From Darryl : Zone 14
Hello Myles,
I’m slightly surprised at you. The Zone 14 that Rory Smith writes an article on is nothing new.
This has been the stuff of UEFA Coaching seminars for years, and Mourinho used this knowledge at Inter to blunt Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League semi-final.
Imagine each half of a football pitch split 3×3 into 9 rectangles.
Zones 1-9 are the nine zones in your half of the pitch. Zones 10-12 cover the first third of the opponents half, and Zone 14, is the central area going roughly from 15 yards inside the opponents half to just outside the opponents penalty area.
That is where most forward passes in the opposing half are hit from and where most goal assists come from.
In plainer English, it’s about the number 10 getting in between the lines to create chances and goals.
The most notable thing is that Pep Guardiola at Barcelona was the high priest of getting players into the number 10 slot (could be any of 5), but have you seen how often his Bayern Munich team crosses the ball?
From William Marshall : Zone 14 – Times article is simplistic
Hi Myles,
As ever a mainstream article that flogs a theme in a topical and shallow fashion, LVG’s possession v SAF’s crossing is only a facet of what it is about.
Barca are successful because they mix it up, they don’t just go through the middle. Remember Henry saying he’d get benched by Guardiola if he kept cutting inside.
Here’s a non thematic analysis:
http://leochanperformanceanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/what-is-zone-14-in-football.html
Myles says:
Thanks, guys.
Fair point to say that you’re more likely to score from Zone 14 if you pass within 2 seconds, rather than waiting for 6 seconds or 8.
That backs up what we see every weekend..and at other times.
Speed is a big thing in football.
And, as Bill Shankly said, the ball never gets tired.