Paul McGuinness
@Paulmcg8
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Loughborough Univ - PE Sports Science | 28yrs Player & Coach Man Utd | Ex-FA National coach developer | "McGuinness Football Consultancy” mcguinnessfc @yahoo .com
Altrincham, Cheshire
Joined June 2016
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Stones puts his foot on the ball pausing (the arrogance of timing) enticing Griezmann towards him - ‘holding the ball the right amount of time’ - ‘getting the ball to the best place’ setting up to his left before disguising his ‘front foot pass’ with short back lift to Saka
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When asking youngsters to ‘build up from the back’ it’s important to remember that “what is tactically feasible must be technically possible” - ensure they get repetitive practice of their 1v1 1v2 2v2 2v3 skills / tactics in small sided games like Cancelo & Gündogan did as kids
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Kulusevski recognises Spurs have ‘3 players in a line’ - he points to the line of pass to signal to Emerson Royal - then creates space for the pass by sprinting behind the defence for the pass off ‘the point’ Harry Kane - who comes off deeper to play the through pass first time
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Casemiro’s a brilliant signing for United - watching highlights goals/chances you can miss the source of a move - Casemiro reading play covering, tracking, tackling intercepting - then the special talent, he’s already seen the most hurtful FORWARD pass & sets up an instant attack
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“Position before possession” - don’t just run to the ball - run to gain positional superiority - block your opponent’s path in the race to the ball 🔥⚽️
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‘Matador’ skills from Rashford pausing with ‘The Arrogance of Timing’ to entice the defender to lunge in, over committing, then lifting the ball over his outstretched leg, drawing the foul & a yellow card
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Casimero scans 6 times in 7 seconds to refresh the ‘picture’ which enables him to play first time ‘around the corner’ to Rashford (see sequence over this thread 🧵)
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Now that’s BLOCKING - get set - lean in to it - chest forward - chin down - ‘DON’T TURN YOUR BACK’
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At a coaching demonstration by Ray Lewington (Roy Hodgson’s assistant for clubs & England ) this tip stuck with me - in wide areas the full back should not be positioned outside the vertical line to the opposition player in possession until he passes the ball to the wide man
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Garnacho shows positive mentality encapsulated in the coaching phrase “don’t come back” on the counter attack - keep flowing forward looking ahead for the most “hurtful pass” - he has a safe pass on back to Fernandez but takes the difficult “more hurtful” option the 1-2 with Fred
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Brilliant defending Martinez - positioning goal side ball side & scanning alternately for ball & man checking to block Antonio’s path to the ball - importantly he scans the ball carrier as he touches the ball so he can read the cross & time his acceleration to clear near post
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Brilliant - marking - tracking - intercepting - perception - action - coupling - positioning & body orientation allow Vidic to see his man & the ball & react to his opponent’s emerging movement - flow is maintained by transitioning efficiently between each footwork pattern
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How can we get better at coaching 1v1 tactics on & off the ball when attacking or defending - improve the passer & receiver relationship to penetrate in & around the box?
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Yesterday I took my Dad back to his childhood home 51 Westleigh St Beckley Manchester & the end terrace wall where he honed his skills practicing for hours on end - environment was vital as was the fact my grandma was stone-deaf & could not hear the constant thud of the ball!
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A brilliant corner routine which emphasises the tactic of ‘going against the flow’ of the defender - cross over & take over moves can be devastating
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Educate player’s attention to gaining an advantage in flow - stepping in between your opponent & ball blocking their flow - using arms to disrupt their flow - unexpectedly decelerating to turn creating opposite flow using the body as a barrier to protect the ball & accelerate
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Joshua Kimmich played vs my Man Utd U18 team in a 6v6 tournament - he ran the whole game - like a coach on the pitch organising teammates in to position & timing changes of rhythm & deciding when to entice or commit opponents - he confirmed to me the value of small sided games
Hansi Flick & the German national team discussing post-match analysis after their defeat against Japan in World Cup.
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@YesterdaysStars
I took my Dad to Old Trafford yesterday for a catch up and nostalgia with Laura, staff from the museum and some life long…long….long United fans 🔥⚽️
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Defending the 1-2 - gaining advantage in flow - jockey side on (ready for the sprint) - turn with your man (not towards the ball) - match his running using arms to disrupt his flow - get your shoulder in front - block his path to the ball
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As nearly everyone plays football & top players make it look so easy people can underestimate the level of expertise in the 1-2 in the air the touch volley headed return pass & cushioned chest control then pinpoint half volley cross & blindside run & leap to power the header home
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Dad’s so proud to be a “Busby Babe” & a Guardian of their Spirit ‘Looking back it is so easy and with hindsight so distressing, to remember how passionately Wilf embraced the vision of United as the team that would not, could not, be snuffed out by Munich (Bobby Charlton) ❤️🔥⚽️
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Ronaldo creating a passing lane - 1st he looks over his shoulder to see McTominay - 2nd he moves wide to attract Rice out of the lane signalling to Casimero with his right to play to McTominay - 3rd the lane is open - 4 Ronaldo has advantage in forward flow to the ball over Rice
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Arsene Wenger has highlighted the need for Striker schools : here’s some ideas for the syllabus 🎯🔥⚽️
Exclusive interview with Arsene Wenger on his role as Fifa global development, and where football is going
- need to “create striker schools"
- “we lose a bit that creativity”
- pressing's effect
- “does the world produce enough good players? I think no”
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In a duel for the ball teach young players it’s not like a 100m race - get in your opponents ‘lane’ to the ball - use your arms to disrupt his flow - block his path using your body as a barrier - use his momentum against him with changes of speed & opposite movements to beat him
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Coaching pairs of strikers Don Howe used a clock face analogy - the strikers should position themselves at opposite sides of a clock face - Rooney & Teves start at 3 & 9 O’clock as Teves drops off to 7 Rooney moves to 1 they rotate again Rooney at 11 back heels to Teves at 5 ⏰🎯
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Stones again shows his ability to be in charge of the game with the poise timing disguise & change of speed to play ‘cat & mouse enticing Giroud to move - creating the gap to penetrate
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A favourite training game I’ve used for years is “The pass & run game” - depending on numbers / standards play 7v7 9v9 on a narrow pitch 30-40m wide by 60-80m long 10m end zones to receive a pass in to score - the rule is you must sprint forward if you pass back or square 1/2
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My Dad bottom row 2nd from right between Bobby Charlton & FA Youth Cup Winning captain Eddie Coleman - back left Duncan Edwards the ‘colossus’ already a first team regular - all 4 of them won a record 3 FA Youth Cup Winners medals
Two weeks today - Eternal, my biography of Duncan Edwards, is published.
From his schoolboy days to his professional career, there is so much new in this book to add to the ultimate legend of the game.
There is an 18% discount on Amazon here :
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The ‘moving screen’ - receiving a pass safe side using the body as a moving barrier to prevent the opponent from challenging - the tactic is to make the defender flow quickly to challenge but as you sense him getting close let the ball run & beat him with ‘opposite flow’ 🧵 👇🏻
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It can help to identify & memorise the common pictures in the game by creating your own visual then looking for best practice videos of the top players in action - you may name a memorable move after a particular player - revising & refining your visual as you progress
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OMG I hear my old coach Eric Harrison now “sprint out stop the cross - slow down - in line with his kicking foot - in ‘fighting distance’- dig your studs in the turf - watch the ball - don’t turn your back - block & stamp your foot down incase he checks back ready to push off
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Thanks to so many people who have sent Birthday wishes to my Dad - he had a great afternoon with my mum & family friend John Scrivener at the dementia Chior at Bowden church hall before a family dinner at my sister’s as you would expect he lived all the attention ❤️🔥⚽️
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James Maddison makes this switch of play look simple but the complexity of his skill is hidden unless you pay attention to his head movements - prior to receiving the ball he checks 3 times in 3 seconds to gather information about the ball positioning of opponents/teammates/space
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How do we get better penetrating in and around the box? Scribbling down ideas is a start
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Lots of ‘pressing’ practices have 2/3 players chase the ball in a small area against 5/6 stationary opponents who have to get a number of passes then switch play to another box for players to chase again - this replicates very little of the coordinated skills of ‘pressing’ 🧵
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It’s vital players recognise the “geometry” of the game - the moving patterns or ‘pictures’ & understand how they can ‘prepare’ these pictures yet hide them from their opponents only ‘revealing’ them to teammates with last second timing, clear body language & change of speed
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John Stones blocking Masterclass - like a goalkeeper getting in line with the ball - closing the space/quick short steps - stopping to get set/balanced - eyes on the ball/brave not turning his back - using hockey/Futsal gk technique bending/the knee to close the gap between legs
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Arsenal fb White instead of positioning inside the vertical line to the ball - anticipates the pass wide leaving the passing line inside open - he loses positional & body orientation advantage as he’s square back to goal vs an opponent sprinting chest forward he loses out turning
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“If you don’t know you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else” Yogi Berra - If coaches don’t know the ‘pictures’ - the common moves top players make - how do they know what to teach step by step in a long term development programme?
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De Bruyne is ace - the accuracy - weight - timing - disguise of his passing
The empathy of his thinking behind the pass, so it fits perfectly like a glove to the dimensions of the receiver’s capabilities, creating the best opportunity for their next action 🎯🔥⚽️
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Guardiola: the importance of dribbling & running with the ball “if he carries the ball & goes at people, everything flows”
Centre backs are attracted out to confront bringing their ‘force field’ toward the ball an opportunity to beat them with opposite flow leaving behind … 🧵
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When I was 18 I signed a Pro-contract
@ManUtd
one of the tests I had to pass for Eric Harrison was to play 6v6 on a massive full size pitch at The Cliff, with no GKs you could only score in the 6yd box. Eric was preparing us for games like you are seeing in the World Cup
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Eric Harrison my & Class of 92 coach repeated a ‘ball routine’ daily - in half a pitch passing a ball around - ‘prepare your space’ - check over your shoulder - get eye contact with the passer - a sharp run to signal for the pass - check again as the ball was on its way🧵
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Silva pointing directs teammates in to position to create a diamond pattern - passing to move & shape the opponent’s defence - Jorginho entices his marker to set back & open the passing line to cf then looking at the back of his marker’s head loses his man on an angle to receive
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“Position before possession” - “Win the space” - The defender waits poised for his opportunity - Warwick Rimmer the legendary Tranmere Rovers Youth coach used to say ‘a defender needs to defend like a Cobra patient ready for the strike’
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Michael Carrick has Middlesbrough playing flowing football - I love the change of speed & rhythm with the 1-2 the blindside run & cheeky disguised pass for a 1st time finish 🔥⚽️
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After the Munich air disaster Real Madrid helped Manchester United by playing a friendly at Old Trafford - my Dad played against some of the greatest players the world has ever seen - he raved about Gento Puskas and especially Di Stefano 🔥⚽️
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Just a reminder to all those coaches who constantly tell their young players to “PASS IT”
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I was privileged to join Sir Alex Ferguson’s back room staff aged 26 & was constantly in the coaches room, manager’s office, dressing room, canteen, observing, listening & learning - this ‘Golden nugget’ of Sir Alex’s craft knowledge came out during a youth scouts meeting 🔥⚽️
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Argentina patiently use the ‘Play around / security ring’ to probe - circulate the ball looking for the moment to change rhythm & penetrate - this time exploiting a defender out of position to dribble & play a clever ‘scooped’ pass for Alvarez to roll inside his marker to finish
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Having coached against some of the top Brazilian youth teams it became clear to me that their players were a lot more ‘streetwise’ to the craft of the game - using their body to steal the ball & keep possession - Anderson here ‘pickpocketing’ the ball away outwitting his opponent
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Fantastic to see Michael Keane
@BurnleyOfficial
make his debut for
@England
Great support from
@ManUtd
Academy
#SeanDyche
and Keane Family
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Enticing a defender to come tight - 2 steps forward then 1 step back to pin him is a massive advantage - you can feel him & it entices him to ‘fish’ for a ball he can’t clearly see - as you feel him push on one side you spin out as if exiting first through a ‘revolving door’
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Busquets the role model for players to develop ‘disguise’ the use of body language to create the illusion of one action but then change it at the last moment with ‘small late movements’
If Sergio Busquets played in the 90s and was protected by that nostalgia armour, he would be spoken about as one of the greatest to ever do it.
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The ‘Play around ring / security ring’ searching & probing for the right moment to speed up the tempo of the attack - pass & run - run for the pass - third man run - 2v1 overlap - come off turn & shoot 🔥⚽️
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One amazing stat in
@ManUtd
history that is seldom talked about is the season 1958-9 after the Munich air crash in which they lost 8 players plus staff they finished 2nd in the league, I know my Dad & the other players were driven by a tide of emotion to honour their lost friends
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Thanks to everyone for the kind 85th Birthday messages - Wilf
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A midfield player’s role is to link the defence to the attack by circulating the ball & looking for the ‘most hurtful pass’ forward - but movement off the ball to entice opponents out of passing lanes is another way they can link the defence to attack without touching the ball 🧵
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The pass wide & diagonal ‘corner run’ from the midfield player attracts his marker & opens up the passing lane to the 1st striker who comes off on a slight angle enticing his marker to leave the pass open to the centre forward
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Forward runs create space for teammates - Sancho’s forward run & Rashford shows for a pass in the space - his run forward attracts his marker creating a passing lane & Sancho receives - the run moves the defender’s ‘force field’ creating a vacuum for a pass to flow in to Sancho
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Nketiah is such a stylish assassin goalscorer - he lets the ball run across his body to set up his shot enticing the defender to rush to close down & stretch out his foot to block then with small late movements he disguises a reverse shot in to the near corner unbalancing the gk
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To beat pressing forwards defenders need to be capable of ‘small late movements’ to feign one action but change at the last millisecond - unbalancing their opponent ‘going against their flow’ - Salah & Milner read the body language of their opponent but are deceived by disguise
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The Manchester United 4v4 pilot was researched by Manchester Metropolitan university - the aim was to get every player playing (barring the odd single sub quickly rotated) & to increase the number of 1v1 & small group interactions - the statistics speak for themselves 🧵
"𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻"
Getting more children on the pitch for longer is the ideal 💫
Click to hear about the future of youth football 👇⚽️
#SundayShare
@SundayShare10
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A winger attacking the full back inside entices him to engage & track the run - it leaves a vacuum of space for a team mate fill & receive a pass that goes against the flow of the defence - their body orientation & gaze follow the inside pass they’re unaware of the blindside run
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A common
@ManCity
move - a blindside run to disrupt defenders - run inside with the ball to attract the flow of defence leaving a vacuum of space wide (to be filled by the blindside runner) with defenders heads directed at the ball switch it back “against the flow”
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Rashford dominates the 1v1 duel with ‘Intimidation by skill’ gaining advantage by controlling FLOW - bringing Coleman to his speed before timing his change of speed - then stopping & starting changing direction going against the flow of his opponent using disguise
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Bryan Robson one of the greatest all round midfield players of all time - for younger fans imagine Jude Bellingham but playing defensive midfield - deep playmaker - number 10 creating & arriving in the box to score - ALL IN THE SAME GAME 🔥⚽️
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Just had my office at home renovated & looking through some old notes you can’t go wrong from these taken from a Don Howe session years ago (part 1)
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Bielsa explains an often overlooked fundamental concept - a receiver should make a clear signal to the passer when he wants the ball - he then gets a head start on his marker - if he waits for the passer to initiate the pass the defender sees the signal & starts at the same time
🗣️Create separation in order to make yourself an option, not because you are one.
Working on Marcelo
#Bielsa
's Attacking Philosophy, & found that the introduction to this 2 minute clip of an 🇦🇷 training drill of his really does surmise the core build-up principles effectively🔍
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Breaking down ‘low block’ defence needs an armoury of weapons - runs for the clever pass - combinations 1-2s third man runs - dribbling/turns - running with the ball - variety of crosses - POWER SHOOTING - can score/rebounds/entice defenders out to you loosening a compact block
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Step in to your opponent’s space between man & ball use your body as a barrier - spin away leaving him unbalanced using opposite flow
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It’s such a small detail & so obvious but worth repeating to make it a habit for young players - the intensity & timing of Modric’s run make it very clear to the passer when he wants the ball
(there’s no dilly-dallying - no ‘do you, don’t you want it?’)
Clear connections💡
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Coaches keep team talks simple short & direct - 1st time observing Sir Alex ht 0-0 at Villa expecting a ‘hairdryer’ - cup of tea calm 10 min then “the pitch is firm & through balls are running on shorten your passes get closer to their last line to play your through balls” ft 2-0
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Silva demonstrates the ‘ball carrier is in charge of the game’ - his passes in to mf & his mf player’s positioning move defensive shape - a diamond pattern creates the passing lane to the cf opened further by Silva’s disguised pass enticing the def out anticipating a pass to mf
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Wan-Bissaka a common mistake for full backs is getting trapped close to the touch-line - facing inside - setting the ball up between his feet - clip 1. He has space to come inside 3/4 yds to open a passing lane outside 🧵 👇
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Very sad news, the passing of Nobby Stiles one of the nicest people in football - inspirational World & European Cup winner who was incredibly humble & kind I will never forget the care he showed me as a young player & coach sympathies to his wife Kay & all the family
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I’ve been studying the 1v1 duel an area of great potential improvement for players & coaches that could be a “massive gain” rather than a ‘marginal’ one. To help coaches focus on & clarify the core concepts & principles involved I have been using a “Quadrant tool” please feedback
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Coaches can spend a lot of time on team patterns but neglect the connections between players that make the patterns ‘flow’ - attuning player’s to each other’s capabilities & tendencies creates a smoother connection as Thierry Henry explains here :
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This concept part of the “Triangle offence” explained by Phil Jackson & Tex Winter is seldom mentioned in football - the “line of truth” the point of engagement with defenders being a trigger for players to synchronise their movement to show for the ball - “the moment of truth”
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A great photo of my dad (far right) playing for United at Maine Rd a few months after the Munich air crash - not much space on the terraces 🔥⚽️
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Dan Burn explains how defenders & goalkeepers work together to block flow of the ball to the goal - we need more sessions where goalkeepers & defenders practice together vs attackers who know what they don’t like - shots through def legs - no back-lift - cut back against the flow
Newcastle’s Dan Burn on not over extending when defending/blocking shots as to cover “his half” of the goal:
✅Avoid shots through legs
✅Give the GK the near post
✅Block far post shots
✅Smaller steps make it easier to adjust or change direction
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A fundamental defensive skill - dispossessing your opponent - step across your opponent’s line to the ball - using your body as a barrier (within playing distance of the ball) - timed well it it looks easy but needs to be practiced & encouraged - “Just take it off him / her”🔥⚽️
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Bellingham reminds me of Rooney bursting on to the international scene - no fear - no respect for the opposition - playing like it’s a game in the park running everywhere - totally free of inhibitions full of “The Spirit of Football” 🔥⚽️
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In the age of £50m full backs
#GeorgeBest
would conceivably be the first £1billion player 🙃
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Classic ‘Third man run - pass to the point & follow your pass outrunning your marker blindside in to the space vacated by your striker & his marker for the 1st time pass from the layoff 🎯🔥⚽️
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The weight & smooth pass allows Iniesta time to orientate his body sideways look up for information (as it’s travelling towards him) arrange his feet to accept the ball & drag it forward into his path - flowing football requires players to give a pass that sets up the next action
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Learning to ‘Win the space’ by timing your step in front - almost like squeezing your shoulder in the doorway on to a packed tube train - is a vital skill that needs to be practiced in a competitive game like environment - you’ve got to really NEED to get on that train first 🦾
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Foden using one of his ‘signature’ ‘inside outside’ moves gains advantage in the duel with perfect timing & disguise to stop & start losing his marker with a change of rhythm & direction
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🗣️ “Finishing can be developed with goalscorers if you put them in the right position enough times. It then becomes instinct.”
@FA
senior coach developer and former
@ManUtd
academy coach
@Paulmcg8
talks passionately at
#TalentID2019
about developing goalscorers ⚽️
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The defender should be “inside looking out” - positioning inside the vertical line from the passer with body orientation facing out towards his man - leaving no option to play inside his his left shoulder - dictating the pass wide & ready to close down & stop the cross
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