The document discusses indoor soccer as either an unfortunate necessity or a development opportunity for suburban soccer clubs. It outlines some of the game and training issues with indoor soccer, such as a smaller playing area and harder surfaces, but also potential benefits like improving short passing skills. The document then provides details on playing a 2-3-1 formation for indoor soccer, including attacking and defending principles, transition philosophy, and individual player responsibilities. It emphasizes maintaining possession, compact defending, and quick transitions in indoor soccer.

1. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An unfortunate necessity or development opportunity

2. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
• Arguments can be made for both
• What is OUR reality?
• How do WE deal with it?

3. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
The Game Issues
• Not a smaller version of 11v11 soccer
• Difficult to work on 11v11 concepts
• Less incentive to shoot
• Harder surface affects the bounce of the ball
• Poor technique is masked by use of boards
• Others??

4. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
The Game Issues

5. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
The Game Issues
• Walled soccer enables youngsters to just “kick” and
“chase” it which is all they want to do and all their
parents should want them to do…..

6. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
The Game Benefits
• Promotes short technical ability (passing/receiving)
• Lots of 1v1 attacking and defending opportunities
• Lots of transition moments
• Play within tight spaces
• Principles of play are the same

7. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
Our Reality

8. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
The Training Issues

9. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
The Training Issues
• Training area is even smaller then playing area
• Difficult to work on techniques that require space
• Crowded gyms with hard surfaces
• Limited session topics
• Others??

10. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
The Training Solutions
• Know your limitations / Plan ahead
• Technical proficiency / Agility work
• Small sided games (even and odd numbered)
• High repetition breeds comfort
• Futsal balls
FOCUS: Principles of play and decision making

11. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity
Futsal

12. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Playing Philosophy
• When in possession teams and players will look to retain possession of the
ball through quality passing and intelligent movement off the ball with the
intention of attacking whenever an opportunity is created.
• When not in possession teams and players will look to defend in an
organized and compact shape that allows them to win balls and counter
attack off of these transition moments.

13. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
General Player Requirements
• Technically capable of playing one and two touch soccer
• Confident in the ability to keep the ball while under pressure
• Committed to physically competing for the entire match
• Tactically aware of the basic principles of the game
• Able to recognize the atmosphere around the ball
• Have a good sense of patience and urgency

14. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Playing Shape
• The winter season provides an opportunity to adopt a 7v7 shape that
transitions well into an 11v11 outdoor shape.
• This shape is either termed a 2-3-1 or a 2-1-2-1 and is essentially the
“backbone” of a 4-3-3.
• It is the shape that provides the most passing triangles possible and allows
players at least two options at all times when movement off the ball is good.

15. The 2–3–1
Backbone of
4-3-3
GK
D D
CM
W S W
CM
CM
FBFB

16. Passing
Triangles
GK
D D
CM
W
S
W
The 2–3–1

17. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Attacking Principles
• First look is ALWAYS forward
• Look up / Link up / Communicate / Move up
• Take first touch away from pressure and into space.
• Create width and length with early movement once team has
possession.
• Keep possession of ball in attempt to create numerical advantage
• ATTACK with conviction when advantages exist

18. Attacking
Shape
GK
D D
CM
W
S
W
Wingers High/Wide
Striker Long/Central
Defenders Wide
Midfield Central/Mobile
The 2–3–1

19. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game

20. Attacking
Options
High Pressure
GK
D D
CM
W
S
W
GK play in behind opposition
to our wingers or striker
The 2–3–1

21. Attacking
Options
Low Pressure
GK
D D
CM
W
S
W
GK play short – look to build
forward out of the back
The 2–3–1

22. Attacking
Options
Look up/Link up
GK
D D
CM
W
S
W
Defenders
attacking options
depend on the
shape/pressure of
defending team
First look is always
forward!
The 2–3–1

23. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game

24. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Defending Principles
• Look to win it back ASAP if other team is not comfortable
• Get GOALSIDE of ball early and inside of your responsibility
• Nearest player apply pressure to ball (angle of approach)
• 1v1 Defending MUST be good (no diving in, show into trouble)
• Remaining players provide cover in predictable areas
• DO NOT chase ball

25. Defending Shape
GK
D D
CM
W
S
W
Team is behind the ball
Compact and Compressed
GK has ball The 2–3–1

26. Defending
Slide
GK
D D
CM
W
S
W
Winger shows
inside to prevent
winger getting ball
Striker prevents ball from
being played across the back
line to the opposite defender
Midfielders encouraged to be
aggressive if ball played into
central zone
Defenders aware of pressure around the ball – ball over the top
Wingers on the weak side
balance the midfield – do not
track the opposite winger
The 2–3–1

27. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game

28. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game

29. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Transition Philosophy
• The moment the ball is won/lost is often the most important moment of the
game.
• Good teams will win these moments, scoring off of counter attacks and not
being vulnerable when the opponent initially wins the ball.
• Team shape and balance as well as tactical awareness are the key
components to good transition play.

30. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Individual Responsibilities
- Goalkeeper
• KEEP THE BALL OUT OF THE NET!
•Be a commanding presence and own
THEIR box
•Communicate throughout the entire
game (providing direction)
• Comfortable with the ball at their feet
and able to switch the point of attack
• Capable of distributing the ball
effectively and decisively by throwing,
punting, and kicking
• Alert at all times, reading the game
tactically at all times

31. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Individual Responsibilities
- Defender
• TAKE PRIDE IN DEFENDING!
• Thrive on 1v1 defending situations
• Confident with the ball at their feet in
the defending 3rd and able to play out
from the back
• Look FORWARD with first look
• Able to play long diagonal ball to
switch attack quickly
• Provide constant supporting options
for attacking players
• Read and anticipate opponents
buildup when made predictable
• Recognizes urgent defending
moments and deals with them

32. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Individual Responsibilities
- Midfielder
• CONSTANTLY LOOKING TO BE ON
THE BALL!
• Switching the field of play quickly
creating numerical advantages
• Linking the backfield with the
attackers
• Play penetrating balls behind
opponents
• Apply pressure to opponents MF
forcing them backwards when possible
• Deny forward passes to opponents
strikers’ feet
• Dribble at defenders once in behind
opponents midfield

33. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Individual Responsibilities
- Winger
• GET IN BEHIND OPPONENTS
BACKLINE!
• Get wide immediately to open up
attacking space
• Receive the ball with hips open
• Take defenders on in 1v1 situations
• Weak side winger pushes high,
looking for long switch, seal the
backside
• Press defenders inside, bending runs
to eliminate passes forward (do NOT
track wingers)
• Tuck into midfield when on weak side
defensively

34. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
Playing a 2-3-1
Individual Responsibilities
- Striker
• SCORE GOALS!
• Show in channels to receive ball
• Play in FRONT of defenders
• Comfortable playing with back to goal
• Lay ball off to MF/W
• Make runs off ball when other players
are dribbling towards your “space”
• Cut field in half defensively
• Provide team with length
• Make runs that open up space for
others to fill

35. Suburban FC – The Indoor Game
In Conclusion
An Unfortunate Necessity or a Development Opportunity?