Basis of Transition

By Roberto Lopez
USSF Technical Advisor
 What is Transition ?

- Anticipate changes of possession.

– Finding ways to adjust accordingly.

– Reacting individually, as a group and as

a Team.
 The 3 Moments of Transition

- When in possession of the ball.

- When possession is lost.

- The moment in between having and losing

possession of the ball.
 Individually

- The Player in the immediate area

changes from attack to defend and vice
versa.

- Speed of decision

- Fitness level
 Group
- Players quickly recognize when to
adjust their positions.

- Defensively

A) Speed of approach
B) Quickly close spaces
C) Quickly close passing lanes
D) Distance and angles of support
 Group
• Offensively

- Early support after gaining possession.

- When to penetrate quickly.

- When to keep the ball.

- Reading the opponents defensive cues.

 Team
• Reading Visual cues when positioned on
the opposite side of the field.

• Quickly close spaces between lines.

• Get open quickly on the opposite side of

the field to penetrate on opponent’s weak
side.
 Team
• Attacking an organized Defense

• Attacking an unorganized Defense

• Getting organized defensively while the

team is in possession of the ball and
attacking.
 Team
• Fitness Level
A) Are the Players fit as a whole?
B) Can the players do it throughout the
entire game?

• Attitude & Mentality

A) Does the team have the attitude to
transition as a unit?
B) Do they do it without being asked?
 Team
• Do the Players move in a block or do they
get stretched out and leave gaps between
them?
• Do Players quickly move out after clearing
the ball?
• Do the players understand the part they
play in helping their team based on what is
happening on the field?
 Country/Club’s Culture
• Barcelona: Attack, Defend, Attack.

• Mourinho: Pack the back, quickly counter

• Italy: Quickly get behind the ball, patience to win

it back and fast counter.

• Brazil: Quick counter from deep positions

exploiting the flanks.
 Trends
• Early pressing and quick transitions

• Active defending and flexibility between

the various lines.

• Quick transitions are a key factor in

modern football.
 Quotes
• “Players have to react faster. Every movement,
every action happens faster. Think faster, act
faster, this is the football of the future”.
Valery Lobanovsky 1996

• “The most important moment in the game today

is when the ball is won or lost”.
Gérard Houllier
 Quotes
• I want Players that can attack opponents before
they are set, win the ball and attack in a fast
break mode.
Jürgen Klinsmann

. The Moment the opponent loses the ball can be

the time to exploit the opportunity of someone
being out of position.
José Mourinho

. In the future Transition will become reaction

because of the speed of the game.
Dick Bates
 Transition Activities
• 1v1 Individual
 Transition Activities
• Small Group- The team that gets scored on comes
out, first team out 3 times loses.
 Transition Activities.
• 4 v 4 Four goal game: All the players must be across the
midfield line for the goal to count. All the players in the defending
team must be behind the midfield line or if scored on the goal counts
as two.
 Transition Activities
• Team 16 Field Players & 2 GKs
2v2 on each have, if ball is passed to a supporting player in own
half, the two players must switched as well as the marker. When
passing the ball to team mate on the opposite half can join if
receiving the return pass making it a 3v2.