By Alex Trukan Medium pressure is a defensive strategy based on setting up a confrontation line (area of the pitch from which the team out of possession starts to apply pressing) around half way line. It is the most popular, yet not often very effective type of pressing. Many players associate this type of pressing
Continue readingBy Sean Reed - Next few sessions will focus on players combining, playing 1-2’s to create and maintain possession. Objective: Session 1 Working on angles of support, body shape, timing of movement and playing the ball in front of the player combining. Set Up Using the example above with 12 players. Split to group into 2
Continue readingBy Jason Stockman - Recently I have been watching a variety of game highlights from last season’s MLS, the Premier League and the U.S. v Iceland game and received inspiration for this drill. What I started noticing more and more after watching a bunch of highlight videos in a row was how many goals were
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By Alex Trukan This practice is designed to improve player’s ability to produce quicker and more explosive actions. That in example might be used in 1v1’s as well as high intensity sprint duels. In this exercise, physical component is incorporated into technical practice based around 3v1, 1v1 and 1v2 scenarios. Interchange between those situations makes
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett Ligue 1 Marseille 1 v 2 Paris SG So close, yet still so far away. Just like in the first leg, Marseille worried PSG but still ended up on the losing end. After a catastrophic start to the match, Michel's players were able to regroup and put up some
Continue readingBy Josh Jones-Keen - Warm Up Keeper should start just in front of the goal line. On command Keeper should position themselves to deal with the shot by sprinting in to the small coned area. Start left to right and have the players vary serves with volleys, half volleys and off the floor strikes. This is
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By Sean Reed - The next few sessions are some ideas for when you might have a small number of players. The focus is working in pairs, movement to receive the ball, angle of support, distances, body shape and combination play. Objective: Session 1 Working on angles of support and distances to link the play. Set
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan When selecting the attacking strategy, there are several options to choose from. One team might try to threaten the opponents on the counter-attack, another one might choose to attack quickly, and third one’s preferred option may be in turn a patient, positional attack. Regardless of what’s the team’s strongest choice, the players
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By Alex Trukan The following practice is designed to develop an ability to repeat high intensity sprints during the game. That is achieved by working on anaerobic energy system’s capacity, which helps in sustaining the frequency of explosive actions throughout the game. The physical component is linked to the technical element of running with the
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett La Liga Barcelona 2 v 1 Atletico Madrid This La Liga match featured a clash of wits between Barca and Atletico Madrid. Barcelona hosted a Madrid side level with them at the top of the table (48 points each). Rushed from the outset, the Catalans needed twenty minutes to
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By Sean Reed - The next few sessions are some ideas for when you might have a small number of players. The focus is on their awareness, movement, angles to support, decision-making and the quality on the ball. Objective: Session 1 Working on receive the ball and looking to play out to the spare man Set
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By Alex Trukan This passing pattern practice is developed to work on the ability to produce repeated short sprints over a longer period of time without losing its’ frequency and quality. That might be useful especially towards the end of the game when players get usually tired and their intensity of actions drops. Apart from
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan Full back’s position has evolved and is now one of the crucial positions involved in creating chances on the opposition half. Over the last years, we’ve seen many full backs converted into or playing on other positions including centre midfielder, defensive midfielder or winger. That only confirms that full back has become
Continue readingBy Jason Stockman - In a previous article, we worked on positioning for keepers during a corner – more specifically, where keepers should start out, what their area of influence was and learning to deal with increasing numbers of both defenders and attackers. Using what we learned in that article, we can now focus more
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett La Liga Real Madrid 5 v 0 Deportivo la Coruna Almost the entire world of football had their eyes on Madrid to see Zinedine Zidane on the Real bench. In what was a successful outing with a victory over La Coruna. Nevertheless, despite the score largely in
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan The presented practice incorporates physical as well as technical and tactical focus of the game. From the conditioning point of view, it develops Explosive Power, which is needed to accelerate over short distances and win a sprinting race. That is relevant both for the attackers or defenders chasing for the ball, recovering
Continue readingBy Josh Jones-Keen - Good positioning can be the difference between a shot going in the top corner or a corner. It could even be the difference between an embarrassing deflecting going straight to the Keepers hands or straight in the back of the net. Simply put I tell my Keepers that they should be making
Continue readingBy Sean Reed - The focus of this session is to encourage players to identify and use space when in possession of the ball. Objective: Session 1 Ball work with the players before a possession and can be used within a warm-up. Looking for the player in possession to recognize and exploit the free space (gates).
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By Alex Trukan Many teams in modern football have adapted a reactive approach to attacking. That means they give initiative to the opposition, set up a deep defending block and try to win the ball in certain areas to then counter attack. The team that is attacking against such tactics has to carefully consider risks
Continue readingBy Jason Stockman - One of the most important things players do is pre-game warmups. At younger ages this helps focus the players on soccer for the next hour and gets their blood moving; as players get older it becomes even more important to warmup to help stave off injuries (as well as get focused).
Continue readingBy Sean Reed - The focus of this session is to encourage players to find and use space. Identifying where the space is, the timing of movement to get into the space, the using the ball when receiving in the space. Objective: Session 1 Working on identifying and using the space when looking to receive the
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan This practice focuses on developing an ability to produce more actions during the football match through developing aerobic energy system. Due to man to man marking scenario, the players will need to show strength as well as balance on the ball. From the technical and tactical point of view, it incorporates movements
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan Next to the centre backs and full backs, defensive midfielder is one of the main players responsible for restricting opposition’s from creating chances and regaining possession. The role of typical defensive midfielder emerged as a response to the newly developed position of ‘number 10’ years ago. His main role was therefore to
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett Ligue 1 Lyon 4 - 1 Troyes It was not only Zinidane Zidane who made his “big league” debut on the bench this match, but also the successful return of Bruno Genesio in Ligue 1. In their new stadium, Lyon dominated Troyes (4-1) but it wasn’t without
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