Offensive defenders tactic

What is it?

Norwegian tactic (also called simply "Norway" or "Norge") concentrates on boosting midfield and/or attack at expense of defence. The idea behind this tactics is simple as inequality: 5 > (10-6), meaning: if you'll get 6 out of 10 chances there are in every match, and you will score from at least 5 of them, you will win the match even if your opponent scores from every chance he gets. In other words, if your possesion is big enough to get you 6 chances in a match and your attacks are good enough to convert those chances into goals, you need no defence at all. So if giving up defence will give you such midfield and attacks, then it is a logical thing to do.

Why is it called "Norwegian?"

The name of this tactic derives from famous final match (MatchID: 14287675) of World Cup IV, played on 29.02.2004, in which Norway beat Sweden 4-2 (it was the only World Cup not won by Sweden so far). Norwegian NT coach Snylte used the following line-up:

Norway gold medal line-up
GK
[[{{{wb_right}}}]]	[[{{{cd_right}}}]]	[[{{{cd_left}}}]]	[[{{{wb_left}}}]]
[[{{{w_right}}}]]	[[{{{im_right}}}]]	[[{{{im_left}}}]]	[[{{{w_left}}}]]
[[{{{f_right}}}]]		[[{{{f_left}}}]]

This was in reality not the first match in which Norwegian tactic was used, only the most famous one. The oldest Norwegian tactic matches I know, were played on 29.10.2003 (friendly, MatchID: 9958212) and 12.11.2003 (cup, MatchID: 12860969) - 4 months before the World Cup final - and there are probably even older ones (please submit them if you find them).

Norwegian tactic vs. all out tactic

Norwegian tactic is often mistaken with "classic" all out tactic, which concentrates on boosting midfield (possesion), even at expense of attack (for example playing both wingers toward middle), but they're really not the same.

Effectiveness

Even if after the use of this tactics there were changes in the game engine that increased the importance of defending, it is still used All out tactics.