The step-in: Taking the risk to progress play

At the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025™, one of the actions catching the Technical Study Group’s (TSG) eye is the step-ins made by players under pressure, particularly from the defensive line into midfield. In this article, TSG member and former England youth national team coach Mo Marley explains why this ability is so important in the modern game, the considerations players need to make before stepping in, and the technical and psychological aspects they need to possess to do so.

As the game evolves, so do its players. For Marley, the impressive ball-carrying that is raising eyebrows in Rabat relates to shifts in how teams are high pressing.

“It is brilliant to see our game has improved in so many ways over the last few years. Players today are more technically proficient, and the overall speed of play has increased significantly. Research from both youth and senior tournaments highlights that across all playing positions, the level of individual pressure has risen – whether it’s direct pressure or indirect pressure from an opponent,” explains Marley.

“As development coaches,” says Marley, who has worked with England’s most promising young players at The FA for a period of two decades, “We have to think about how we can help players develop, not just for the ‘here and now’, but for what the game may look like for them in the future.”

With pressing being a common feature of the modern game, players find themselves in situations where they have less time on the ball and fewer passing options. The ability to step in and beat your oncoming opponent is becoming increasingly necessary.

With the game demanding more stepping in from players, what aspects do they need to consider when executing these high-risk actions? 

“At elite tournaments, players face opponents with varied playing styles and pressing strategies. Players must read the cues with intelligence and precision,” says Marley. “There are a number of key areas to consider:

• Decision-making; 

• Perception and awareness; 

• Scanning; and

• Technical execution.

“It’s critical for them to understand why they are stepping in at that moment in time,” adds Marley. “For example, if a team is playing in a low block, a player might step in to draw a player out and create more space behind or to gain a numerical advantage.”

Commenting on the clip above, Marley explains, “Her first touch is tight and draws the players to press. Then, the speed and distance of her second touch eliminate the press. She engages another two players before getting her eyes up to pick out a positive wide pass.”

Reframing how players, especially defenders, think during these high-pressure moments is crucial, explains Marley. “Players need to have strong self-belief and confidence when executing this action and focus on the possibilities and reward ahead of the consequences, especially when the action is closer to their own goal.” A cool head is also key. “Emotional balance is critical to staying calm and composed and seizing the moments in a small window of opportunity,” adds Marley.

Instilling this type of mentality in players is a long-term project. “To gain this belief and confidence, they need to be exposed to different scenarios to encourage decision-making through a variety of training methods,” says Marley. “It demands resilience from both the player and their coach to ensure that players are in a supportive environment and development is embraced.”

On the technique required, Marley adds, “It’s about the ability to change direction with control and speed, and the understanding of when and where to take tight touches versus bigger touches. Another key element is disguising and manipulating the body and ball to help find a creative solution to the pressure.”

For Marley, the clip above is a good example of the technical aspects at play. “The player is clever to take the touch late and with neutral body shape, eliminating pressure and creating the option to go either side. The size of her touch is very good to go beyond the opposition forward. She then gets another touch to go across the recovery line of the opponent by driving between the next two players using both feet – driving at pace but with tight touches before an excellent release pass. She continues the run into the box, which is something very hard to track.”

“The ability to move with the ball whilst having ‘eyes up’ to be able to see movements of both team-mates and the opposition to make high-level decisions on the best option to play. Each situation will be under varied time pressures, so speed of thought and decision making are critical.”

• Players need to understand the reasons why a step-in is needed. For example, stepping in can be an effective way to draw players out of a low block.

• Self-belief and confidence are crucial when performing these actions. Instilling the right mentality and cultivating an environment that supports it are the coach’s responsibility.

• A core technical aspect of the step-in is the weight of a player’s touch. Tight touches draw the opposition in, whereas a bigger touch moves the ball past oncoming players and into space.