1. Reading Play U.S. Soccer Federation Referee Program
Online Training Script:
Welcome to U.S. Soccer’s online training for the Grade 7 Referee Course.
Training for this course is specific to preparing officials for the amateur adult game.
This presentation focuses on reading play.
U.S. Soccer Federation Referee Program
Grade 7 Referee Course
Amateur Adult Training

2. Reading Play Reading play
What the referee team does in relation to team tactics and strategies
Positioning and tool box
Principles of play
Attack
Defense
Online Training Script:
Reading play refers to what the referee team does in relation to the types of tactics and strategies being employed by the teams and players.
Being able to read play will not only help improve a referee’s positioning but it can also assist with his or her use of the tool box for game flow and game control.
Before a referee can begin to effectively read play, he or she must have a basic understanding of the principles of play.
The principles of plays are separated into attack and defense.
Very simply, a team is on the attack when in possession of the ball and defending when they are not in possession of the ball.
Note that these principles hold true regardless of a team’s formation or tactical approach to the game.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

3. Principles of Attack Attack Penetration Support Mobility Width
Creativity
Online Training Script:
There are five core attacking principles.
Penetration refers to dribbling, passing and shooting.
Support means the options teammates provide to the player in possession of the ball.
Mobility is the attempt to create gaps and space by movement off the ball.
Width allows the for the attacking team to create space, time and expose the defense.
And finally, its important to make the attack unpredictable by being creative and this often relies on a player’s technical abilities.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

4. Principles of Defense Defense Pressure Delay Support and cover Balance
Compactness
Control and restraint
Counterattack
Online Training Script:
Note that the core objective of defense is to gain possession of the ball.
This is accomplished through pressure, which means intentionally working to win the ball back quickly.
Delaying means creating time to get organized.
This is often accomplished by dropping back into defensive positions and containing the player in possession of the ball.
Support and cover refers to the additional defenders in relation to the player who is pressuring the ball.
Having balance refers to the overall defensive positioning in areas away from the ball.
Staying compact is important as it eliminates space and options for attacking players.
Control and restraint refers to the approach and composure shown by individual defenders when exposed or without support and cover.
And lastly, once possession is gained, defenders become attackers and the principles of play shifts to the attack.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

5. Tactical Awareness Systems of play Styles of play General tactics
Restarts
Set pieces
Marking
Off the ball
Substitutions
Online Training Script:
In support of the core principles of play, there are a variety of team tactics that can impact a referee’s positioning and use of the tool box.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

6. Systems of Play Common formations 4-4-2 4-3-3 3-4-3 3-5-2 4-5-1
Online Training Script:
Given the importance of reading play in the amateur adult game, having an understanding of a team’s general system of play can help a referee better prepare for and execute during the game.
Different formations, which can change during the course of the game, can help indicate the style of play and tactical approach that a team will adopt.
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7. 4-4-2 Online Training Script:
One of the most common formation is
This system of play can be employed with defenders and midfielders playing flat or in a diamond shape.
This type of formation often promotes wide and direct styles of play.
For those teams playing with a diamond shape in the midfield, the attacking and defensive midfielder can become central to the teams tactical approach.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

8. 4-3-3 Online Training Script:
4-3-3 is a formation that promotes a more possession based style of play that can be used by teams with higher technical abilities.
This formation creates channels on the width of the field that may be exploited by overlapping runs from defenders and midfielders alike.
The presence of three core attackers, whether they include wingers or a more centralized strike force, can lead to increased possession in the opponent’s offensive third and around the penalty area.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

9. 3-4-3 Online Training Script:
Playing can also provide a good deal of positional and tactical flexibility for teams.
Again, a more compact defense can be supported by a layered midfield or allow a team to simply commit more numbers to attacking space wide and up the field.
This formation may also see players employ a short passing style while allowing them to defensively swarm the opponent when not in possession of the ball.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

10. 3-5-2 Online Training Script:
The formation sees a more central and compact defensive trio support a variety of midfield approaches that can result in or
This formation can also allow for a great deal of tactical flexibility depending on the team’s needs throughout the game.
This formation can provide teams with a numerical advantage in midfield allowing for increased pressure on the ball that can lead to turnovers and counterattack opportunities.
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11. 4-5-1 Online Training Script:
The formation is often a sign that a team will be committed to keeping numbers behind the ball and this approach might be used to protect a result late in the game.
This system can also be employed for teams that like to sit back and absorb pressure while looking for breaks on the counterattack.
The lone striker is typically used as a target and is required to hold up play while his or her teammates move to support the attack.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

12. Styles of Play Possession Direct Wide play Counterattack
Individual playmakers
High pressure
Online Training Script:
Regardless of the formation being used, teams will also adopt a style of play.
This style can be influenced by a variety of factors that include, the age and experience of the players, the result needed, and cultural influences.
Teams looking to maintain possession will often employ a short passing scheme and be more patient with the ball when building the attack.
A direct style of play typically means balls played long and over the top of players, often to target players high and wide.
Wide play will see the width of the field exploited and may rely on speedy players who are looking to serve the ball into attacking spaces.
A counterattacking style often sees a team sit back with numbers behind the ball and then attack quickly and directly once they gain possession.
Individual playmakers often dictate the tempo for their teams and may also be those who take on opponents or exploit isolated match ups.
Teams that employ a high pressure approach will often rely on fitness and organization to overcome their opposition.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

13. Restarts Quick or ceremonial Observe Kicker Ball Defenders
Must be able to see assistant referee
Goal scoring opportunities
Online Training Script:
Referees must first recognize if the restart can be taken quickly or if it’s required to be ceremonial.
The referee must then take up a position that allows him or her to observe the kicker or thrower, ball and the defenders involved.
Any restart situation near goal is significant and requires careful handling and positioning.
Because of the proximity to goal, the referee should be extremely observant and flexible in adopting positions as needed to observe the restart appropriately.
Regardless of their proximity to the goal, restarts can lead to pivotal moments in a game so a referee’s positioning should be based on the particular needs of the situation.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

14. Set Pieces Restarts Set Pieces Wall Placement Management Proactive
Positioning
Tool box
Online Training Script:
In addition to looking at restarts in general, it is important for referees working the amateur adult game to be prepared for the challenges that set pieces can provide.
Set pieces are simply preplanned plays that teams run from a restart.
They can range from simple to elaborate but are most often aimed at creating a goal scoring opportunity.
Since the opposition will usually create a wall to defend against set pieces, referees must be prepared to manage the wall and be in a position to observe encroachment or misconduct that takes place when attacking players are positioned near or in the wall.
Some other factors that can impact positioning and the use of the tool box during set pieces include short corner kicks, long throw-ins, goalkeeper interference, players competing for position within the penalty area and the distance and angle the set piece is from the goal.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

15. Marking 1 on 1 Close contact Retaliation Neutralization Zonal
Close down attackers
Speed and distance
Offside
Online Training Script:
Marking tactics are often dependent on the team’s defensive personnel and the attacking tactics of the opposition.
Teams can also adopt a mix of these approaches based on a variety of factors including time remaining in the game, the score and substitutions made.
One on one marking refers to when a defender is assigned to mark a specific attacking player.
This tactic often leads to close and constant contact between two players and this can lead to increased incidents of retaliation of behalf of the attacker and persistent infringement on behalf of the defender.
Extreme one on one marking can also be used to neutralize the opposition’s star player by using a dedicated defender who follows and harasses the attacking player.
To effectively deal with this, referees should position themselves to maximize their angle of view and move quickly to where an offence was committed to manage as needed.
Zonal marking refers to when defenders are responsible for a specific area of the field and for the players that enter that area.
This approach often relies on defenders moving at speed to close down attackers and can result in careless, reckless or excessive force challenges.
With this in mind, referees must have and use speed to be at an angle to view the play.
This marking style can also lead to more challenging offside decisions because of the distance between players and the speed at which players are moving.
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16. Off the Ball Movement Off the ball
Impacts options for player on the ball
Principles of play
Attack
Defense
Read the play
More proactive, less reactive
Online Training Script:
Based on the core principles of attack, attackers will look to create time and space.
One of the best ways to accomplish this is to move into open or unpressured areas of the field with or without the ball.
The term, off the ball, refers to when an attacking player makes movements while not possession of the ball.
While the referee should have a view of the play, being able to concurrently read play off the ball is an important ability for referees working the amateur adult game.
By reading play off the ball, the referee can better understand the options available to the player with the ball and this can help with the positioning the referee takes up as play continues.
For example, an unpressured player in possession of the ball deep in their defensive half is only half of the play if the referee can also recognize his or her teammate making a run up the touch line.
In this scenario, if the referee sees the movement off the ball, he or she can be bettered prepared for the possibility of a long ball being played into space for the teammate to run onto.
This consideration means the referees is not taken by surprise when he or she needs to sprint to maintain a view of the play once the long ball is played.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

17. Substitutions Game changes Factors Tactical or injury Timing
Player(s) entering the game
Strengths and weaknesses
Anticipated impact
More proactive, less reactive
Online Training Script:
It’s important that referees not forget that substitutions are among the most simple and direct means for a team to make tactical adjustments.
Substitutions are often made for two basic reason.
Either someone is hurt and needs to be replaced or there is a strategic reason behind the change.
The strategic reason can be as simple as a player needing a ten minute break or as complex as a team adding an extra defender to protect a lead in the final minutes of the match.
Regardless of the reason and whether the game is being played with limited or unlimited reentry, the game changes to some degree each time a substitution is made.
Again, being able to recognize changes that stem from substitutions will allow the referee to be more proactive and less reactive.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

18. Overview Positioning Flexible Intelligence Laws of the Game expert
Must know the game of soccer
Proactive and anticipate
Positioning and tool box
Online Training Script:
The amateur adult game will require the referee to have a flexible approach to positioning.
This will require the referee to read play so he or she can know where to go and have the ability to get there.
The referee should clearly know more about the Laws of the Game than the players but he or she must also know about the game of soccer to effectively read play at this level.
Referees should also strive to be proactive and look to anticipate play.
This helps the referee be in the right position to make the correct call when needed and keeps the referee focused on the game mentally.
Finally, effectively reading play with allow the referee to work smart when it comes to positioning and will provide him or her with additional options when it comes to managing game flow and game control.
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

19. Review Question
Will having a general understanding of the teams’ tactics better prepare referees to position themselves effectively during the game?
Yes No
Online Training Script:
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20. Review Question
Being able to recognize the tactical changes that result from substitutions will allow officials to be which of the following?
Less involved and more patient
Less reactive and more proactive
Online Training Script:
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

21. Review Question
What are some general tactics that referees working the amateur adult game should be familiar with?
Set pieces
Marking
Off the ball
All of the above
Online Training Script:
Classroom Instructor Talking Points:

22. Review Question
Which of the following is not associated with reading play?
Positioning
Use of the tool box
Being proactive
Professional appearance
Online Training Script:
Classroom Instructor Talking Points: