Questions A Player Should Ask

One of my key coaching ideas at Cupello is that teams should dominate with ball possession using fast play and combinations that have positive movement and direction – in my working practice I then work on different defending strategies that the teams will come up against.

So what I look for in my matches are players that are making good decisions during games when they have the ball and are looking to answer the questions that are posed to them:

• Where it the space on the pitch and how much space do I have?
• Should I pass into the space or get into the space with first touch?
• Have I scanned to see where my team mates are if I need to pass?
• If my team mate has the ball where can I support the play?
• How do I communicate that I am open to the pass?
• What will I do with the pass – one-two, underlap or overlap?

Where are these questions relevant?

One thing I am constantly working on at training is getting team movement and rotations of positions in midfield and attack when we have the ball – and the best way to do this is with a diamond midfield. I work with a number 9 at the top of the diamond and wingers and a defensive mid at the bottom they are the heart of the team.

Looking for diamonds all over the pitch is a big plus point for teams with options to play the ball in a variety of ways and is difficult to defend against. A diamond shape covers all the angles your team needs to move the ball up the pitch.

Play games with a diamond midfield that works with the team in possession so that players change roles within the shape – one minute you are the number 9 at the top of the diamond the next the defensive midfielder at the bottom, or left wing then right wing.

In the youth game you have lots of illness and injury or players going away for the weekend, so having versatile players in your midfield who can easily switch positions is a fantastic way of covering those absences. It can also help with tactical decisions during a match when a player is struggling in the position they are playing – and of course when your team has exposed a weakness in the opposition a way of exploiting that.

Where players are likely to make mistakes is to dwell on the ball for too long when there are options for quick passing especially into the striker up top. This is what I will be working on with my teams this week.