Pep Guardiola has introduced INVERTED FULLBACK / WINGBACK movements to the Premier league. It’s a real statement of intent to introduce radical ideas from the norm and we are sure in time it will be an effective change in the game set up.

Here Wayne shows how these inverted runs work having implemented them with his own team over a year ago with great success and hence winning one of the toughest leagues in the country at U14; the Southern California CRL league.

These inverted movements created confusion in the opponents defensive set ups and he also added wingers making the same moves as opposed to the wing backs (which is more common). Defensively now this would mean with (6) dropping back in; the second line of defenders would be (2), (8) and (3) getting compact as a three centrally.

Add this variation to your team, it opens up new attacking and defending challenges for your opponents.

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A Function: Teaching Inverted Runs from Outside to Inside

The defending team have won the ball. This shows initially how the defending team build play from the back in wide and central areas of the field. This builds into various ways to develop play out the back, here we highlight several ways to do it.

Inverted runs inside are obvious from the wing backs but it can be done with center backs and wingers too. We add (11) to give a greater chance of success as we have moved on to focus on Phase Three, building out of the back. Now the overload is in the defending teams favor building from the back. This teaches players to recognize where the space is to run into based on defenders positioning.

I prefer they keep the ball, go back to the keeper; develop play different ways; maintaining possession practicing building play from the back until they lose it; and then they go into defensive mode again. There are a lot of different movements and rotations here so with your potential time constraints to teach this idea perhaps you will pick just a couple of “stock” moves to teach. I would suggest the wing back movements are the best ones to teach as they are totally UNEXPECTED, next the wingers and least likely the center backs.. But good to see choices.

A Function: Attacking Shape Through 4 Players

Defending team win the ball and this is a functional idea you can use to build in wide and central areas. A functional practice developing movement between 3 players and the keeper. Make it easy for success initially with a 4 v 1. It is exactly the same on the other side with (2), (7) and (5) so we don’t need to repeat it.

Attacking Shape Through 4 Players

A functional practice developing movement between 3 players and the keeper.. Three choices here which will depend on how the defender reacts. Could press (3) or track (4) but cant affect (11) expect to intercept a pass.

Inverted Wing Back Movement

Center back (4) goes wide drawing (A) towards the touchline and (3) moves inside to receive the pass from the keeper with an inverted run.

Inverted Wide Striker Move

Center back (4) goes wide drawing (A) towards the touchline and (3) moves inside to receive the pass from the keeper with an inverted run.

Attacking Shape Through 5 Players

Same idea as the keeper but now (6) is on the ball and we bring in an extra defender. Inverted wing back run into space to get free from the defender.

Defender Tracks the Run Inside

The inverted wing back run inside into the space to receive. Defender tracks the run so it opens up the passing lane to (11).

Three Movements Create Space for (11)

Defender (A) cuts off the pass inside so passes to (4). Defender (B) presses (3) and (11) cuts inside with the inverted run to receive from center back (4). Wing Back (3) can continue an attacking forward run into the space vacated by (11).

Getting Free Through the Center Back (4)

An Inverted center back (4) run to get free to receive the ball. Initial run is wide to offer support. But defender (B) closes down (4). Wing back (3) distracts (B) with a run to allow center back (4) to cut inside to get out.

Now Against 3 Defenders

This is our offensive set up. 3 players in wide areas along the touchline. We have a 4 v 3 plus the keeper so a much harder situation to work to get free from the back. Have defenders not press immediately to get the session going, more shadowing the player but they can intercept passes.

Now Looking for Imaginative Solutions to Build from the Back

Ask defenders to make decisions to press a player. This will mean one player should be free somewhere. In this case it is (11).

Ask defenders to make decisions to press a player. This will mean one player should be free somewhere. In this case it is (3) with an inverted run inside.

Rotation of (11) and (3)

Defender (C) closes down (11) after (3) and (11) interchange and (3) makes a second run inside to receive the pass into space.

Inverted Wing Back Movements

Center back (4) goes wide drawing (A) towards the touchline and (3) moves inside to receive the pass from the keeper. The other side of the field center back (5) goes wide and draws (B) towards the outside, the wing back (2) tucks in also. (6) in this situation can go to (2) or (3). By taking (A) and (B) wide we open up the central passing lanes for (2) and (3).

Inverted Runs by Wing Backs

We attack down one side and we slide across with the other three of the back four to cover the spaces behind. (3)’s second run after drawing (7) wide is back inside.