Zonal marking of Giampaolo and Sarri

There are three different defending schools in football, old-fashioned man marking with the libero, which has faded away, the second is mixed zone or the modern man marking that aims for individual duels across the field, the player pays attention primarily on the direct opponent and mark the man within the zone. The third is zonal marking, where players assigned into a specific zone, and move with respect of the position of the ball, goal, teammate and the opponent. The basic principle is to defend the zone of the ball and shorten the playing field to limit the space of the opponent.

A team keep short distance vertically and horizontally between its lines, moving collectively according to the ball position, advancing forward, slipping backwards, and shifting from side to the other and so on in order to maintain spatial coverage. Defenders have to keep an eye to the neighboring areas and maintain constant coverage and support to the teammate. Every defender is responsible of the opponent enters his zone in relation to the ball.

"When out of possession, you have to keep an eye on the position of the ball first and then the orientation, that is the position between the ball and the goal. Then the teammate, always keep and maintain the right distance." Marco Giampaolo

"In fact, our main point of reference is the ball, which is not the case for everyone. Then, it is logical that there are also opponents, but we move and act according to the position of the ball." Giovanni Martusciello.

However, this article will be about zonal marking in the Italian way, few teams practice this strict zonal marking, a very ball oriented throughout the field. For the likes of Gigi Delneri, Maurizio Sarri and Marco Giampaolo it is like a dogma and even though Sarri's and Giampaolo's football seen as entertaining, for them defensive phase is the cornerstone of their game. During games, they almost never instruct their players during possession phase, but when their teams are out of possession, it is different story. Teams that are applying this zonal marking are Napoli, Sampdoria, Udinese, Roma and this season Inter's Spalletti have some elements of it with the help of the former Empoli coach Giovanni Martusciello who was also assistant of Sarri and Giampaolo.

"We have faced each other in amateur leagues, there was balance in the field, and we were very fixed on zonal marking. There wasn't much show in the field, because the defence was a very important element for both of us. Many games ended up in draw just because our teams were always much closed." Loris Beoni on Maurizio Sarri.

"The coach does a lot of work on defence, which is one of the reasons why I joined, he can really enhance my repertoire and I think I have made the right move." Gian Marco Ferrari on Marco 

Giampaolo.

Advantages of zonal marking:

-Having Compact and short team

-Having more players near the ball zone.

-Ability to adapt to any type of opponent.

-Pressing with collaboration and cooperation.

Collective defensive tactics in general:

Staggering: the unit must be arranged in different heights, and not in a flat line, the defenders have to cover the zone and to cover the teammate as well as marking the opponent. Staggering allows mutual coverage (shifting) in order to remain compact.

Delaying action: it is to reduce time and space of the opponent. It can be done through two ways:

1- Temporization: slowing down the opponent's attack and give up the field to the opponent trying to re-establish the defense by moving backwards towards the goal.

2- Pressing and offside tactics.

Concentration: to have as many players behind the ball as possible, to have density around the ball, and the more the ball gets near to the goal the more the unit gets tighter and the distance between defenders decrease, this concept called "imbuto difensivo" translated to defensive funnel.

Equilibrium: it is to maintain the mutual coverage under all circumstances and to cover the space and the teammate is more important than to man mark.

Control and caution: awareness of where to adjust depending on the situation, taking into account other references besides the ball, the teammate, goal, opponent, and the space.

Basic concepts

Defensive diagonal and defensive pyramid

As discussed in "staggering" it is important that the backline is not flat while pressing or defending long balls, in order to provide spatial coverage, these terms are considered the most important concepts in zonal marking, they refer to the shifting between players. When one of the full backs attack the ball the rest (two center backs and the ball far full back) drop forming a coverage line "linea di copertura", this is called defensive diagonal.

If the ball is in a central area and the center back attacks the ball, the rest three will drop forming a coverage line, this is called defensive pyramid. Additionally, the three defenders must shorten the distance between them so the space behind the vacant center back cannot be exploited.

Coverage line in Long passes.

A defence without coverage line

The defensive elastic

"Staticity is the death of the defence, and that is why the unit should never be found motionless, and always in a wave movement moving the line continuously, but never stop applying the defensive elastic." Francesco Conti (Giampaolo's assistant, and former Delneri's assistant).

Moving forward and backward constantly in relation to the movement of the ball. The defensive line must be in motion and not static in order to keep a proper distance to the ball and maintain compactness as well as increasing the density around the ball. However, most importantly is that the backline cannot be penetrated from the depth in long or short balls and take the depth down from the opponent.

The elastic movement determined by two situations, firstly 'covered ball' and secondly the 'uncovered ball'. Covered ball means that the ball cannot be played forward, and simply the opposite in an uncovered ball where the opponent is not pressed or able to play forward. When the ball is returning towards the opponent's goal the defensive line advance forward and vice versa if the ball advance. However, it is also important for defenders to be ready as the ball can progress, return or to be in an uncovered situation within seconds, so defenders have to keep an eye on the ball constantly with a good body posture to be able to read the situation and overcome the threat. The backline can be stable if the ball is in an adequate distance, but immediately retreat once the ball played forward. In addition, it is worth to note that elastic movement ends around the edge of penalty area (last 25m), as the keeper could left his goal for clearance and also to apply offside trap.

Offside trap

Offside traps utilized to interrupt opponent's attack, however, offside trap logically would result from the elastic movement. A risky strategy, as it requires perfect timing from the defenders without mentioning refereeing mistakes. There are some triggers utilized for the offside trap, like a back pass from the attacker, when the opponent hesitate during the attacker's insertion, or even when the ball on its direction to the next recipient during the attacker's insertion where the backline could advance leaving the attacker in an offside situation.

Here are other common situations for offside traps to be applied:

When the opponent cuts inside.

When the ball is cleared in active play or in set pieces.

Defenders attacking the ball around the penalty area, which would result an offside situation.

In numerical inferiority.

Compactness

Compactness is to have short distances between players vertically and horizontally, it allows proper coverage and density around the ball area as well as mutual coverage between players in order to support each other. Central areas are difficult to penetrate while wide areas left open as the danger is likely to be less, the unit tighten when dropping backwards as the distance between the ball and the goal decrease, forming the aforementioned "imbuto difensivo".

Pressing

"Having an active defense means that even when the opponent has the ball you are the master of the game [...] suffocating pressing is an additional weapon, but it requires a considerable amount of energy and an organized team." Arrigo Sacchi.

In Italian football dictionary, pressing is not the same as pressione (pressure) which referred to an individual action aiming to limit time and space to the ball carrier. Pressure must be applied with aggressiveness in numerical superiority, with correct timing, pressure must be applied constantly as the team has a high line.

The aim of collective pressing is the recovery of the ball and force turnovers as the opponent has less time and space to decide. Initially, the whole block must be compact and well positioned whenever the pressing applied depending on the ball position. With emphasize to cover the center forcing the opponent to wider areas, whereas the ball carrier has only 180° to play, and through an aggressive attitude, the team could take advantage and win the ball, and this is the most common pressing trap. Moreover, various triggers of pressing occur in the game can increase the possibility of winning the ball, like opponent's poor control (poor first touch, ball on the weak foot), a long pass, a bouncing ball, or the opponent faces his own goal.

Sampdoria's high pressing vs. Juventus

High pressing, however, is pressing the opponent in their own third, the distance to the goal is short, the possibility of scoring after ball recovery is higher. Pressing high requires good preparation and positioning from the team and from the attackers as a first line, attackers have the sign to lead the way and begin the pressing. When the opponent builds their play from the keeper they are allowed a passing option, that is in goal kicks, however, in active play, attackers must be aware of their movement while pressing the keeper and bend their runs in order to cover passing lanes to the center backs. Same runs used to cover passing lanes to the center when opponent's center backs have the ball.

Other aspects

Midfield line

The staggering (diagonals and pyramids) is applied too, but unlike the back line, it is not necessarily in one line. The coordination between the two lines (defence and midfield) would benefit the team in certain situations, such as, cover shadow concept, which requires good positioning and constantly checking shoulders from midfielders so midfield line cannot be penetrated and thus, defence is not exposed and defenders cannot be dragged out of position. It is necessary that midfielders apply proper pressure so that defenders able to apply elastic movement and offside trap. In addition, midfielders also responsible in terms of maintaining spatial coverage in certain situations such as in the space that could appear between the center back and the full back when the latter move to close down the ball carrier on the wing. Also wide midfielders could offer help for the full backs by doubling or covering on the wing, so full back is not being isolated or outnumbered.

Defensive third

The ball still the main reference for defenders in the last 25m, however, backline must focus primarily on the dangerous zone rather than tracking the opponents. In early crosses, coverage line immediately drop towards the goal after the ball attacked by the fullback. In late crosses, even though defenders have to keep an eye also on the attackers in dangerous zones but not to be influenced by their movement and focus on the dangerous zone and form a reversed diagonal called "diagonale negativa" so defenders able to limit the space in front of the goal.

Special situations

Nothing left to the chance, however, backline try to have greater retention of the shape and maintain proper coverage as much as possible and avoid being chaotic, defenders try to find quick solution for a given situation to be able to cover each other to remain stable.

If a player left his position to attack the ball, or if the ball overtakes him or dribbled past, the main reference for the player is the teammate, so the defender has to climb to the vacant space left by his teammate. The overtaken player tries to cover his teammate's zone, also midfielders would provide the coverage if necessary 'as in the last GIF'. 

Here are some examples that would occur during a game:

However, there are many examples of situations that would occur during a game, as the last video shows, but the most common situation is numerical inferiority, the solution often is the delaying action, that is, trying to slow down the opponent attack by moving back so teammates can recover to the defensive shape, another solution is attacking the ball and try win it with the right timing.

Set pieces

There are also three ways of marking in set pieces, man marking, zonal marking, and mixture between the two called mixed zonal marking where number of players tasked to man mark best opponent's players on the air, while the rest defend a zone. Zonal marking in set pieces concerned about the ball and its direction at first, goal, opponent and finally teammate. Players attack the ball and move forward, every player is responsible for the zone between himself and his nearest teammate. Players predeterminedly arranged to control the dangerous zones with all players involved; by deploying zonal marking in set pieces, one needs to choose players precisely to defend specific zones, depending on their physicality, how good they are on the air and also by their positions. One of the key points when defending zonally on set pieces is that players must not stay passive and have dynamic posture prior to the arrival of the ball.

Advantages:

-No physical contact, and thus the possibility of committing fouls (penalty) decrease.

-Ability to defend against better teams physically.

-Difficult for the opponent to use set pieces routines, as the movement determined by the ball.

Corner kicks

Set up:

Near post zone (1): one player with good areal ability and also technical ability in order to deal with low or flat crosses. This zone is targeted by opponents, where the keeper could not come out to punch or catch.

Near post zone (2): one player on the near post, always a player with less areal ability, ready to leave the post immediately once the ball played to apply offside trap, he also move towards the wing in the case that the opponent plays short corner to avoid being outnumbered (2v1).

Outside the 6-yards zone: one player stands in front of the near post, usually a striker and good on heading. Then the backline, ball near full back stands in front of the near post, the ball far full back on the far post, while center backs at the heart of the penalty box as they often have better physicality and good at heading. From the penalty spot until the edge of the area, occupied by three players, two players (usually central midfielders) stand at the penalty spot zone to prevent cutbacks or even a surprising routine. The last player is at the edge of penalty area also to prevent cutbacks, but immediately move towards the corner when the opponent tries to play short.

offside trap applied when the ball cleared 

or when the opponent plays short.

Zeman's Lazio 1993

Free kicks

Setup:

Two lines formed when defending free kick (wide or central), the first line positioned around the penalty area and usually consists of seven players, the second line with only one player in the case that the opponent uses a routine or a scheme. The wall formed by two players usually, in the case that the opponent plays short. The backline is at the heart of the line, while the first player on the line is tasked to move the first one.

Pescara's Zeman offside trap against Juventus.

A failed offside trap from Roma's Zeman.

Offside trap on free kicks would be even more riskier as it is predictable especially against "il mago delle palle inattive" Gianni Vio (Fiorentina's set pieces coach then).

Throw-ins: As the offside rule is not applied in throw-ins, a slight adjustment to man marking is inevitable, especially if the ball is closer to the goal.

What's the difference?

"If my defenders ask to take account of the opponent, they always lose the sight of the ball"... "Often defenders are accustomed to keeping an eye on the opponent and the ball, in this order; some can do it, some less. It is a long process, it must be organized. For example, you need to have players accustomed more to occupy the space and less to feel the "flesh" of the opponent." Marco Giampaolo.

"It is the ball that determines the movements of our defensive line. Defenders are all connected together and have the objective of covering spaces in reference to the ball. Our basic principle is the depth coverage, re-establish the defensive block, and constant pressure with the objective of covering the ball and allowing the defensive elastic movement forward." Fabio Micarelli (Giampaolo's collaborator).

Theoretically, there are variants and different orientations of zonal marking depending on the coach's preference and the culture of the country, which differ from one to another, some teams taking into account the man as well as the ball, as players would adjust slightly to the movement of the direct opponent. Some German teams, for instance, uses a ball oriented pressing and somewhat you can see the backline's behavior adjust to the man. Also Spanish coaches/teams like Unai Emery or Marcelino or Atletico's Simeone adjust and shift depending on the zone of the ball, but in middle areas they are position oriented, maintaining stability with a kind of passivity and slightly defenders adjust to the direct opponent and try to anticipate their movements in lower zones. Lucien Favre has similar to that of position oriented as well, with clear man orientation.

Back four and didactic

"I prefer back four, because it covers the amplitude better." Marco Giampaolo.

Having four players at the back line is fundamental in implementing zonal marking, as it gives good distribution along the width, and gives proper coverage of the depth. Preparing for transition to defence is important whilst attacking, you will not see Sarri's teams -for example- both full backs advance at the same time, not Giampaolo's full backs out wide in build-up phase, obviously the reason is to re-establish the backline as quickly as possible when losing the ball. Apparently, Zonal marking is more complicated system than man marking as it relies less on the individual, and requires more organization and more connection between players, however, players' characteristics and individual skills are essential to develope this type of defending such as, positioning, marking, anticipation, interception, and tackling (or contrasto in Italian)

“The defence will be reinforced with work on the pitch”... “I don’t accept the idea that you need to do it by signing players. To rely on the market is to renounce hard work.” Maurizio Sarri.

"It is a long process, it should be organized, we start immediately in pre-season." Marco Giampaolo.

From theory to practice before concluding, it is known that Giampaolo and co. start with the defensive line from the first day of pre-season. Developing this game however, needs time, starting in didactic-analytical way with basics and move into tactical-situational where the complexity enhanced. Repetition is fundamental for players to adapt, moving from unopposed to opposed drills and from sectoral into collective. Defence line trained separately quite a lot to be able to read different gaming situations like, covered ball, when to attack the ball and when to delay, when to double or when to climb and even dealing with numerical inferiority, as Delneri note that defenders "must be able to defend even in numerical inferiority". That would be achieved only by work and in an uncountable repetition and emphasize of keeping the same organization even in small sided games.

Conclusion

"Who plays man marking shows concern and weakness, who plays the zone is confident of his schemes and wants to impose it." Giuliano Sonzogni (Giampaolo's mentor).

"When talking about the defensive phase, one should never think of defenders alone ... I believe that a team capable of making an organic non-possession phase has an added value, because, for me, it is the result of a collective rather than the individual qualities, such as in one against one." Marco Giampaolo.

"A type of defence -in my opinion- is implemented poorly in football today and that is based on the principle of ball-orientation." Francesco Calzona (Sarri's long-trusted assistant").

Through Sacchi's teachings, zonal marking has evolved through the years and has different variants inside and outside Italy. The "zona totale" translated to full or total zonal marking is a unique defending system and without exaggeration, a joy to watch, and is not just a matter of density or intensity.