“Playing out from the back,” the principle whereby teams begin passing moves from deep in their defensive third, has become increasingly popular but has yielded mixed results. There is risk attached to adopting the tactic, particularly against teams that are using a high intensity pressing game to nullify it, but there are myriad tactical reasons why playing out from the back can be advantageous. – Stream FC TV on ESPN+ (U.S. only)Norwich show how to beat Man CityPremier League’s best attackers The main — and most important — is to produce a better quality of service into front players. For years, particularly in England, forwards fought to gain possession of passes hit toward them from some 60 yards away. It is much easier for front players to receive passes and make better runs when balls are played into them from shorter distances. Starting moves from deep also allows teams to make the pitch “bigger.” Coaches have long used that term in relation to width, but with players dropping so far to receive the ball from their goalkeeper, as well as strikers threatening space behind opposing defenders, making the pitch “big” is equally applicable to length. This makes it more difficult…