It’s perhaps the most crucial aspect of decision-making when defending; when is the right time to press the ball and when is it better to stay in position?
For Toronto FC, the months Greg Vanney has spent preaching the importance of a compact, ‘connected’ shape, experimenting with different formations and rotating through personnel is now paying off.
The Reds know when to sit, soak up pressure, keep their shape and launch counter-attacks from deep. They know when to go hunting, aggressively pursuing turnovers higher up the field and forcing their opponents into mistakes in areas from which they can swiftly punish them.