Elite Soccer

Featured

Counter-pressing as an offensive weapon

This exclusive session from Jürgen Klopp is about the creation and application of the counter-pressing moment as an offensive weapon. MORE

Beating the block

by Steven Gerrard

This session is designed to improve player and team awareness within the game. The specific awareness we are looking to improve is how to read an opponent’s defensive block and identify the space to attack. MORE

Team finishing

by Nuno Espirito Santo

This is a finishing session, but as it unfolds and progresses it becomes so much more than that. It allows you to devote time to all of the players – practising and repeating specific actions that will be asked of them in a match situation. MORE

Attacking

Penetrating or protecting the defensive line

by Ian Holloway

We’re looking for attackers to fashion goalscoring opportunities both when in and out of possession, while defenders must concentrate on defensive compactness, discipline and communication. This resilience is a feature of every successful team, and being able to penetrate this line effectively on a consistent basis is central to winning football matches. MORE

Overlapping against a low defensive block and in counter...

by Carlo Ancelotti

This session focuses on attacking play and, in particular, the use of overlaps to create and exploit space, a fundamental principle of attacking football. Ultimately, a team can go through, round or over the opposition’s defence in the process of scoring or making an attempt on goal. MORE

Quick combination play around the box

by Paul Lambert

This session is about attacking players improving their decision-making and movement, and helps them build advanced understanding of how to create goalscoring opportunities around the box. MORE

Defending

Attacking and defending

by Kevin Bond

This is a general session that is made up of various practices that I like to run with teams at training on a regular basis in order to form good habits. MORE

Defending principles

by Tanya Oxtoby

This session is about players developing their decision-making skills by executing our defending principles at the right times and in the right areas. It incorporates 1v1 defending, reading cues and triggers, making play predictable, and winning the ball back in the first, second or third lines. MORE

Defending principles

by Paul Heckingbottom

This session is all about building the defensive role of every position when out of possession. It starts with individuals defending in 1v1 and 3v2 situations and builds all the way through the units to whole team defending when out of possession. I like this session because all the problems posed to players are realistic to game situations. MORE

Midfield

Deep runs from midfield

by Dean Smith

This session is designed to encourage attacking midfielders and wide players to make deep runs in behind the opposition defenders. MORE

Linking through your centre-midfielder

by Carlos Carvalhal

The role of the centre-midfielder is a vital one in modern soccer and his effectiveness and resourcefulness is best practised with regular repetition of technique and job role. This is a session I first outlined when with Besiktas back in 2011, but so solid and reliable is the role of the midfielder that it is... MORE

Creating space in midfield

by Paul Peschisolido

This session is about creating space in midfield in order to receive or support others in breaks. This scenario often occurs as a first build-up stage in a game when full-backs or centre-backs have possession and want to use it smartly. MORE

Goalkeeping

Shot stopping for keepers

by Andrew Sparkes

This is a functional shot stopping session that starts using just the goalkeepers and the goalkeeping coach and it then progresses into a broader session and a small-sided game with the outfield players. The integration of the outfield players makes the session more match realistic and it will enhance the goalkeeper’s decision making in game... MORE

Great goalkeeping

by Andy Quy

This is a session for goalkeepers that teaches and rehearses dealing with crosses, both opposed and unopposed, and in the context of a small-sided game. The ability to manage balls crossed in from the wings is one of the most important parts of a goalkeeper’s game. It relies specifically on positioning, technique and good decision-making.... MORE

Direct distribution

by Seamus McDonagh

Distribution from goalkeepers - using both feet - is now a vital part of the game. This session helps distribution to real targets become second nature, and prevents keepers kicking aimlessly. MORE

Formations and tactics

Stepping out and creating overloads in a 3-5-2

by Darren Ferguson

The 3-5-2 formation remains hugely popular in modern football, though with so many teams becoming smart to its threat, we need players to be adept and precise in their execution of the set-up if it is to continue to reap rewards. MORE

Possession & transition

by Daniel Farke

This session involves many important topics from our football philosophy, such as possession and transition after winning or losing the ball in narrow spaces. The players are encouraged to perform the activities at their highest levels of intensity, which is important because it gives them the ideal load. MORE

Positivity and awareness

by Willy Donachie

This session teaches players to stay positive and aware in game situations, with a focus on moving play forward at all times. It encourages players to think about what’s ahead of and around them and relies on a good first touch and the use of clever angled passes. In the Premier League, the better the... MORE

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