Skills and Techniques

Steve Cotterill

Crossing and finishing

This session is primarily about good quality crossing and finishing, but it also works on players making well-timed runs and improving the quality of ...

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...

Darren Ferguson

Rotation and movement

This session is about rotation and movement between players. Central to this is finding the spare man, with players knowing what to do with the ball w...

Graham Turner

Movement and rotation

This session is about movement and rotation, passing, receiving, and playing on the front foot. It requires good technique and skill, and moves from a...

Micky Mellon

Small-sided games

Small-sided games provide the best foundation for players when looking for them to rehearse the key technical and tactical elements that are taught in...

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 ...

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 ...

Phil Parkinson

Running without the ball

We will practice this session at least once a fortnight. Running in behind without the ball is extremely valuable because it steers players into dange...

Steve Kean

Pressing in key areas

This session is about pressing, at first in pairs, and with a view to manufacturing quick and accurate attacking situations. It’s important to prac...

Kevin Blackwell

Pressing as a unit

This session is used throughout the season, particularly when there is a rest from the intense fixture schedule. It’s great for enabling players to ...

Graeme Jones

Position-specific possession

This session looks at how players should adapt their possession habits depending on where they find themselves on the pitch. Because the practice re...

“I always enjoy talking football and discussing ideas with my fellow managers. I’m really happy to share one of my own training sessions in this issue of Elite Soccer”

Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola

Mark Yates

Possession play

The session focuses on build-up play with forward passing through midfield using short and longer balls into the frontman. This is very useful in ensu...

Stuart Gray

Mastering possession

This is a competitive session devised of two similar games. It involves players being put under pressure in keeping possession, and also enhances fitn...

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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