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The side of the pitch away from the ball. While the defense shifts ball side, the weak side becomes less defended. Quick switches of play exploit this - ping the ball across and suddenly the weak side attacker has space. Teams balance numbers to prevent getting caught, but there's always a trade-off between compactness ball side and coverage on the weak side.
Barcelona's quick switches of play in their prime caught teams on the weak side constantly. Xavi would hold the ball, draw the defense toward him, then ping a 50-yard diagonal to an unmarked Alves bombing down the right.
Robbie
Jan 14, 2026
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