Using a player’s foot preference is the most effective way to condition individual intentions and, consequently, team intentions. As a general rule, strong-footed players offer more “push” dynamics, while wrong-footed players offer more “pull” dynamics. These intentions can be further categorised into off-the-ball movement and dribbling or carrying intentions. To put it simply, push dynamics are what push the defensive line deeper, for example, a run in behind from the winger. Pull dynamics are what pull the defensive line higher, for example, a winger cutting inside. This is the crux of stretching any defensive block vertically. You can use these concepts to reverse engineer exactly what you want from the player or the team, based on what you want to emphasise or who you want to maximise. The clearest recent example is Raphinha, who went from a creator-type winger on the right to an in-behind outlet on the left. On a team level, the City Centurions are a good example. With strong-footed interiors and wingers, as soon as they found the front five, the tempo went up, and they were direct in pushing the defensive line, which is primarily why they were so effective offensively. Written by @MeiaArmador__
