From the stands, soccer may look like a single, 90-minute-long game that's broken into 45- minute chunks by halftime.

In reality, each soccer match consists a series of smaller plays involving groups of players.

Soccer consists of ten basic tactical principles, originally developed by soccer tactician Allen Wade in 1967 called “The F.A. Guide to Training and Coaching” and expounded upon by coach Alan Hargreaves, that both players and coaches can use to gain skills and evaluate performance on the field.

These principles are classified as attacking - offense - or defending - defense - depending on which team has the ball.

The five principles of attacking and defending are a fundamental basis for a soccer coach to focus his team’s broader objectives and strategies.

According to Allen Wade and other proponents of the principles, every practice and match depends on the successful execution of the principles, so they are indispensable to success in the sport.

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