This week's images are from 'Improving Your Team's Possession Play'.
A player with good vision of the field will maintain an "open" shape as whenever possible. This means that supporting players should have their shoulder pointed towards the chest of the ball carrier. Centrally located players that are up field will have greatest difficulty achieving this position and will often have to compromise about where they want their vision to be open to the most. All centrally located players will have to lose sight of some part of the field because of the way they stand the issue for the coach is to teach them which area of vision they must give up in each situation to create the players' most advantageous position and field of sight.
Frequently in matches viewers will see centrally located players play the ball backwards. They do this because the player in back has better vision of what the options are for the whole group. Many coaches refer to this phenomenon as playing the ball to the teammate with vision. The only other real option is for the centrally located player to turn with the ball with an inherent risk of losing it. The risk may well be worth it because the dribbling move can disorganize the defense.
