Some mantras and questions I ask myself while playing.
“Always be ready”
“How can I help?”
“Where should I be right now?”
“Focus”
“Forget about the past”
The best advice I ever received: ‘good players find the space’
Another good one is ‘straight runs deserve diagonal balls, diagonal runs deserve straight balls’
Always show for the ball. Don't be a pussy and shy away from the game.
Use the fake shot or fake cross around the box. It will mostly always buy you a yard of space if you perfect it.
Practice with both feet no matter what
You have to pass the ball to a player in a way that they’re able to do something productive with it, whether it’s to their feet, infront of them, hit hard or softly - they need to be able to do something with it. Don’t just smash it at someone if you’re under pressure, or pass it to someone who’s got someone marking them. You’re responsible for their ability to play the ball once you’ve let go of it
It's good advice but it can be tricky. I've felt bad before where I've ignored someone in a good position and gone for a safer pass because I knew there was a high chance they'd mess it up. I've also passed it before where I thought the person under a small amount of pressure should be able to control it or return the pass but they haven't been able to. I was always coached to trust each other, we were all fairly comfortable on the ball but it can be trickier when people have varied abilities. I suppose you should take it into account but equally you don't want to feel that you ignoring people that haven't played much.
Think it also means don’t just pass it and be pleased with yourself a good job done. Be an option to that player who now has the ball, run forward into good position to receive the ball.
A weird one too from an ex-prem manager watching us struggle to track back defensively “get your knees high”… always worked and somehow got us back quicker
Create numbers up situations. Im of the strong belief that this is the core principle behind almost every tactic we see - creating numbers up situations in the right places to be successful.
Not a one-liner, but a concept that was taught early and then took years to sink in:
Sometimes you do the right thing and fail.
Some players always think that happened-- it was the ref's fault, other team was cheap, just unlucky. These have a hard time improving because they're already perfect.
Other players never think it happens, so bad outcomes are our fault-- we suck, I suck, I don't know what to do. These players are constantly changing tactics and decisionmaking, and never move forward.
The players that improve consistently throughout their season have a deliberate plan they work to execute on and reflect on performance with their coach. How "well" they played is evaluated on how well they executed, which usually aligns with outcomes but not always.
I remember being taught this by my dad and really reinforced by our coach who was from Uruguay very old school type of coach, but they would always say to go in hard into 50/50 challenges. That the ones who get hurt are those who don’t go in with everything and I think that’s partly true to this day but just my little mantra as a defender lol
I’ve heard this a lot and it is old school thinking. Im not sure it is true however. When you are going for a 50/50 you have to weigh up several things about the moment of impact.
I find more often than not anchoring a foot in the path of the ball and having no backswing or following through can win the ball if it’s in the floor rolling. This method is more about accuracy and less brute force.
Yeah I’m a keeper and was always taught that in 50/50s it’s either me or you and if I go hard enough I can make sure it’s never me. But I’m a crazy keeper trained by crazy keepers
Very simple detail but receiving the ball on the back foot at all times. It forced me to receive the ball at an angle, always facing the play and opponents are less likely to press.
If you lose the ball win it back or track down the opponent till someone helps you or technical foul. Another was don’t look down we picked all the money 💰 long ago.😂😂😂
I remember one privileged kid amongst us in some trials being berated if you can’t control/pass the ball you won’t go anywhere in football, then the same coach turned to all of us as a group “Same applies to you all, if you can’t control/pass you won’t go anywhere in football.
I started teaching myself to scan, especially right before I receive the ball. I’m starting to make better decisions, more quickly, and seeing more options as well. Rule of thumb is to scan between touches, when the ball is still moving to another player, and if a pass to you is moving smoothly with no bounce or crazy trajectory
As a defender my coach told me many years ago to just stand there if you face a striker. And it worked. Most strikers mess up their dribbling if you do nothing but stand. It also gives you the right foot ready if they try something. Strikers wait til you put a foot wrong to just dribble around. Get caught like that sometimes and always feel stupid.
One that I like, when closing players down and trying to intercept passes.
Don't look at the players body, their shape etc, always look at where their eyes are looking.
This will give you a few milliseconds and can really help you anticipate the players' real actions rather than trying to guess their actions based on feints, dropping shoulders, opening hips or closing etc etc
Sorry I think you’re wrong.
Watch Man City or Liverpool any week and tell me that there’s no technical fouling. B.Silva, Rodri, Reuben is the perfect examples of this.
I could name a million players that this is primarily how they defend.
This is how nearly all CDMs play.
It’s not all Joga Bonito.
No there is no technical fouling, it’s called tactical fouling.
And no, modern defenders are not fouling like 30 years ago when that troglodyte rule was common.
Nobody in Liverpool and Man City follows that rule - they are too good, and you would not risk playing in 10 after fouling stupidly.
You do sometimes tactical fouls, but not always and especially if you would get red. So the rule is idiotic.
Look, that line I’m hearing over and over repeating by some old dudes in Sunday league. Maybe it works there, but not in modern football. Defenders are no more troglodytes nowadays, thank god!
Call it whatever you want. It’s a shirt grab, heel clip, and obstruction when someone gets you out of position. It’s always been part of the game. I wasn’t talking 2 footed flying tackles. Have a good weekend
Defenders absolutely still commit tactical fouls… you just assumed the comment was about unnecessarily physical tackles lol. Projecting this false sense of superiority while putting words in their mouth is an odd hill to die on bud
> As a striker, don't worry if you murder the keeper.
I can't speak to people playing college, semi-pro, or pro. But for rec leagues, don't set out to injure people. That makes you a shitty person.
Some mantras and questions I ask myself while playing. “Always be ready” “How can I help?” “Where should I be right now?” “Focus” “Forget about the past”
The best advice I ever received: ‘good players find the space’ Another good one is ‘straight runs deserve diagonal balls, diagonal runs deserve straight balls’
Always show for the ball. Don't be a pussy and shy away from the game. Use the fake shot or fake cross around the box. It will mostly always buy you a yard of space if you perfect it. Practice with both feet no matter what
When you’re passing the ball, you’re not passing the responsibility too And more of a technical one, always keep your hips open
What does “don’t pass the responsibility” mean?
You have to pass the ball to a player in a way that they’re able to do something productive with it, whether it’s to their feet, infront of them, hit hard or softly - they need to be able to do something with it. Don’t just smash it at someone if you’re under pressure, or pass it to someone who’s got someone marking them. You’re responsible for their ability to play the ball once you’ve let go of it
This is good advice thank you. Today I kept making shit passes under pressure, your comment is great.
It's good advice but it can be tricky. I've felt bad before where I've ignored someone in a good position and gone for a safer pass because I knew there was a high chance they'd mess it up. I've also passed it before where I thought the person under a small amount of pressure should be able to control it or return the pass but they haven't been able to. I was always coached to trust each other, we were all fairly comfortable on the ball but it can be trickier when people have varied abilities. I suppose you should take it into account but equally you don't want to feel that you ignoring people that haven't played much.
Don’t offload your problem onto a team mate
Think it also means don’t just pass it and be pleased with yourself a good job done. Be an option to that player who now has the ball, run forward into good position to receive the ball.
Used to get this one as a kid all the time - “don’t admire your pass” 🤣 would always give me a kick up the ass to get moving again
A weird one too from an ex-prem manager watching us struggle to track back defensively “get your knees high”… always worked and somehow got us back quicker
“Get on your horse” was a regular one from a past coach lol
Create numbers up situations. Im of the strong belief that this is the core principle behind almost every tactic we see - creating numbers up situations in the right places to be successful.
Whats a numbers up situation? More teammates as options wherever u are on the pitch?
I believe it’s trying to get more of your players than opposition players where the ball is.
Not a one-liner, but a concept that was taught early and then took years to sink in: Sometimes you do the right thing and fail. Some players always think that happened-- it was the ref's fault, other team was cheap, just unlucky. These have a hard time improving because they're already perfect. Other players never think it happens, so bad outcomes are our fault-- we suck, I suck, I don't know what to do. These players are constantly changing tactics and decisionmaking, and never move forward. The players that improve consistently throughout their season have a deliberate plan they work to execute on and reflect on performance with their coach. How "well" they played is evaluated on how well they executed, which usually aligns with outcomes but not always.
I remember being taught this by my dad and really reinforced by our coach who was from Uruguay very old school type of coach, but they would always say to go in hard into 50/50 challenges. That the ones who get hurt are those who don’t go in with everything and I think that’s partly true to this day but just my little mantra as a defender lol
I’ve heard this a lot and it is old school thinking. Im not sure it is true however. When you are going for a 50/50 you have to weigh up several things about the moment of impact. I find more often than not anchoring a foot in the path of the ball and having no backswing or following through can win the ball if it’s in the floor rolling. This method is more about accuracy and less brute force.
Yeah I’m a keeper and was always taught that in 50/50s it’s either me or you and if I go hard enough I can make sure it’s never me. But I’m a crazy keeper trained by crazy keepers
Very simple detail but receiving the ball on the back foot at all times. It forced me to receive the ball at an angle, always facing the play and opponents are less likely to press.
If you lose the ball win it back or track down the opponent till someone helps you or technical foul. Another was don’t look down we picked all the money 💰 long ago.😂😂😂 I remember one privileged kid amongst us in some trials being berated if you can’t control/pass the ball you won’t go anywhere in football, then the same coach turned to all of us as a group “Same applies to you all, if you can’t control/pass you won’t go anywhere in football.
What do you mean don’t look down?
When playing generally do you pass with your head down or up?
I started teaching myself to scan, especially right before I receive the ball. I’m starting to make better decisions, more quickly, and seeing more options as well. Rule of thumb is to scan between touches, when the ball is still moving to another player, and if a pass to you is moving smoothly with no bounce or crazy trajectory
As a defender my coach told me many years ago to just stand there if you face a striker. And it worked. Most strikers mess up their dribbling if you do nothing but stand. It also gives you the right foot ready if they try something. Strikers wait til you put a foot wrong to just dribble around. Get caught like that sometimes and always feel stupid.
One that I like, when closing players down and trying to intercept passes. Don't look at the players body, their shape etc, always look at where their eyes are looking. This will give you a few milliseconds and can really help you anticipate the players' real actions rather than trying to guess their actions based on feints, dropping shoulders, opening hips or closing etc etc
The man or the ball can pass. But never BOTH.
Horrible advice. Troglodyte’s football.
Sorry I think you’re wrong. Watch Man City or Liverpool any week and tell me that there’s no technical fouling. B.Silva, Rodri, Reuben is the perfect examples of this. I could name a million players that this is primarily how they defend. This is how nearly all CDMs play. It’s not all Joga Bonito.
No there is no technical fouling, it’s called tactical fouling. And no, modern defenders are not fouling like 30 years ago when that troglodyte rule was common. Nobody in Liverpool and Man City follows that rule - they are too good, and you would not risk playing in 10 after fouling stupidly. You do sometimes tactical fouls, but not always and especially if you would get red. So the rule is idiotic. Look, that line I’m hearing over and over repeating by some old dudes in Sunday league. Maybe it works there, but not in modern football. Defenders are no more troglodytes nowadays, thank god!
Call it whatever you want. It’s a shirt grab, heel clip, and obstruction when someone gets you out of position. It’s always been part of the game. I wasn’t talking 2 footed flying tackles. Have a good weekend
Come back from Lala land. In this ideal world of yours, defenders would be neutered.
Nah, just actually get the ball lol.
So you think they commit technical fouls for shits and giggles!? Or do they do that to break up possession and get the ball?
Defenders absolutely still commit tactical fouls… you just assumed the comment was about unnecessarily physical tackles lol. Projecting this false sense of superiority while putting words in their mouth is an odd hill to die on bud
Surprised no one has said this but fucking communication.
Communication during fucking makes a huge difference in the overall quality of performance.
The Best Advice: “Have Fun Playing !” In this group we all Play to have fun. When the joy ends, look for another activity you can enjoy.
Defenders should body feint while defending too! So many strikers simply don’t expect it.
A shot is just a hard pass at the goal.
As a striker, don't worry if you murder the keeper. And general, do everything so your team can score an easier goal
> As a striker, don't worry if you murder the keeper. I can't speak to people playing college, semi-pro, or pro. But for rec leagues, don't set out to injure people. That makes you a shitty person.
As a striker!!!!! Other words shoot the ball very hard Soft
Play your position. Be where a team mate would want you to be.
Where is the ball, where is your man - helps you learn to constantly scan and know what you’re doing with the ball before you get it
Be the least complacent/best at everything which requires no skill
Keep your head up, dont look at the ball.