Diego Martínez’s Art Of Coaching A Disciplined High Line – Tactical Theory

What Is A High Line In Football?

A high defensive line is a tactic that allows teams to press whilst keeping the distances between their lines tight, preventing them from being played through.

When done effectively, it can suffocate opposition teams, especially those with a possession-based playing style.

However, it is not without risk.

It is a tactic that requires a supremely disciplined defensive unit with the bravery and athleticism to implement it.

A player’s natural reaction when out of possession is often to drop back and protect their goal.

This tactic takes defenders out of their comfort zone.

This high-line tactical theory offers a tactical analysis of how to do a high line using Diego Martínez’s Las Palmas as a model team.

When picturing a high line, The Netherlands’s aggressive offside trap at the 1974 World Cup may spring to mind.

More recently, an example could be Tottenham’s nine-man display against Chelsea and the image of almost all their outfield players positioned on the halfway line.

This analysis, however, focuses on the defensive line being high relative to the ball, including when teams are on the edge of their own defensive third.

Also included in this tactical analysis are ideas on practices that coaches can use to implement a high line with their teams.

Las Palmas’s (relatively) high line

The above image shows Las Palmas in a mid-block, having allowed Barcelona comfortable possession until they played into the middle third.

When Barcelona broke the first line of pressure and played into their central midfielder, Las Palmas’s back four remained about 11 yards in their half.