Identifying and Solving Common Real Game Situation Problems in the Training Environment This is a different way to look at the game, rather than highlighting what we need to do well, it shows what often goes wrong and how to fix it. These are many situations I have found happen in top level games. How many of these problems do YOU experience with your team? Many of the defensive problems as you will see can EASILY be fixed just with good 1 on 1 or unit pressing. Also defensive tactical positioning is covered; as is improvements in our attacking play. A major improvement is needed though in COMMUNICATION at youth level to help fix all errors in most cases. Contents: 1) Attacking Shape is often WAY TOO narrow 2) We lose the ball with a bad pass where we get countered quickly and caught flat 3) NOT Sliding across and changing who you mark 4) Defensive positioning to fix in defensive team shape 5) Not pressing the opponents striker all the way 6) Not pressing the ball when it is cleared out of the penalty box 7) Poor positioning in and around the 6 yard box from Crosses 8) Positioning at the back when losing the ball 9) Wide players do not recover leaving a 2 v 1 against our fullbacks 10) We defend too deep from free kicks 11) Not closing the wide player down 12) Allowing opponent midfield players to receive and turn 13) Do we drop or press up from the back? 14) Dropping then Pressing 15) They move the ball forward and keep possession; we have to press and also recover at the same time 16) We don't press together as a unit in the Attacking Third 17) Changing shape to counter the opponents who are playing a 4-3-3 18) Not using Spatial Awareness correctly "off the ball" 19) Players need to move BOTH for themselves and for teammates also. 20) How to Regain possession in the attacking third? 21) Condensing and recovery runs by the defending team on losing possession 22) Attacking Play and rotations and movements of players 23) How to create third man runs in the attacking third
About the Author: Wayne has a wealth of knowledge at the highest levels of the game both as a professional player; having played for Blackpool and Sheffield Wednesday Football Clubs in England and Oulu Palloseura in the Finnish Premier league; and a professional coach having been the Director of Coaching of Youth Development for Blackpool amongst other coaching positions. He has also represented Great Britain as a player in the World Student Games in Mexico. He has written 10 Coaching books and has authored many articles for "World Class Coaching" and "Soccer Journal" Magazines in the United States and "Insight" Magazine in England. He holds the prestigious UEFA "A" License, and the NSCAA Premier Diploma, as well as an English Bachelors Degree in Applied Physiology and Sports Psychology. He is also a successful football clinician for the education of coaches, presenting at coaching symposiums worldwide, including the NSCAA Convention, the World Class Coaching International Seminar, the Soccer Coaches' Super Clinic and many State Symposiums throughout the United States. Wayne had previously spent 9 years in the USA perfecting his Football Coaching and Training Methodology and was more recently the Director of Coaching for the Youth Academy of Al Ain Football Club in the United Arab Emirates, a famous professional football club in the Middle East and Asian Regions of the World and former Asian Cup Winners. In his two years there the Youth Academy was voted the top Academy in the UAE by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and his youth teams won seven National Championships at various age groups during his tenure.