04 May 2014

Coaching Football – Build attacks through pressure possession

The modern trend in coaching football is to keep possession and build attacks through pressure possession. But it is hard to get your players to focus on possession, when they see a goal in a small sided game. One question I am often asked when coaching on courses is:

How can I help my players understand the need for patience and possession in a game, yet still look to attack when the opportunity presents itself?

To that end, a football coach should consider the following coaching points when coaching building attacks through pressure possession:

• When in possession, ensure your team creates space as a team, both wide and long to make the pitch as big as possible.
• Players thinking “one step ahead” – “Not where the ball is, but where it is going to be”
• As the ball moves, the players should constantly be moving to find and create space.
• Always more than one passing option of a player in space for the player on the ball.
• At all times have support behind the ball, so that play can be recycled and possession retained by going backwards, before looking to go forward
• The timing and angle of movement to create space and support the player on the ball
• Communication between players
• Quality of passing: To feet, space, first time passing or pass and control?
• Turning with and without the ball to create space
• Runs to create space for other players
• Defensive balance or lock up when attacking