By Mike Smith I love using a fast wing who can draw out an extra defender as they blast past their first marker opening up the box for a service in to 3 or 4 additional attackers. Realistically however, I, like most of you, don’t always have the fastest player on the pitch. And what about
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By Philip Joe Cauchi Introduction: Within a system of play, constructing an attack occurs mainly in two major ways; short constructive build-up through the thirds or by-passing the midfield through direct play. In this article we are going to look at the number six or the defensive midfielder’s role in the build-up phase. The defensive
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By Steven Smith Area Size: This activity can be done on a full-sized field or in smaller spaces depending on the needs of the coach and team sizes available for training. The two diagrams represent the two approaches. Teams: Two teams of various sizes depending on the space used Time: 15 minutes Setup and Execution: Full
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition - Who Will Win the Final and Why?Final PredictionFrance vs. CroatiaBoth semi-finals were excellent games, some varied in quality at times, but both were very entertaining in their own unique way. France were excellent in dispatching a very good Belgium team and Croatia’s endurance to stick
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Quarter Finals PredictionsSemi-Finals PredictionsFrance vs. BelgiumThis should be the final really, and whichever team goes through I think will end up winning the final. The circumstances of this difficult side of the bracket have left a few nations behind, while some other nations have used the
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Quarter Finals England v SwedenQuarter Final Sweden vs. EnglandI’ve been very critical of England during every game this tournament, I don’t think they are very impressive, and yet I always pick them as my choice to advance. Good things are happening for England that far outweigh their
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By Steven Smith This training session will focus on the importance of maintaining possession of the ball in very restricted spaces. It is likely designed for more senior players who have strong technical ability but is designed to increase that ability under pressure with little time and space. Activity 1: Three Squares Setup: Taking risks and
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By Anthony Hazelwood The following activity activates the attacking players to develop a flank combination with the objective in creating a crossing and finishing opportunity. This activity is a linear and non-linear type of exercise with the soccer specific fitness target being the player and group athletic development. The metabolic training adaptations are meant for
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By Gregg Gillies - Set Up: Size (dependent on strength and skill of your players) at least 8-10 players plus GK (in the progression). 6 player set up, as seen in diagram 1 below. Have at least 8, with an extra player behind Player #1 and Player #4. If you have more than 8, you can
Continue readingWORLD CLASS COACHING From Rondos to Real Games By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART ONE INTRODUCTION DEFINITIONS OF SSGs, POSSESSION GAMES, RONDOS, POSITION GAMES NEUTRAL PLAYERS V COMODINES PART TWO TRAINING SESSIONS - BUILD UP FROM THE BACK PART THREE TRAINING SESSION - MIDFIELD PLAY TRAINING SESSION - ATTACKING FROM WIDE PART FOUR TRAINING SESSIONS
Continue readingWORLD CLASS COACHING From Rondos to Real Games By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART TWO TRAINING SESSIONS - BUILD UP FROM THE BACK Training session 1: Build up from the back Small-sided possession game: 4 v 4 + 2 Sequence Two teams of four players each are placed inside a rectangular set-up. The goal
Continue readingWORLD CLASS COACHING From Rondos to Real Games By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART THREE TRAINING SESSION - MIDFIELD PLAY TRAINING SESSION - ATTACKING FROM WIDE Training session 5: Play behind an opponent line in the middle third (1) Small-sided possession game: 4 + 2 v 3 Sequence Two teams of four (the
Continue readingWORLD CLASS COACHING From Rondos to Real Games By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART FOUR TRAINING SESSIONS - ATTACKING Training session 8: Play wide to open center spaces Small-sided possession game: 4 v 4 + 1 and goalkeeper Sequence Two teams of four players each are placed inside a rectangular set-up, with a center area
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Quarter Finals Uruguay v FranceQuarter Final Uruguay v’s FranceFrance were boring, unexciting, they lacked creativity and were not impressive.Uruguay were pragmatic, defensive and they were tedious.Nothing exciting about this game but given the result, one team goes home, and one team goes through. France goes through.Pogba was
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Quarter Finals PredictionsQuarter Final PredictionsThe quarter finals are massively unbalanced, with all four teams on one half of the bracket stronger than all four of the teams on the other side. However, it has played out this way and these are the games. There are some
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Day 20Colombia v’s EnglandAll things were equal coming into this match up. Colombia were without the services of James Rodríguez, that omission was certainly a problem for Colombia. But equally England were robbed of the serves of Fabian Delph, so the balance worked itself out equally,
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Day 19Brazil vs. MexicoAs is the nature of these high profile international tournaments, the teams that are growing in form tend to advance. So far, France and Brazil have been the best two teams that I have seen, and their dominance is really pushing them towards
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Day 18Spain vs. RussiaThe romantic Russian story continues. I think the predictable end should have been today but that didn’t happen. Russia have played well for the vast majority of the tournament and that home town interest carried this outstanding World Cup a little further again
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Round of 16 PredictionsFrance vs. ArgentinaFrance have got just about the most difficult draw or at least the most difficult draw based on reputation, if perhaps not based on performances so far. And even after this tough encounter the ties don’t get much easier. France have
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Day 9 Belgium vs. TunisiaBelgium look slick. Everyone is aware of the talent that Belgium have. And everyone is aware of their continuous routine of failing to live up to high expectations. This is probably the best time for this current group of Belgians’, they are
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Weekly English Premier League Opinion - World Cup Edition Day 11England vs. PanamaProblems ahead for England. Building on an early lead the possession statistics were crazy and the goals scored were even crazier. But did England play well? No, not really. The defending from Panama was so poor that football was embarrassed for them, basic
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By Tom Mura Question - Our 12's team are all confident and excel at training, but once they go into a game there are times when they appear intimidated by the opposition and become hesitant in areas they are very good at. The outcome is a disjointed performance on game day. The coach has come to
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By Scott Housden - This drill can easily be incorporated into a general crossing session or a specialist cut-back crosses session. Essential criteria of dealing with any high balls or crosses is ‘Assess – Decide – React’ and it is no different for this drill. Set Up The set up as shown in the diagram below
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