Powerful Combination Play
In this analysis, we’re focusing on the specific aspects of Mbappe’s combination play that you can implement in your game today.
Combination play comes in many flavors yet is far too often only understood in its most basic form of a simple ‘1-2’. Mbappe has a unique style that utilizes powerful combinations to eliminate players and receive the ball in advantageous positions.
There are a few key patterns we want to dive into, as they are elements of his combination play that you can add to your game regardless of your age or level.
SHORTEN DISTANCE WITH DEFENDERS
You always know what your next move is before the defender. It seems obvious but attackers often forget that this is your most significant advantage.
Defenders need time and space to react to an attacker. The more space they have, the more time they have to react and vice-versa.
Mbappe seeks to shorten his distance from defenders before initiating his combinations to exploit his attacking advantage of knowing the defender has to react to him.
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Deceive Defenders With Body Orientation
Defenders are taught to drop when an attacking player is facing their goal without pressure on them and to press when an attacker has their back to goal.
Maintaining your back to the attacking goal while a ball is traveling to you invites the press of the defender. Doing this will vacate space for you to exploit during your combination.
Note, it is generally optimal to receive passes with your chest facing the opposition's goal (half turn, etc.), but against better defenders, you can use their pressing cues to your advantage.
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Explode Off Your Pass And Attack Space Behind
By drawing in defenders, you’re ideally creating space to attack behind them, as you see Mbappe do.
Once space has been created, and you’ve initiated your combination, you need to explode off your pass.
Defenders are most vulnerable immediately after your pass as their attention has shifted to the movement of the ball.
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Create separation by changing your speed
Moving at the same speed is predictable for defenders. Even if you are not the fastest player or have subpar acceleration, having a lot variance in the speed of your movements make you significantly more difficult to mark
Enter into combinations at a slower tempo
Burst out aggressively to create separation and maximize time/space advantage
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Final Note
It is crucial to state that Mbappe’s change of speed is essential to his style of combination play. In all the clips above, he adjusts his power output to create the necessary separation for himself.
Even if you do not have the raw athleticism of Mbappe, the analysis above should provide some ideas and strategies for powerful combination play that you can implement into your game at any time.
Equipped with these ideas, you need to put it into practice. The next chance you have to play, try to beat players, and progress play through powerful combinations.
Be aware of your distances with defenders, the position of your body when receiving, what you’re going to do after you release the ball, and making powerful forward runs. Experiment with these ideas and make yourself impossible to defend!