Defensive Diamond
A defensive diamond is created when a team’s midfielder drops back from midfield towards his own goal (also known as dropping deep) to form a diamond shape with his goalkeeper and two centre backs. MORE
Tactics
Open Shoulders
Open shoulders refers to a player’s body position if he is facing a team mate ahead of receiving a pass from him. MORE
Techniques behind possession
in Ball Control and Footwork, Tactics
This session looks at what actually goes on in keep ball games and what you want your players to do within the simple set up – it helps players understand it. MORE
Pass, receive, move
This is a great session to show players how reactions are vital to the ability of the team to move the ball between players and around the pitch – before the pass, with the ball and then after the pass. Also the progression adds the pressure of a defender MORE
Reacting at half-time with a team talk
The big decision that faces all coaches whatever level they are coaching is how do they react to the half-time scoreline? Going all out to kill the game or parking the bus if you are winning – but if you're losing what do you tell your team to do? MORE
Use game changing tactics when you lose a “Neymar”
Changing a game is much easier when you have star players – so you need to use tactics MORE
BACK TO BASICS – floating possession
in Ball Control and Footwork, Tactics
This is a reactive pressure and possession game that coaches players in the basics of team mechanics – namely keeping the ball, exploiting opposition mistakes with an end product MORE
5 minutes to play
in Tactics
It’s late in the game with the championship at stake – this session puts your players in the driving seat and lets them decide on the tactics that will win the title. Why use it This session lets the players decide amongst themselves what to do to win the league. It is a game scenario... MORE
SWITCHING PLAY – box switch
Simple fact. Being able to switch play makes the pitch bigger and give more options to create goalscoring situations – this variant on the theme looks at switching play from a counter attack MORE
TACTICS TIPS – switching play
Teams will often find they cannot break down a defence because it is too compact – but there will always be space somewhere on the pitch to exploit MORE
SWITCHING PLAY – creating space
in Ball Control and Footwork, Tactics
This is a fun session with players using a range of techniques for long and short passing. It improves their awareness of when and where they can turn with the ball, to switch the play. MORE
SWITCHING PLAY – switch to score
This game encourages teams to switch play and to create space away from the ball – it is a condition of the game that teams must switch before they can score a goal. MORE
Switching play – Make the tactic work for your...
Watching the success of the England women’s team at the Euros in Holland earlier this month they showed why teams need to use tactics to create space at the back for clever attackers to exploit. MORE
One nil up, two men down
Your team is 1-0 up but your opponents have a two-man advantage. A game to teach each team the importance of setting out the tactics to hold on to a lead. MORE
