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Lesson 23

Long Throw-in Attack Strategy

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Hello! Welcome back to our module on Tactical Throw-ins.

In our last lesson, we focused on designing possession-based throw-in routines for different zones of the pitch, looking at clever movements, bounce passes, and screens to maintain control and progress the ball. We saw how coaches like Maurizio Sarri use these moments to create intricate attacking patterns.

Today, we shift our focus to a more direct and powerful weapon: the long throw-in. While the previous routines were about control and precision, the long throw is about generating controlled chaos in the most dangerous area of the pitch. This lesson directly addresses the learning outcome: Design an attacking routine to exploit a long throw-in opportunity. We will deconstruct how elite teams turn a simple throw-in into a scoring chance comparable to a corner kick.

1. The Anatomy of a Long Throw Attack

A successful long throw isn't just a hopeful launch into the box. It is a highly choreographed play designed to manipulate the defence and create specific types of chances. The best way to think about designing a routine is to break it down into three core components: Mechanics, Targets, and Choreography.

Let's begin by reading a short but insightful piece on this framework.

The Long Throw-In in Soccer: Why It's Back & How to Defend it

This article from the International Soccer Science and Performance Federation (ISSPF) provides an excellent overview of the modern long throw. It breaks down the key components needed to build an effective routine.

Please read the first three sections, starting from 'The Mechanics Behind a Great Long Throw' and ending just before 'Analysts – The Engine Room of a Long-Throw Program'. As you read, focus on: The three components: mechanics, targets, and choreography. The three phases of choreography: pre-release movement, first-contact contest, and second-phase traps.

As the article explains, the choreography is where you, as a coach, have the most impact. Let's use its three-phase structure to build our routine:

  1. The Setup (Pre-Release Movement): Positioning players to create space and occupy defenders.
  2. The First Contact: Contesting the throw to flick it into a more dangerous area.
  3. The Second Ball (Second-Phase Traps): Attacking the flick-on or clearance to score.

2. Phase 1: The Setup and Target Zone

The initial setup is designed to give your team the best possible chance of winning the first and second balls. This involves deciding on a target zone for the throw and positioning your players accordingly.

A common strategy is to target the near post area, between the six-yard box and the penalty spot. There are two main reasons for this:

  • Physics: It's physically difficult to throw the ball with a flat, dangerous trajectory all the way to the far post.
  • Goalkeeping: A high, looping throw towards the far post is easier for a goalkeeper to come and claim. A flatter, faster throw to the near post is much harder to judge and intercept.

Let's see how a professional team sets up.

Long Throws Explained – The Key to Cheltenham’s Promotion

This analysis of Cheltenham Town's promotion-winning season by Total Football Analysis highlights their incredibly effective long-throw strategy. We'll start by examining their typical player positioning.

Watch the section from 00:40 to 01:27. Pay close attention to the four distinct groups of players and their specific roles: Players outside the box. Players at the edge of the six-yard area. Players crowding the goalkeeper. The player at the back post.

Based on the video, a typical setup includes:

  • Recyclers (2 players): Positioned outside the penalty area to win clearances and prevent counter-attacks.
  • Near-Post Attackers (2-3 players): Start around the penalty spot, ready to attack the target zone.
  • Goalkeeper Blockers (1-2 players): Position themselves on the goal line to legally impede the goalkeeper, preventing them from claiming the throw and blocking their vision.
  • Far-Post Poachers (1-2 players): Wait at the back post, ready to attack the second ball.
Attacking Throw-in Routine in a Professional Football Match
A real-world example from a Brentford match. Notice the cluster of players ready to attack the near-post area, a player waiting deeper at the far post, and others positioned to challenge for second balls.

3. Phases 2 & 3: First Contact & The Second Ball

This is where the routine comes to life. The primary objective is rarely for the first player to score directly. Instead, the goal is to win the first contact and flick the ball into the path of a teammate attacking the second phase.

The key actions are:

  • Decoy Runs: Players rushing the near post drag defenders with them, creating space elsewhere.
  • The Flick-On: The first attacker's job is to get a clean touch that redirects the ball across the face of the goal or towards the back post.
  • The Late Run: The "far-post poacher" holds their run, staying unmarked. As defenders are drawn to the initial flight of the ball, this player makes a late run to attack the flick-on.

Let's watch this in action and then read about a similar strategy.

Long Throws Explained – The Key to Cheltenham’s Promotion

Returning to the Total Football Analysis video, we'll now see how Cheltenham executes the flick-on routine.

Watch the segment from 03:38 to 05:18. Observe how the initial header is consistently aimed towards a teammate arriving at the far post. Note how the movement of the near-post attackers draws defenders away, creating the space for the second-phase attack.

This principle of a near-post flick to a far-post runner is a cornerstone of many successful long-throw routines. Let's reinforce this concept by looking at how another famously effective set-piece team, Brentford, applies it.

Attacking Throw-in Tactics in the Final Third

This article from Football Bunseki analyses the tactics of both Sarri and Brentford. We will focus specifically on their breakdown of Brentford's long throw-in strategy, which shares many principles with what we just saw from Cheltenham.

Please read the section titled 'Brentford Long Throw-in Tactics'. Focus on their reasoning for targeting the first post and, crucially, the tactical purpose of the 'late movement' from the players at the far post.

4. Your Design Blueprint

You now have all the components to design your own long-throw routine. Here is a step-by-step blueprint to guide you.

Step 1: Assign Roles
Based on your squad, identify players for these key jobs:

  • The Thrower: Who has the required mechanic (distance and flat trajectory)?
  • Aerial Target (First Contact): Your best player in the air for winning the initial header.
  • Goal Poacher (Second Phase): A player with good anticipation and finishing ability.
  • Blockers/Distractions: Physically strong players who can legally occupy the keeper and key defenders.
  • Recyclers: Tactically disciplined players to secure the edge of the box.

Step 2: Choreograph the Play

  1. Starting Positions: Place your players in their designated zones (Recyclers, Near-Post Attackers, Blockers, Poachers).
  2. Target: The thrower aims for the aerial target at the near post.
  3. Movement:
    • The Blockers impede the goalkeeper.
    • The Aerial Target attacks the ball with the aim to flick it across the goal towards the far post.
    • The Goal Poacher starts their run late, attacking the space at the far post to meet the flick-on.
    • The Recyclers hold their position, ready for clearances.

Step 3: Name Your Play
As the ISSPF article suggested, giving your plays simple names helps with communication. For the routine we've just designed, you could call it:

  • "Flick-Far"
  • "Near-to-Back"

This creates a shared language that allows you to call the play from the touchline quickly and clearly.

Conclusion

Today, you have learned how to deconstruct and design one of football's most potent set-piece weapons. Far from being a simple launch into the box, an effective long throw is a structured, multi-phase attack.

Key Takeaways:

  • A long throw routine is built on Mechanics, Targets, and Choreography.
  • The choreography can be broken into three phases: Setup, First Contact, and Second Ball.
  • A common and effective strategy is to target the near post with a flick-on aimed towards a teammate making a late run to the far post.
  • Clear roles are essential: a thrower, an aerial target, a poacher, blockers, and recyclers all have distinct jobs to do.

Preview of the Next Lesson:
Now that you know how to design various types of throw-in routines (both for possession and for direct attack), your next task as a coach is to identify them when watching opponents. In the next lesson, we will focus on how to analyse effective throw-in routines from professional match footage, which is a critical skill for opposition scouting.