A Beginners Guide to the Half-Spaces in football

What are the half-spaces, and where are they located?

Somewhere, you’ve heard of the “half-spaces”. But what are they, and why is it so important that players occupy these highly dangerous zones? A majority of #8’s, #10’s, and even wingers drift into the half spaces in the final third. The most creative players on the pitch thrive in the half-spaces.

So, where are they located? The half-spaces are located either side of “zone 14” – where De Bruyne and Silva are operating in the picture below.

How do players get into the half-spaces?

There are multiple different reasons why these players occupy the half-spaces. But we should first cover *how* these players manage to get into these zones in the first place.

If you have read my Beginners Guide to Positional Play, you will understand the importance of holding the width in JDP systems.

This width is what creates the space between the full-backs and the centre-backs – allowing creative #10’s or #8’s to drift into it. This space is called the “half-space”.

Another way players can get into this zone is through wide players drifting inside off the ball, or cutting inside whilst on the ball. Inverted wingers typically start within the half-space, whilst direct wingers make runs in behind darting through this space.

If the player holding the width comes inside, then this is typically supported by an overlapping full-back or a midfielder drifting wide. This is because in typical JDP systems (positional systems), this is a zone that should always be filled, and so if the player holding the width leaves that zone, other players must rotate into it.

Football is like a game of chess. You want your pieces in the best positions possible, and to do that you have to move them around and manipulate the opponent into giving you access to areas you desire. This is achieved through rotations and fluidity.

Why are the half-spaces so important?

The angles presented within the half-space are special. The angles in which you can cross the ball, pass the ball, or make runs in behind make it an area incredibly useful for chance creation.

The easiest way to understand this is to draw a comparison with a typical #10 in central zones. They may play through balls into men running behind, try and whip in a cross to a player back post, etc.

However, it is much more difficult to create “high quality” chances. It’s harder to whip the ball away from goal, and passes are often much more straightforward for a keeper to come out and claim.

Now let’s imagine a creative player within the half-space. Everything becomes a little bit more difficult for the defenders. Crosses are more likely to curl away from the goal and away from the keeper, due to the angle in which the ball is struck. Angled passes can come into a wide player making a darting run into the box, in which it is much harder to come out and claim as a keeper.

The angles that the half-space unlocks results in a greater number of options. Yes, players can still move more central and play more more “straight-forward” through balls or crosses. But the half-space unlocks a whole new dimension – the angles it presents make it much harder to defend as a centre-back and claim as a keeper.

This is why occupation of the half-space is so important – whilst controlling central zones is also important for chance creation, having the option to move the ball to the half-space provides a consistent high quality chance creation zone.

Another reason why the half-spaces are so important is becuase they are a route to goal that isn’t as congested as zone 14 or the central areas on the pitch in general. Alongside this, they are also an advantage to the wide zones on the pitch, as they are not restricted by the touchline.

From the half space, the ball can be moved in *any* direction. You can play it out wide to a player on the touchline, whip in a cross to a player making a run in behind on the other side of the pitch, play a progressive pass slicing a defence open or even play the ball backwards and maintain sustained pressure.

Playing the ball through congested areas is arguably easier than attempting to play the ball within these congested areas, and the half-spaces provide areas on the pitch where you can move the ball much easier.

So now we have built on our initial understanding, let’s put together what we know so far – the half-spaces are zones that allow creative players to have access to more dangerous angles, and allows more direct players a zone in which they can make darting runs in behind. The half-spaces are also closer to the goal than the touchline, but also far enough away from the central zones that moving the ball is easier and quicker.

Now let’s build on this. There is another key concept that is integral to Juego De Posicion, that arises in the half spaces.

I have covered this concept before, around a year ago, within my piece on the introduction to positional play. It is called Gravity.

Players within the half space present an interesting dilemma for defenders – “do I mark them, or let them be free?”

If they are marked, then this typically pulls the defensive shape apart. If they are not marked, then you have a player in a very dangerous position unmarked. Alongside this, who goes out to mark this player? It creates an element of uncertainty in the opposition – defenders are unsure in the moment who should deal with the threat in the half spaces.

This is gravity – players in dangerous positions pulling players towards them, causing chaos and ripping structures apart.

Of course, there are ways to reduce the impact of gravity. Central midfielders can drop into the back line – often forming a back five. This can aid in filling up gaps and reducing the degree to which the half spaces are “free”. A back five can also provide extra support behind players stepping out to mark opposing players within the half space. This can lower the complexity of decisions for defenders attempting to decide if they should step out or not.

If midfielders do not drop into the back line, then they still have their work cut out – they are now even more important. They must cover defenders and space to prevent teams from moving the ball and pulling the team apart – they must aid in keeping the compactness of the team together.

Overall, the half-spaces are a reliable source of chance creation. They allow for added options in attack and the ability to reach teammates all over the pitch – resulting in added fluidity. Having players in the half-spaces places added pressure on the opposition to remain compact (i.e. the midfielders) and is the best place on the pitch to take advantage of space or poor structure in a block. If we return to my chess example – if there is a place you want your pieces, it is the half-space.

So, we have covered:

Where the half-spaces are

Why they are important, including: angles, location, congestion and the importance of options for an attacking team.

The concept of Gravity

Thanks for reading!