Welcome to the second part of our blog series, where we dive deeper into the coaching methodology of Smart11. At Smart11, we specialize in one-on-one coaching for professional and ambitious amateur footballers, as well as coaches, with a strong focus on video analysis. Our mission? To boost your football intelligence by sharpening your tactical awareness, whether you’re a player looking to improve your individual skills or a coach striving to enhance your team’s performance. This approach not only boosts personal and team results, but also amplifies your overall impact on the field. Ready to leave your mark? Read on and discover how we can help you reach your full potential!
For the first blog, see the following link.
The Game Action: ‘Cross Positioning’ applies to every situation where there is a potential cross, and the player must prepare for it and react if the cross actually comes. Executing this Game Action is always important, even if the cross doesn’t happen or gets blocked. A good player will always optimally prepare for a possible cross, even when the chance of the cross being delivered is very small. On the field, you can never be completely sure if the cross will reach you or not. That’s why you always need to be prepared!
Within the Game Action: ‘Cross Positioning’, there are several sub-situations that can be distinguished. These are the different contexts in which the game action can occur:
– An early cross. This refers to a situation where the defenders are still retreating towards the goal. This means they are in motion and therefore have less time to fully prepare for defending the cross. This makes the situation promising for the attackers;
– A stationary cross. This refers to a situation where the game is less dynamic than in the other sub-scenarios. Because the game is less dynamic, the defenders generally have more time to prepare for the cross;
– A cross within the box
– A cutback. Data from Opta shows that cut-back crosses generally result in a higher scoring chance compared to traditional crosses from the flank. Scoring percentages range from approximately 20-25% for cut-back crosses, significantly higher than the 10-15% for regular flank crosses;
– A set-piece situation such as a corner or free kick.
The goal of positioning for a cross is: Maximizing the chance of scoring by being ‘optimally prepared.’ But what does ‘optimally prepared’ actually mean?
When analyzing the execution of this Game Action, we focus on the following key elements:
– Position
– Blindspot
– Balance
– Contact
– Distance
– Moment
Position
This refers to the position in relation to the opponent’s goal. Ideally, when positioning for a cross, the player should be positioned squarely in the middle of the goal, so both corners are easily reachable. However, this is not always possible. A rule of thumb we use with attackers is to stay between the goalposts as much as possible when preparing for a cross. A study by Lago-Ballesteros et al. (2012) shows that when a player positions themselves between the goalposts during a cross, the chance of scoring increases by 20-25%. See for example the positioning of Robert Lewandowski below.
Blindspot
The blindspot refers to the defender’s blind area. Defenders tend to focus mainly on the ball when a cross is about to be delivered. It is very challenging to keep an eye on both the ball and the attacker at the same time, especially when the attacker deliberately positions themselves in the defender’s blindspot. The blind spot is therefore the area where the defender cannot (sufficiently) see the attacker, resulting in the defender being unable to properly anticipate the attacker’s movements. See for an example of the execution of the blindspot the image below of Erling Haaland.
Body/balance
Balance in this context refers to whether the attacker is truly balanced and ready to attack the ball if a cross comes in. This means being slightly bent at the knees and on the balls of your feet to stay agile, with the aim of optimally anticipating the cross. In the image of Haaland you can see that his body orientation is forwards directly towards the goal of the opponent just before the cross is given. Because his body orientation is towards the goal, his center of gravity is also forwards, making it easy to move towards the goal. However, Your center of gravity/balance should not be too far forward, as this will prevent you from being able to anticipate properly if the ball doesn’t come exactly as you want it to. The key is too be as balanced as possible with the best position possible, so you have to biggest chance of being able to attack the cross and scoring.
Contact
As an attacker, you want to prevent the defender from making contact with you. Contact means the defender physically touches the attacker, for example by blocking their run. The attacker should aim to always stay in control of the situation. This means freeing themselves from contact with the defender when needed. In the image beneath you can see the defender making contact with Luuk de Jong.
Distance
This refers to the distance from the defender(s) and/or the goal. As an attacker, you want to get as close to the goal as possible. The closer to the goal, the greater the chance of scoring. According to Lago-Ballesteros et al. (2012), the chance of scoring increases by 50% when the player is within 6 meters of the goal. At the same time, you want to leave enough space to move forward to attack the ball, and you want to avoid standing too close to a defender who could make contact. Finally, you want to avoid being offside. So, finding the right distance means balancing these considerations. Underneath you can see an example of C. Ronaldo.
Moment
The crucial question here is: At the moment the cross is given, is the attacker optimally positioned to attack the ball? A few milliseconds can make the difference between scoring or not.
As you’ve read, there are many different elements that influence the execution of a Game Action. Not executing one of these elements optimally can be the difference between scoring or missing a goal. From our experience working with players, we’ve found that when players are truly focused on achieving their goal (in this case, scoring from the cross), the execution of the Game Action is often automatically done well.
Elite Coaching
When a player chooses to work with us to improve his scoring from attacking crosses, his play is analyzed based on the above situations and key elements. During a session, around 20-25 clips are reviewed, categorized by the different sub-situations. These sub-situations are discussed one by one, making it easier for the player to recognize patterns in their decisions and behavior. Based on the insights gained during the coaching session, we work together to improve the specific aspects of this Game Action.
We have years of experience working with professional players. Thom van Bergen, currently playing as a striker for FC Groningen, is one of those players. See this link for a goal by Van Bergen from a cross and a detailed breakdown of the execution. By analyzing and working with these players, we have analyzed these situations hundreds, sometimes thousands of times. This has led to several insights into the optimal execution of the Game Action to achieve the goal. Let’s review some examples of Cross Positioning.
As mentioned, the aim of this Game Action is to:
“Maximize the chance of scoring by being optimally prepared.”
We have discussed the key elements that influence the player’s positioning. Now, we can provide a concrete picture of what being ‘optimally prepared’ (or not) looks like. To illustrate this, we will use examples of the cross positioning of one of the best strikers in the world, Erling Haaland. Check out the video below to learn how Haaland scores many goals from crosses!
After analyzing crossing situations thousands of times and constantly studying and learning from the best strikers in the world, we have come to the following insights to maximize the chances of scoring from a cross:
As a player, you want to position yourself as close to the goal as possible without being offside or making the space towards the goal too small. In terms of position, being as close to the goal and between the posts is the key principle. Additionally, you want to position yourself in the blind spot of the defender, so they can’t make contact with you, giving you enough freedom of movement to initiate a run. Finally, maintaining good balance and body posture is crucial to optimally anticipate the cross. The most important question we ask our clients is: At the moment the cross the cross can be given, are you optimally positioned and 100% ready to attack the ball?
If you want to improve your game and learn more about how the best players in the world execute their Game Actions, download the Smart11 app. With Smart11, you can analyze your own performances, and those of top players like Lewandowski, Haaland, Messi, Timber and many others in the ImpactZone. We’ve added a video of ten clips of cross positioning by R. Lewandoski in the game VS Alaves where he scored a hattrick with 2 goals from crosses!
For players
With Smart11, you’ll learn to position and prepare yourself just as well as Lewandowski, Haaland and De Jong and become a goal-scoring machine! Download the Smart11 app on iOS or Android or create your account on the Smart11 website!
For coaches and analists
Want to elevate your skills? Join Smart11’s course, where we dive deeper into our methodology and teach you how to use video analysis and tactical insights to boost player and team performance. Whether you work with professionals or ambitious amateurs, this course will help you maximize your impact.
Ready to take your game or coaching to the next level? Sign up today!