The space behind the full-back when the winger stays wide

Watch Borussia Dortmund for ten minutes. The full-backs push high on both sides. When the ball turns over, the centre-backs split and the holding midfielder drops. But the space behind the advanced full-back stays open for three or four seconds.

In Prague, Achraf Hakimi scored twice from that exact pattern. Not because he was careless. Because the team shape invited him forward and nobody covered the lane behind him. The first goal came from a simple run into that gap between full-back and centre-back.

If your pre-match read says the opponent sits deep, ask where their full-backs stand. If they push up and the winger holds width, the return pass is always on. That is not luck. That is structure.

Look at the distance between the full-back and the centre-back before the ball arrives, not after.

Question: When you watch a team attack, do you track the far-side full-back or only the ball?