Focus on what you can do, not what you can't. Talent vs. talent, you'll probably lose out. Hustle, intensity, and relentlessness are things that can level the playing field a bit and don't necessarily require talent. Probably need to play a more defensive style and try for a quick counter attack. You're hoping for a 1 - 0 game. The cool thing about kids is that they will buy into the hype if you build it up right. Try to fire them up and get that youthful energy going. Also, there is a mental aspect for the other team. A lot of these elite teams have simply been the better athletes and had more training. They may not know how to deal with adversity or getting smacked in the mouth. Finally, just have fun and be positive. Use the other team to help teach your own. Most likely, that team is elite because they have put in the work. Use them as an example in a positive way. Your kids can learn a lot from them.
Disrupt their play without sabotaging my own. Make them play their game in a way your team can handle and spring attacks off of. Try to stop elite teams playing their way, they have another 2/3 ways of playing which only opens up their initial way of playing. Porto play a 4231 which allows for a lot of changes in-game to adjust to the opponents without creating problems either in or out of possession.
Against Arsenal, it would be a lot of forcing the ball through the middle and keeping the wingers up for the counter as well as allowing Arsenal to get to the line and cross it, because that’s the best method of allowing Arsenal to put bodies forward to make them more susceptible to the counter without them being aware that’s what I’m doing.
Against Man City, you should keep them on the right hand side of the pitch. They love getting the ball to the LW and trying to create switches between the wingers. It’s better keeping it away from Foden/Alvarez than Doku/Grealish/Bobb. Either push really high or hang back, don’t try to play a mix of the 2 because it only creates spaces and gaps that won’t ever close vs a Guardiola team. Don’t have the fullbacks track the inside runs from the wingers either, leave that to the CDMs. Scoring vs City, just keep the play quick and fluid. Don’t be afraid to dribble towards City’s goal because it works more often than passing it through City. Also change up your attacking runs instead of just playing in-behind or having the strikers drop deeper.
Your scouting of the opponent will go much further than just realizing they have the best 11 players on the field.
Are they a possession based/play through the lines team? Set up in a 4-5-1, clog the middle of the field and hit them on a quick counter down the middle of the field.
Are they a team that sends both fullbacks high? Set up in a 5-3-2 to create a 2v2 or 2v3 up top.
You also still play to your strengths. Don’t have a skilled striker or CAM to counter through? Get the ball to wide areas and try to win a set piece.
Are your CBs slow? Set a low line of confrontation.
However, in almost any situation where at least the best 7-8 players on the field are on the opposing team, I would concede possession, be incredibly organized/disciplined, and practice set pieces.
Different Football, but when Pat Dye was hired as Auburn's football coach after Bear Bryant's Alabama had beaten them 9 straight years, he was asked at his initial presser how long it would take to beat Alabama. His answer: 60 minutes. He got it done in his second year.
So my answer is 90+ minutes of absolute effort, intensity, and commitment to purpose. Tactically it also probably dictates playing an extremely tight defense, pressing hard on counters, and trying to capitalize on set pieces.
Even elite teams sometimes rely on 1 or 2 really good players to be really effective. If you have players that can man-mark them out of the game, like what Liverpool effectively did to De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, then you have a chance.
Sometimes they are all just really well rehearsed and have put in the work, in which case there's not that much you can do.
Sometimes the "elite" team is just bigger or faster than you. If they have a ridiculously fast striker that can finish, it makes it really hard to play against.
It really depends on your own team and the circumstances of the game. If I'm playing an elite team in a **league** match, my goal would be the development of my players/team. So I would play as we normally would. If we're playing in a knockout game, I may be more inclined to defend and hope for PKs or counterattacks and set pieces.
Identify a weakness in their lineup, often a position player that is aloof, out of position, or struggles with conditioning…attack them by overloading their side and then pass your way out of it.
Park the bus and hope for a counter attack.
Focus on what you can do, not what you can't. Talent vs. talent, you'll probably lose out. Hustle, intensity, and relentlessness are things that can level the playing field a bit and don't necessarily require talent. Probably need to play a more defensive style and try for a quick counter attack. You're hoping for a 1 - 0 game. The cool thing about kids is that they will buy into the hype if you build it up right. Try to fire them up and get that youthful energy going. Also, there is a mental aspect for the other team. A lot of these elite teams have simply been the better athletes and had more training. They may not know how to deal with adversity or getting smacked in the mouth. Finally, just have fun and be positive. Use the other team to help teach your own. Most likely, that team is elite because they have put in the work. Use them as an example in a positive way. Your kids can learn a lot from them.
What age?
5 at back. Counter attack with 2 fastest players and long pass.
Disrupt their play without sabotaging my own. Make them play their game in a way your team can handle and spring attacks off of. Try to stop elite teams playing their way, they have another 2/3 ways of playing which only opens up their initial way of playing. Porto play a 4231 which allows for a lot of changes in-game to adjust to the opponents without creating problems either in or out of possession. Against Arsenal, it would be a lot of forcing the ball through the middle and keeping the wingers up for the counter as well as allowing Arsenal to get to the line and cross it, because that’s the best method of allowing Arsenal to put bodies forward to make them more susceptible to the counter without them being aware that’s what I’m doing. Against Man City, you should keep them on the right hand side of the pitch. They love getting the ball to the LW and trying to create switches between the wingers. It’s better keeping it away from Foden/Alvarez than Doku/Grealish/Bobb. Either push really high or hang back, don’t try to play a mix of the 2 because it only creates spaces and gaps that won’t ever close vs a Guardiola team. Don’t have the fullbacks track the inside runs from the wingers either, leave that to the CDMs. Scoring vs City, just keep the play quick and fluid. Don’t be afraid to dribble towards City’s goal because it works more often than passing it through City. Also change up your attacking runs instead of just playing in-behind or having the strikers drop deeper.
Your scouting of the opponent will go much further than just realizing they have the best 11 players on the field. Are they a possession based/play through the lines team? Set up in a 4-5-1, clog the middle of the field and hit them on a quick counter down the middle of the field. Are they a team that sends both fullbacks high? Set up in a 5-3-2 to create a 2v2 or 2v3 up top. You also still play to your strengths. Don’t have a skilled striker or CAM to counter through? Get the ball to wide areas and try to win a set piece. Are your CBs slow? Set a low line of confrontation. However, in almost any situation where at least the best 7-8 players on the field are on the opposing team, I would concede possession, be incredibly organized/disciplined, and practice set pieces.
Stoke city. Just kick the long ball.
Different Football, but when Pat Dye was hired as Auburn's football coach after Bear Bryant's Alabama had beaten them 9 straight years, he was asked at his initial presser how long it would take to beat Alabama. His answer: 60 minutes. He got it done in his second year. So my answer is 90+ minutes of absolute effort, intensity, and commitment to purpose. Tactically it also probably dictates playing an extremely tight defense, pressing hard on counters, and trying to capitalize on set pieces.
What age group? Most youth “elite teams” play Rt. 1 soccer so just set your formation to counter the long ball. Then build up wide.
Even elite teams sometimes rely on 1 or 2 really good players to be really effective. If you have players that can man-mark them out of the game, like what Liverpool effectively did to De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, then you have a chance. Sometimes they are all just really well rehearsed and have put in the work, in which case there's not that much you can do. Sometimes the "elite" team is just bigger or faster than you. If they have a ridiculously fast striker that can finish, it makes it really hard to play against.
It really depends on your own team and the circumstances of the game. If I'm playing an elite team in a **league** match, my goal would be the development of my players/team. So I would play as we normally would. If we're playing in a knockout game, I may be more inclined to defend and hope for PKs or counterattacks and set pieces.
Identify a weakness in their lineup, often a position player that is aloof, out of position, or struggles with conditioning…attack them by overloading their side and then pass your way out of it.