3 types of full back

Introduction

In this article we will expand and elaborate on the three different types of fullbacks. We will define them and give them roles to operate in the team. The three types of full backs are the wide full back, the deep full back, and the inverted full back. Each of these are all variations of the same position, but require very different skill sets in order to maximize their effectiveness. For each of these types of full backs we will describe their basic positional roles, the advantages and disadvantages of this, as well as the skill sets of the players that typically take up these positions.

Defining the position

A full back is a player who plays outside of two CBs in a four defender system. If the defense consists of a back five then the wide defenders outside of the three CBs will be considered wingbacks. Defensively full backs are generally tasked with defending in the wide areas or staying connected to the other defenders through the half spaces. When their team is in possession these are the variations we will talk about. We are going to look to expand the common view of full backs positioning themselves on the same horizontal line as the CDMs and using the full width.

The Wide Full Back

As we know there is width in every team’s structure. The question often is not whether a team has width, but how and who they use to create their width. Fullbacks can be one way to create this width. When tasking your full backs with creating width it is important to understand what third of the field the team is in and what the teams goals are. Then, look how this affects the teammates around the fullback. Does their wide positioning influence the team in a positive or negative way? Finally, how does the wide positioning of the full back affect the defensive team.

In past articles we have talked a lot about the effect the different thirds of the field has on the team. In the first third of the team it is impossible for the defensive team to have access to the 1st line of the build up, maintain adequate cover in their last line of defense, have strong access to press the wide areas, as well as have spatial control between their defensive lines. The most common way defensive teams deal with this is by playing more narrow and increasing their horizontal lines so they can maintain vertical connections to one another through the center. This creates the common trend of teams who build from the back playing around the block through wide full…