Staggering: football tactics explained

Any experienced defender knows they can only be as strong defensively as the players in front of them. 

At any level of the game you can have the best back four in the league. But if they have no protection or defensive structure in front, you can forget about keeping clean sheets.

Midfielders and attackers can no longer think simply about going forward. In 2024, nearly everyone on the team must be contributing defensively as well. But how do coaches ensure their attacking players will play a role in the defensive structure?

One of the main defensive principles that ensures everyone contributes is known as staggering. But how does it work?

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What is staggering? 

Staggering refers to players occupying different horizontal and vertical lines when they don’t have possession. This adds layers to a defensive structure and makes a team more compact.

At a simple level it is the arrangement of players of a team at different heights and widths on a football pitch. If the pitch is divided into both horizontal and vertical lines, a staggered defensive structure will see players occupy adjacent lines, not the same.

A staggered approach to defending ensures that a team cannot be played through easily. Pockets of space can’t be found easily by the team in possession, meaning they often have to turn backwards to recycle the ball.

Certain formations can tend to lend themselves better to staggered defences than others. For example a 4-2-3-1 in a defensive mid block provides a good, staggered defensive presence that makes a team hard to penetrate. 

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Can staggering also refer to attacking play?

Yes, the concept of staggering can also refer to when a team has the ball. A staggered attacking shape will see a side occupy dangerous areas of the pitch, able to easily receive the ball on the half-turn. 

It ensures a player in possession has multiple options for playing the ball and does not simply have to turn back or sidewards to maintain possession. With multiple different connections occupying different lines, players should find it easier to link-up with teammates, or at least that's the theory.

When a team has the ball and doesn’t stagger their attacking shape, they can become very easy to play against. For example, playing with a flat midfield four without staggering their positioning can be detrimental. 

In this scenario the midfield would struggle to find passing options and be easily susceptible to an organised press.

Which uses staggering?

Nearly every well organised side off the ball will use staggering to some degree. Whether employing a high press, mid block or low block, a staggered structure will always be beneficial. 

One side who have improved immeasurably by a greater use of staggering is England under Gareth Southgate. One of the reasons the Three Lions struggled in the semi-final against Croatia back in the 2018 World Cup. 

England deployed a two No.8s, Dele Ali and Jesse Lingard during the tournament, but against Croatia, both players were flat, dropping deep alongside Jordan Henderson. This lack of staggering meant they were unable to energetically press the Croatian midfield of Luka Modric and Marcelo Brozović.

But since then England has rarely been found wanting like that again. Ahead of Euro 2024 with a potential midfield trio of Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Kobbie Mainoo, Southgate's side has the mix of agility and game intelligence to stagger their midfield shape both in and out of possession.

Even if, say, Trent Alexander-Arnold comes into that midfield for certain games, he will take up  a deeper position on the outside right, while Bellingham will be occupy his preferred position, high and slightly towards the left of midfield. If the men’s team are finally able to bring home a major trophy in Germany, staggering may well play a crucial part of Southgate’s approach.

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.