Spare man: football tactics explained

As the great Bill Shankly once said, ‘football is a simple game complicated by idiots.’

Boiled down to its basic components, to be successful in football you have to, A) have the ball, and B) use it effectively.

For any team, the best way to make the most of the time of their time on the ball is to work the space. To have space on the football pitch, is to have power.

This is why finding, and using, the spare man is essential for every team that has played the game. Here’s your tactical explainer.

 What is the spare man?

The spare man allows teams to carry out one of the most basic functions required. Progress the ball up the pitch.

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To have a spare man is to have a numerical advantage when in possession. This is why so many in-possession philosophies feature creating passing triangles, or other similar patterns of play.

By having a spare or ‘free’ player in possession, it is far easier to keep hold of the ball, while simultaneously creating space elsewhere on the pitch. The use of the spare man can also extend to a third-man run, a method of finding a teammate in a better position than those on the ball.

This occurs when two players exchange passes, with a third teammate then making an off-the-ball run into space to receive a pass. Again this is primarily to create a numerical advantage and maintain possession.

Whether running off the ball, or moving towards it to create a triangle, the key with the spare player is creating an angle to receive the ball. Always offering, always showing for a teammate.

This allows the team in possession to not only maintain it, but penetrate the opposition as well.

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Which coaches use the spare man?

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta side are a perfect current example of a team that focuses on creating overloads with a spare man.

In the first phase of their build-up play, Atalanta use a back three in possession, attempting to play through the oppositions initial press. As they continue to move the ball up the pitch, Gasperini’s team look to create triangles in possession to ensure the normally always have the numbers advantage.

Midfielders and forwards will often rotate to ensure the spare man is present. Such a fluent style of play often unsettles the opposition defence, who are torn between tracking runners to ensure their teammates don’t get outnumbered or staying put.

But doing the former can subsequently leave large gaps of space for Atalanta to exploit. 

Maurizio Sarri’s teams at Napoli, Chelsea and more recently Lazio have also focused heavily on trying to create a spare man in possession. Sarri’s fairly rigid 4-3-3 system with an anchor man at the base of his midfield is designed to create diamonds and triangles throughout the pitch, giving his team the spare man.

Sarria is also keen on third man runs from his team. Regularly you will see his team create inverted triangles in the opposition half, with two passing options for the player in possession.

Once the player has made his choice of where to pass, the non-receiver will sprint in behind the opposition defence. 

But remember - a simple game overcomplicated by idiots. Nearly every team focused on dominating possession is looking for the spare man in one form or another. 

Some coaches just make it more obvious than others.

MORE TACTICAL EXPLAINERS

We have several tactical explainers to help you understand more about football.

When it comes to midfields, we have pieces on what a box midfield is, how double-pivot midfields function and explainers on the No.10 and the No.6, as well as attacking and defensive transitions.

We also have explainers on what gegenpressing is, what target men are how inverted full-backs work and what ‘between the lines’ means, along with explainers on overlaps and overloads.