In any soccer formation, the offensive line acts as the team’s spearhead. Typically, the tip of the spear comprises one or two strikers, supported by attacking midfielders located behind them and out on the flanks of the field. These offense-minded players are responsible for the majority of the team’s attacking plays.
Scoring Goals
Scoring goals is the primary role of a soccer team’s offense. Strikers and center forwards lead the offensive line. According to the Expert Football website, a striker’s job is simple: he must maintain his position in front of his opponent’s goal with the sole intention of scoring goals. Coaches also expect their wingers and attacking midfielders to score goals, but strikers and forwards are the true sharpshooters in any team.
Create Goal-Scoring Opportunities
Without the support of their attack-minded teammates, strikers and forwards become isolated, often making them ineffective. A soccer team’s offense must act as a unit to break down the opposition’s defense, with attacking midfielders and wingers creating goal-scoring opportunities. Attacking midfielders and midfield playmakers move through the center of the field in an attempt to supply their forwards with defense-splitting passes. Wingers, meanwhile, attack down the right and left flanks. They supply their forwards with crosses into the box, or attack defenders one-on-one.
Keeping Possession
When an immediate goal-scoring opportunity doesn’t present itself, the offensive unit must work hard to keep possession of the ball. If attacking players continually lose possession, they will place added pressure on their own defense. Good passing is vital to a successful offense, both in terms of creating opportunities and keeping possession. Possession soccer also requires effective movement of the ball and a degree of patience, especially against highly defensive opponents.
Defending and Closing Down
Despite its focus on attack, the offensive unit is also responsible for defending when necessary. Strikers rarely move into defensive positions, but other attacking players must support their defense in high-pressure situations. Wingers, for example, must sometimes drop back into a fullback position if the fullback is under extreme pressure, or if the fullback has strayed out of position. When the opposition has control of the ball in its own half, the offensive unit can further support the team’s defensive efforts by closing down the ball carrier. By closing down their opponents early, attacking players can upset the opposition’s rhythm, denying them time on the ball and perhaps forcing errors.
Running Down the Clock
When defending a one-goal lead in the final minutes of a game, attacking players often dribble the ball into the opposing team’s corner of the field in an attempt to eat up precious seconds. Once near the corner flag, the ball carrier typically shields the ball from the surrounding defenders. The ball carrier may win a throw-in or corner, further running down the clock. This is a form of legal time wasting. It is certainly not a pretty thing to watch, but it is a common tactic. A coach is unlikely to make her offensive unit directly responsible for running down the clock in this manner, but she would expect her players to be cautious when protecting a lead in the last few minutes of a game.
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