possible. The corner-kick, in particular, should be utilized to this purpose; but, under any circumstances, the goalkeeper should, wherever it is practicable, be marked by the centre or one of the inner wing players, who should rush him so as to hinder him getting a chance of removing the ball.
It may appear superfluous to add that forwards should stick to their positions. The essence of combination is systematic working, and unless there is •method the forwards cannot be doing their duty. Each player should, indeed, as a general rule, shadow one of the opposite side, and this cannot be done unless each keeps fairly well to the position assigned to him. I have said already that passing along the ground is, in a great majority of cases, more likely to be of use than when the ball is sent to any height. The advantage is that it is mostly much easier to take the pass while in full swing. It may be accepted, too, as a general principle, that short passing will be of more real use than long, and, indeed, as a rule, it is only under special circumstances that the latter should be adopted.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE HALF-BACKS
The defence, according to latter day notions, is constituted of three half-backs, two full backs, and a goal-keeper. A general principle as to the respective duties of each of the six players forming the rear guard has already been laid down. It is, however, the particular application to each individual case that remains to be supplied for the
