All Posts by Mike Saif

Possession Penetration Crossing Practice

By Steven Smith This session is designed to be a progression from possession, to penetration and finally including crossing skills at the end. The session will require concentration on the part of players as there is clear functional tactical elements to the session. The pace must be kept high moving from activity to activity in order

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Striker dropping between the lines

By Philip Joe Cauchi When a striker drops between the lines, questions arise for the defender concerned. Should the defender follow the striker? Or, should the defender remain inside his/her zone of responsibility? If the defender follows the striker, a gap is created in the defence unit which the attacking team might be able to

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Should I Use Zonal Marking When Defending Corner Kicks?

By Luca Bertolini Question - The explosion of set piece goals is extraordinary! On corner kicks I am completely baffled. Why have so many groups gone to zonal marking which only works marginally at best? Although the theory of it works, the reality of it, is that zonal marking fails and I have no idea

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Build Up From the Back - Exercises 2 - Part One

WORLD CLASS COACHING Build Up From the Back - Exercises 2 By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART ONE Introduction Build Up From GK and Center Backs PART TWO Build Up With Center Backs and Midfielders PART THREE Small-Sided Games and Exercises PART FOUR Build Up with the 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 Introduction "A lot of people

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Build Up From the Back - Exercises 2 - Part Two

WORLD CLASS COACHING Build Up From the Back - Exercises 2 By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART TWO Build Up With Center Backs and Midfielders   Specific small-sided games All the following practices are carried out inside the areas of the pitch that are commonly accepted as those of the positional play games. Goalkeeper and

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Build Up From the Back - Exercises 2 - Part Three

WORLD CLASS COACHING Build Up From the Back - Exercises 2 By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART THREE Small-Sided Games and Exercises Play out through the center (zonal duels) Exercise 18: 5 + 1 + gk v 5 Set-up and Sequence: 1 goalkeeper, 2 center backs, 1 dropping back red free player (midfielder) are placed

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Build Up From the Back - Exercises 2 - Part Four

WORLD CLASS COACHING Build Up From the Back - Exercises 2 By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART FOUR Build Up with the 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 Build up from the back with the 1-4-2-3-1 The 4-2-3-1 is one of the most popular soccer formations in the game nowadays; it is designed to out-number the opposition in

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Defending with a back four

By Philip Joe Cauchi In this article we will analyse the back four of Atlético De Madrid within a 1-4-4-2 system of play. The examples of situations are taken from the Europa League final against Olympique De Marseille. Discipline and compactness as well as coordinated teamwork is key to refrain the opponents from having goal-scoring

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Should I Focus on Conditioning or Technical/Tactical Training?

By Mike Saif Question - I have just signed the contract with my new team to coach (B Caf license), I realize that the players physical condition is not good enough (18 year + for Premier league) and the first match of the league will take place in just 10 days. Should I proceed with conditioning

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