Yahoo Sports What is a high press in football, and how does it work?
A high press is a tactic used in football.
It involves a team defending high up the pitch, aiming to put pressure on the opposition deep in their own territory.
When the team using the high press doesn't have the ball, they use fast, co-ordinated running to attempt to force errors from opposition defenders and midfielders in possession.
Once errors are forced, the ball can be won back quickly. With possession regained high up the pitch and opposition players caught in the trap, chances to score can be created efficiently.
A successful high press requires a combination of stamina, intelligence and teamwork. Players are coached to recognise the best moments to press, and how to do so most effectively as a unit.
The best moments to press are often referred to as 'triggers', and include recognising a poor touch from an opponent, an opponent receiving the ball while facing their own goal, and the ball being shuttled to an opposition goalkeeper or full-back.
The main weakness of a high press is a high defensive line leaves plenty of space in behind that can, in theory, be exploited through long balls and quick forward running.
Who uses a high press?
The high press has become one of the defining features of modern football. Some of the game's most successful 21st century coaches - including Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp - have the used the high press as the basis for their tactical systems.
Nowadays, the vast majority of elite-level teams - including most in the Premier League - use a high press.
But it was a new concept in the 1970s, when the pioneering Ajax team which won the European Cup in three consecutive seasons used a revolutionary system including a high press under managers Rinus Michels and Stefan Kovacs.
Other world-renowned coaches who have earned great success using a high press include Arrigo Sacchi and Johan Cruyff.
