Reading the Game: Why Support Is a Tactical Superpower

Support isn’t about being close to the ball. It’s about being close to the next action.

In the youth game, support often gets taught as a fixed idea—“give an angle,” “check to the ball,” “make yourself available.” But the higher the level, the clearer it becomes: support isn’t just a positioning tool. It’s a tactical superpower. Done well, it shapes how and where the game flows. Done poorly, and even the most technical team looks disjointed.