.
Two marking defenders and a sweeper defend the attack, with the sweeper having to start play between his marking defenders. Offensive play is limited to two touches, with a second group of defenders alternating with the first after each possession.
We want to play in the attacking third of the field to be unpredictable, with the players changing direction quickly and frequently. After the ball is played to goal or out of bounds, we want Players 3 and 4 to reposition themselves as targets 1 and 2, and two new players to enter at the midline.
To begin play and acquaint the players with the sequence, we do not have to use defenders. We want the last pass back to Player 3 to be followed by a shot or a pass inside to 4 for a shot, or by a wide pass from 3 to 1.

Scrimmage
The practice session ends with the restricted 8v8 scrimmage shown in the diagram. It is played on a field two-thirds the regular size with wing zones and half line marked by flat cones.
Each team is organized with two strikers, three midfielders, two marking defenders, and a keeper. The play is natural except for one restriction: possession (turnovers) won inside the enemy's half must be followed by a pass into negative space, or a free kick will be awarded the other team.
The scoring system further emphasizes the effective use of negative space:
1. A goal scored from a ball dropped back counts four points
2. A goal scored any other way counts two points
3. A single point can be scored on each possession by swinging the ball from one wing zone to the other - switching play
4. A single point can be scored on each possession by stringing together five passes.
In the diagram, team black has won possession at the wing over the halfway line. Consequently, Player 1's first pass is back to Player 2, the window man. The latter, in turn, changes the point of attack by directing play to the opposite wing for a point.
The effecting use of negative space can help every team's attack. Superior teams can use it well. To repeat: watch the Brazilians, Ajax, or Virginia.