In possession

This session was run during the international break and it had as its main target the refreshing of some of our key concepts for dealing with different situations in the game. In this instance, the session was a little bit of a mix between defending and attacking, where we focused on defending deep and on a high press in the final third.

The main goal of this session is to prepare a team set up in a 4-4-3 system to beat an opponent playing in a 4-4-2 diamond system, through a specific building up game plan.

After a deep analysis about how teams use a diamond formation to defend in a medium block, the drills have been designed to counteract the strengths and to better attack the weaknesses that this formation has.

My key football philosophy has always been to make sure my teams keep hold of the ball. The use of possession in creating space and reducing opposition threat is recreated in every match situation, so this knowledge is invaluable in the modern game.

While the concept is straightforward, searching for improvement and development in this vital skill is important. There are a variety of challenges that enable us to perfect the art…

This is a training session that incorporates quick combination passing, positional awareness and intelligent decision-making. It’s important to practise this because receiving and passing are core skills, and they are fundamental to the success of every football team.

Preparation is essential, as is practising what we play and how we play. Players must have seen the situation before it occurs – in this instance, that means always looking up before passing and receiving.