I don’t know too much about the high line but I do have a question for those more tactically astute if Chief is playing it correctly.
Obviously the offside line is crucial.
The major issue I see with it is the second goal that AFC scored.
Randall is just in his own half at the defining moment when the pass is made and so can never be offside.
Now if one of your opponents has pace and one of your opponents can weight a pass, surely in this scenario you are shipping a goal every game by having all defenders in the opposition half?
In some games you are going to be absolutely flogged.
Now I don’t know if it still qualifies as a high line (maybe it does maybe it doesn’t) but surely you want the defenders one metre back from the half way line to negate this issue?
In that scenario the goal is not scored.
Obviously the offside line is crucial.
The major issue I see with it is the second goal that AFC scored.
Randall is just in his own half at the defining moment when the pass is made and so can never be offside.
Now if one of your opponents has pace and one of your opponents can weight a pass, surely in this scenario you are shipping a goal every game by having all defenders in the opposition half?
In some games you are going to be absolutely flogged.
Now I don’t know if it still qualifies as a high line (maybe it does maybe it doesn’t) but surely you want the defenders one metre back from the half way line to negate this issue?
In that scenario the goal is not scored.
The halfway line doesn't really matter because given time and space, every pro player can play a pass to someone making a run. Thus the most important part is the pressing, to make sure attackers can't turn and play that ball.
If you're a good defensive unit, when the press is weak and attackers have time to face goal and look for a pass, you should be dropping off.
The problem is if you're anticipating this too much you're widening the space between you and your pressing midfield, giving attackers different kinds of space and opening the possibility that a pass into the strikers will totally circumvent your midfield.
Calling the tactic a "high line" is a bit naive, and even pointing too many fingers at the back 4 is wrong too. Both goals came from midfielders not closing down quick enough.