Retaining possession

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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…

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Brendan Rodgers

Possession with penetration

This is a training practice that quickly evolves from a simple passing triangle to other activities that coach pressing, receiving, combinations, switches and team movement.

Matt Layton

Managing the ball in the middle third

This session focuses on managing the ball in the middle third of the pitch. It has specific positional objectives: it teaches defenders to recognise a...

Simon Weaver

Keeping possession and switching play

This is a possession game that we like to run, as it rehearses the players in transferring the ball and switching play when we have the opportunity. ...

Yasar Latif

Rondo 2.0

This practice can be used to achieve various outcomes relating to passing and receiving. The primary outcome is to support players with their understa...

“Elite Soccer is a fantastic magazine. I encourage all my coaches to read it”

Arsène Wenger

Chris Beech

Movement to receive the ball

This session is all about encouraging players to constantly make angles to get on the ball. It’s about providing space for others and options for th...

Ralph Hasenhüttl

Possession play to build attacks

The purpose of this training session is to encourage the team to retain possession and build play from the back. The players enjoy this session becaus...

Simon Hodge

Possession with opportunities to attack

This session is focused on maintaining positive possession within an overload situation and leading towards directional penetrative transfer play. Wh...

Stuart Gray

Possession drills with players in position

The aim of the session is for players to try and keep possession in order to dominate the game. It’s also designed to encourage players to play one-...

Carlos Carvalhal

Passing and effective possession play

The aim of this session is to get players to use effective possession play as a tool to move and disorganise the opposition’s defence and to penetra...

Paul Hurst

Possession and transition

This session involves two teams playing against each other but each team has a different objective. In the basic session one of the teams attempts to...

Gary Rowett

Playing against pressure

This is a session that aims to combat the threat of playing against a team that presses well in central areas. We practise this so that players can d...

Graham Taylor OBE

Possession and scoring

For players to see the options in the final third, simply, they must play with their heads up, and this is a session that has this as its heart, encou...

Nick Cushing

Scoring against a low block

This is a possession practice to help players develop an understanding of the concepts of how to create and use space, particularly how to create 1v1 ...

Steve Eyre

The 100 passes game

This session looks at transitioning between attack and defence. It’s useful for us because it examines all the elements of pressure, possession, tec...

Garry Monk

Aligning possession practices to our tactical model

This session begins by focusing on the defensive transition following possession loss, before training in possession principles of play. It’s a pra...

Matt Beard

Reinforcing team fundamentals

The main objective of this session is to make sure players are comfortable on the ball and confident in possession. It focuses on the fundamentals of ...

“My session in Elite Soccer will help show you how our way is applied in simple training activities to give you a first idea to develop counter pressing”

Jurgen Klopp

Scott Parker

Finding the third man

This session is about encouraging players to work in threes, using passing combinations to find the third man free of his defender. This concept is a ...

Mark Robins

Passing Precision

This session combines short and long passing. It’s great for helping players use the ball in small and compacted areas, teaching them when to hold p...

Gary Bowyer

Possession football

This session is not only about having an appreciation of the ball and keeping possession, but also looks at the importance of winning possession back,...

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