Hi Gary,

Always a good question. I think the worst thing you can do when in that situation is try and change the teams tactics/formation to something you haven't practised. At least if you remain with your default system, players know the ins and outs and are less likely to leave gaps in the defense through inexperience.

With that being said, if you have the time to have a secondary system in place, it will certainly help your team close outs games. Having a second formation is always useful, particularly if you condense the midfield, making it difficult for teams to play through. Another consideration could be to change your press. A half court press can really frustrate teams and help protect that all important lead. Combining this alongside a full press can help rattle teams and not allow them to become comfortable.

Be good to hear your own thoughts on this matter.

Hope all is well,

Josh