Was wondering if any of you have experience of taking a 7 a side team, or watching good 7 a side football, whats the best way of approaching it tactically. Is it playing 1-2-2-2 & sticking to positions or would playing most of the team behind the ball & building out with support play be more beneficial - if its this then would hand passing be the best option?
the fittest, strongest player (on the ball) plays in nets. They can then run the field when they retain possession and draw men to them to leave space for the other players.
Quote from: stiffler on June 02, 2008, 12:24:13 PM
the fittest, strongest player (on the ball) plays in nets. They can then run the field when they retain possession and draw men to them to leave space for the other players.
there is something to this method alright. when we were doing well in 7´s comps we used to play marsden in goals. People on the sideline used to wonder why an all star was in goals then he´d go on a run and bag a goal etc
I haven't been to many 7s tournaments but had the fortune to watch Bellaghy and Ballinderry win the Kilmacud 7s in '98 and 2002. Both were excellent teams with a lot of real ball players on and tactics down to a tee!
Doherty did nets for Bellaghy and won player of the tournament (I think he did anyway) and Conleth Gilligan was nets for Ballinderry when they won it.
It's really about having the right mix of ball players. Bellaghy lost a player in the early rounds and still won the tournament at a canter with 9 men for the rest of the games. They had a good interchange system to keep players fresh and they all knew their job. Ballinderry were likewise. Personally I think it's the calibre of forwards you have that will dictate the winning and losing of these things.
Lads who can shoot scores for fun but maybe don't flourish in normal club games where someone is marking them tightly can really excel at 7s. Although it depends on the individual strengths as a club team as to the best way to play it.
st galls had a great strategy too screen, although they lost years final
once they scored, all 7 men retreated into their own half, not defending from the full forward line out like the 15 a side game
it meant it was basically 7 v 7 all the time, the first tackle wasnt going in until maybe 30 yards from goal