When coaching players how to play soccer, understanding how to attack and what players can do to maximize their chances of scoring is vital in getting any team to play to their potential.
  Learning how to play soccer is all about learning how to score goals and this article discusses the very fundamental principles that teams should adopt when attacking, and  the various roles and tasks that players have to follow the attacking principles.
Attacking Principles - What are they? When your team has the ball, the Attacking Principles apply, regardless of the position that the ball is on the field.
The five principles of that govern play when you are attacking are:

1. Penetration
2. Depth
3. Width
4. Mobility
5. Improvisation

Attacking principle - role of the 1st Attacker to achieve penetration, use improvisation and maintain possession When our team has the ball, the first and foremost objective is to achieve penetration, that is move the ball forward.
The ultimate penetration is of course having a shot and scoring a goal, but how do we get to that position.
The 1st attacker (the player with the ball) should attempt to attack the space behind the defender.
This can be achieved in a number of ways, and does depend on where you on the field you have the ball.

1. Shooting
2. Dribbling past a defender
3. Passing the ball behind a defender to a 2nd attacker and immediately offering support to that player
4. Putting the ball and yourself into the space behind the defender, either by a pass to yourself or a wall pass
5. Looking to run at angles to get behind the defender

It may be necessary to create space behind the defender to exploit that space.
Create space behind the defender by

1. Committing the defender to challenge
2. Enticing the defender forward and thereby creating space behind the defender
3. The 1st Attacker is also required to keep possession of the ball
4. Keep the ball moving and away from the defenders range
5. Take the ball away from the defenders feet with your first touch
6. Move the ball into space, and improvise to trick defenders into moving the wrong way

Attacking principles - role of the 2nd Attackers The 2nd attacker(s) are the players in the immediate vicinity of the 1st attacker.
The role of the 2nd attacker(s) is to try and achieve depth and width by providing a supporting role.
The role of the 2nd attacker(s) is to help the 1st attacker by:

1. Supporting at various distances within the visual range of the 1st attacker.
   
2. Giving the 1st attacker a number of options and the 1st attacker should look to get the ball forward as much as possible
3. Giving the 1st attacker a good angle and clear line to pass the ball.
   When Receiving the ball the support player must be positioned to play the ball in the desired direction (usually forward) with their first touch.
   This is normally done by the receiving player having an open stance.
   

If the 1st attacker is attempting to dribble past the defender, the supporting players help by moving away from the 1st attacker, and thereby enticing the 2nd defender away from their supporting role The supporting attackers should be in constant communication with the 1st attacker, letting them know of any dangers, or options that the 1st attacker is not aware of.
Attacking principles - role of the 3rd Attackers  The 3rd attacker(s) are other attackers that are away from the immediate playing area.
3rd attackers provide a supporting role to the 1st and 2nd attackers in a number of ways to ensure that the principles of play are being followed.
The role or the 3rd attackers is to provide mobility, depth, width and penetration

1. Make runs on the blind side of defenders
2. Attacks the space behind the defenders without the ball
3. Runs away from defenders which can have 2 outcomes* The defender follows the attacker and so space is created behind the defender*The defender does not follow the attacker, so the attacker is now free
4. Runs that are made with no intention to receive the ball must be encouraged as much as runs to receive the ball
5. Commit the last defender by running past them and distracting them
6. Entice 3rd defenders away and thereby creating space

The timing of runs is vital, and ensure that

1. Running to create space the run is made early
2. Running to exploit existing space the is made late

By following these attacking principles, and by coaching them when teaching players how to play soccer, will give you a great foundation for having an exciting and attacking team.
  After I learnt these principles, I applied them to all of my coaching points, and have found that my players now have a far greater understanding of how to play soccer from an attacking perspective.