The Defense In Inferiority: The 6vs7 Game!

In summary

As from July 1st 2016, IHF decided to change rule number 4 from our sport and give the possibility to all teams to play with 7 outfield players and without a goalkeeper. This change in the game’s rules has had a consequence in our trainings, forcing the coaches to include a new content block in our training schedules, the 6×7 defense.
There are a lot of coaches who don’t like this new possibility, who don’t like this new regulation that makes possible to play in superiority during the attack even if any defender took 2’ of suspension; Their reasons? too many goals without a goalkeeper, less dynamism in attack with a lot of situations with the players almost statics, the BIG difficulty to play open defenses, and a long list of arguments with which one can more or less agree. But, of course, there are coaches who are completely satisfied with this possibility: richness in decision-making, more options in attack and the search for new defense resources… but what is clear is that detractors and defenders of this regulation have to adapt to it and work on those aspects inherent to this new possibility offers, whether in reference to attack, defense or of course counter-goal and balance!, very important aspects and closely linked to the use of 7×6.
This article is going to refer to those aspects that I consider important from a defensive point of view, offering a concrete proposal and above all, an open reflection so that each coach can assess how his team has to work in this situation.

Aspects

1. First option is to play 4:3, with four back players.

Few coaches worked like this, but we saw some examples in the last years.

2. Second option: to play with 3 pivots, 2 backs and 2 wing players.

Benfica or Hungarian National team have been playing some matches with this disposition and I have also put it to the test in some matches with Serbian NT.

3. Last option and the most used is when the team plays in a 3:4 disposition, with 2 pivots, 2 wings and 3 back players.

This last option is the most common and it is from which we will develop our collective proposal.

Specific Characteristics of 6vs7

Analyzing the characteristics of the opponent team when they are playing with 7 attackers is part of what is essential to prepare our team. More specifically, I think we should be keeping in mind:

1. Ending zones and initiation zones

It is important to find out if the opposing team uses to play with the pivots, with continuity towards outside areas, looking for an outside shot from an area that is effective for them e.t.c…. and just as important as these parameters, is also to identify the general sense of the game. Normally, when teams play with a right-handed center back, they use to start actions in the left area of the attack and finish on the right side or in the close 6m area.

2. Patterns of the 7th player

Who is making the substitution with the goalkeeper?

Is it always the same player? or can he change?

From my point of view, if it is always the wing playing closer to the substitution area, this makes our defensive work easier. It is much more difficult for the defense if the substitution is not prearranged and, depending on the sequence and what happens in the attack, the player who changes can vary.

3. Characteristics of the attackers, referring to individual aspects and group relationships

Analyzing not only the player who shoots but also the one who makes decisions when playing this specific situation in attack, is vital to be able to adjust and determine the intentions of our defense. We need to know the relationships in the offensive game and which players tend to “seek each others” during 7vs6. This analysis of the attacking game should lead us to determine if our defensive proposal is more or less aggressive, to anticipate counter-goal-fastbreak situations and above all, to adjust the individual responses of our players in this inferiority situation.

To continue concretizing my proposal, I would suggest a 6:0 defensive system, with the team in attack in the most common disposal, 3:4 with 2 pivots, 2 wings and 3 backs. The main guidelines for the defense are:

3a. “Accept” shots from certain areas

It is obvious that being in inferiority gives the attacking team the possibility to look for a certain shot, normally from an area with high efficiency for this team. It is impossible for us to avoid ALL the shots, so I think we should prioritize what kind of shots we are willing to accept from our opponent. Obviously, this depends on the rival team, but also on the characteristics of our players: ability to block or not, a very aggressive second defender, a goalkeeper with a good % from the wings… For me, it is essential to carry out a prior analysis of the opposing team: see if there is a player with a more “discreet” percentage of efficiency, a pivot with not very good reception, a back player with not good experience in taking decisions, etc. To summarize, we should analyze the weak or less strong points of the rival. I think that almost all of us will agree on trying to accept the shots from long distance; this is to prioritize closing the areas near to 6m and “liberate” the 9-10m areas a little bit more. But of course, within this statement, the proposal must be further “adjusted”: close the central zone of 9m, allow-facilitate the launch of “specific” winger if it is from very closed corner, goal-defense collaboration in a specific situation, etc.

3b. Avoid pivot shots. All?

The pivots are usually the players with the highest percentage of effectivity and that is why most of the teams play this superiority with double pivot or triple pivot. Now, from which areas are they more or less effective? There are spaces where the pivots greatly reduce their efficiency, where they have troubles turning and shooting with the same effectiveness as from the central zone.

Doing a little analysis in big competitions, we can say that mostly of the teams choose to play with two pivots, one open (1-2 interval) and another between 2nd and 3rd on the opposite side. Obviously, we also find other options, both on the same side, both between 2-3, both between 1-2, but this first option that I have suggested is the most common.

Being more specific, normally the pivot that is between 1-2 is usually on the left side of the attack. In my opinion, this happens mostly, because the big majority of the pivots are right-handed and this situation guarantees a better angle to take the shot. This situation will be very important when we decide the defensive behavior of our players and the possible position changes happening during the attack, and it means that our defenders should also modify their behavior.

It is not the same to have an open pivot in the interval 1-2 on the right side of our defense than in the same interval on the left. It is necessary to realize, depending on the laterality of these pivots, if our defender no1 and no6 must close the pass to the pivot or the pass to the wing, in the case that our no2 or no5 decides to go out.

For the second defenders, no2 and no5, they should greatly value the depth that they acquire when coming out against the attack towards the outer areas of the sides. In my opinion, the depth should be minimal, collaborating with the goalkeeper by blocking and not “opening” very advantageous spaces for the pivots.

Each one of us can give his proposal, but the main rule could be that in outdoor spaces, where the angle for shooting is not so big, we must avoid the pivot turning inside and let him turn outside and take the shoot, if we have not been able to cut off the pass or prevent him from winning the position before. In this situation our no6 should decide if he closes the option of the pivot, who can take a shot from a not very easy position, or he closes the option of the wing who can take a shot with a big space to do his steps and jump to the goal.

In this situation our nº6 should decide if he closes the option of the pivot, who can take a shot from a not very easy position, or he closes the option of the wing who can take a shot with a big space to do his steps and jump to the goal

“Each one of us can give his proposal, but the main rule could be that in outdoor spaces, where the angle for shooting is not so big, we must avoid the pivot turning inside and let him turn outside and take the shoot, if we have not been able to cut off the pass or prevent him from winning the position before. “

3c. To hinder the ball circulation, the “timing” of the opponent’s game.

The defense in inferiority forces us to hide our defensive behaviors, and it must be basically an anticipatory defense instead of a reactive one. The back players usually play closer to the 9m line, in order to better fix the defenders and get space for their teammates, so defensively we will have to fake contacts, to do controlled exits, to dissuade with continuous movements and to have a very good activity in our legs and arms, closing the passing lines at 6m and collaborating with our goalkeeper sharing the goal for a long-range shot. Just these concepts deserve an article, because to take the initiative in defense and to force the attack to do what our defense wants is the main goal when we are with one player less, either in situations 7×6 or 6×5.

3d. If there are defensive exits, avoid continuity, make a free throw!

The anticipatory defense that we want to apply to our team, it forces our players to make constant decisions; go out, come back, dissuade, close passing lanes, etc., that is why I think you have to be very precise in the “limit” situations that happens in our collective defensive action. That is, if a player decides to go out to cut, to look for the attack fault or simply to avoid continuity in the circulation of the attack, he must be sure that the ball cannot go out from this position. According to our first defensive principle, we said that we prefer to receive long-distance shots. So, if one of our players offers spaces close to the 6m line due to the depth he has acquired in his movement, we must make sure that, if he fails to recover the ball, at least we should achieve a free throw which will allow us to recover the collective order.

3e. Analyze if the center back is right-handed or left-handed,

(which of course can vary during the development of the attack).

This detail is really important because it will be a consideration to take as a reference for our no3 and no4.

In my opinion, the depth of the two central defensive players from our 6:0 should not be the same. An excessive depth of the wrong player could really facilitate the playmaker’s decision, opening easily the line passes to his strong-side part. In other words, as we see in the side picture, the defensive center back no4 must measure his depth very well, because an excessive exit,(specially if he does not reach to make the contact) would greatly facilitate playmaker’s decision. Being right-handed, the playmaker would have the pass to the pivot, right back or right wing easier. So, no 4 should be a player with good blocking ability, so he doesn’t have to go deep, if the playmaker is a right-handed, of course. If this player is left-handed, then no3 will need to take these considerations in his mind. Control of the starting distance by our no4 on the playmaker’s dominant side. If he goes too deep and there is no option for defensive contact, he greatly facilitates the game towards the strong point of this player.

Control of the starting distance by our nº4 on the playmaker’s dominant side. If he goes too deep and there is no option for defensive contact, he greatly facilitates the game towards the strong point of this player.

Conclusion

As I commented at the beginning of this article, coordinating the next phase of the game after this inferiority set defense, the fast-throw off or the fastbreak, is essential to be able to continue taking the initiative and minimize the fact of still playing in inferiority not having any player excluded. For this, we have to study which player is usually the one who anticipates the exit for the goalkeeper’s substitution (if it is always the same as in many teams) and if the attacking team always plays towards the zone furthest from the substitution zone or if, otherwise, they try to finish at the zone closest to the substitution area. This situation would allow us to anticipate the departure of some player in offensive transition phase. In this aspect, I think there is a big difference between the high-level teams and the others, because the first one’s are capable of playing the game in a “free” way, without premeditating the substitution to a specific player, which of course it makes defensive performance much more difficult. For the development and growth of this defensive system, it will be essential to create and design training activities that allow our players to improve those aspects of Individual Defensive Technique and tactics that are vital for this kind of defense. If we try to build it without improving the ability to move, block, steal the ball, dissuasion or intercept the ball, among other things, I think it’s an almost impossible task or at least much more difficult. At the same time, the defensive group relationships like changing opponents, slipping, coverage or aid between them, must also be the goal of some training, at least in the same proportion as collective work. I am convinced that carrying out 2×3, 3×4 or 4×5 tasks as a step prior to collective work, will greatly facilitate defensive success in 6×7.

Toni Gerona, Head Coach Serbian Men’s National Team

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