The Verticality Vacuum: Why Some Teams Struggle to Exploit High Pressing Sides
2026-03-19
In the modern game, the high press has become a ubiquitous tactical weapon. From Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, teams across Europe using aggressive defensive schemes to win the ball high up the pitch, disrupting opposition build-up and creating immediate scoring opportunities. Yet, despite the widespread adoption and apparent effectiveness of these pressing systems, a peculiar phenomenon often arises: a ‘verticality vacuum’ in the opposition’s response. Many teams, even those with technically gifted players, struggle to consistently exploit the space created *behind* the initial press.
Identifying the Verticality Vacuum: More Than Just Long Balls
It’s easy to simplify the counter-tactic to a long ball over the top, but the verticality vacuum is far more detailed. It refers to a specific failure to execute quick, incisive passes that bypass the first and second lines of pressure, enabling attackers to receive the ball in dangerous areas before the pressing structure can reset. Our analysis at xgoal.net reveals that this isn't just about a lack of direct passes; it's about the *quality* and *timing* of those passes, often coupled with a lack of coordinated movement from advanced players.
Case Study: Atletico Madrid's Struggle Against Barcelona's Press
Consider a recent fixture between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona (2026-03-15). Barcelona, under their new manager, employed a relentless 4-3-3 high press, with their front three actively hunting the ball. Atletico Madrid, despite having midfielders known for their passing range like Koke and Rodrigo De Paul, repeatedly struggled to break through. While they attempted 45 progressive passes in the game, only 12 of these successfully bypassed two or more opposition players, a metric we term 'Press-Breaking Progressive Passes' (PBPP). Crucially, their average Progressive Pass Distance was only 18.7 meters, indicating a preference for shorter, safer options rather than piercing passes into the channels.
A key issue was the positioning of their wingers, particularly Samuel Lino and Marcos Llorente. While both are capable dribblers, their average reception height was often level with or even behind Barcelona's fullbacks, rather than anticipating the space created by the advanced press. This meant that when Koke or De Paul did attempt a more vertical pass, there was often no immediate target to receive it in a dangerous area. Their xG from possessions starting in their own half was a paltry 0.35, despite Barcelona’s high line creating theoretical space.
The Role of the Deep-Lying Playmaker and Attacker Movement
The solution to the verticality vacuum lies in a combination of intelligent passing from deep and coordinated movement from the attacking unit. A deep-lying playmaker capable of executing long-range, accurate passes under pressure is crucial. Think back to Thiago Alcântara at Bayern Munich under Hansi Flick, or more recently, Enzo Fernández at Chelsea. These players aren't just distributing; they're actively looking to break lines with their passing.
also, the attacking players must adapt their movement. Instead of dropping deep to offer an outlet, they need to prioritize runs into the channels and behind the defensive line. Analyzing individual player data, we often see that attackers in teams struggling with verticality have a lower 'Press-Exploiting Run Index' (PERI), a metric that tracks runs made into space vacated by pressing defenders. For example, against Barcelona, Atletico's Alvaro Morata's PERI was only 0.45, suggesting he was not consistently making the runs to exploit the space behind the fullbacks or center-backs who had stepped up to press.
The Counter-Example: using Verticality
Contrast this with how Arsenal under Mikel Arteta often handles high-pressing teams. Players like Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice are adept at finding Gabriel Martinelli or Bukayo Saka with quick, piercing passes into the channels. Their 'Press-Breaking Progressive Passes' (PBPP) often exceed 20 per game, with a higher average distance. also, the movement of their wingers and striker (Gabriel Jesus or Kai Havertz) is geared towards exploiting the space created. Their PERI scores are consistently higher, demonstrating a concerted effort to run into the vacated zones.
The lesson is clear: combating the high press isn't just about resisting it; it's about actively exploiting its inherent weaknesses. Teams that fail to develop a coherent strategy for verticality, focusing on precise, line-breaking passes and intelligent, space-exploiting runs, will continue to find themselves suffocated by the modern pressing machine.
