Kevin Middleton is another soccer coach and coach educator out of Scotland who has his fingers in a lot of pies if you look at his Twitter bio which enables him to provide wide-sweeping insights into soccer and team sport in general.
MIDFIELD PLAYER PERSONALITIES
The Energiser x motor/ball pressure...The Passer x skilful/break opposition lines...The Magician x great in tight...The Spider x detect game flow/connect defense to attack/plays deeper...The Destroyer x def midfielder/stop opposition attacks
UNOPPOSED v OPPOSED TRAINING
Unopposed training can be used to provide a less messy visual representation of how a situation would look on the field making it easy to do reps of it and also to embed the language you want to build around it but it’s 1 problem solved just the 1 way so you then need take it into an opposed situation as soon as you can...Unopposed training can also introduce bad habits too such as standing to receive and ball watching but is low taxing so it can be used during recovery/low days
BALL MASTERY
Is building a relationship with the ball, touching it with all parts of the feet and being able to manipulate it to escape pressure and outplay the opposition...For footy we're talking dominant foot, opposite foot, low/hard pass, high/penetrating pass, weighted pass, inside foot, outside foot turning left, turning right, balanced, imbalanced, close/body pressure...Has to be intentional and based on what problems players will face in games and what do they need to solve them
2 GOALS PER END GAMES
1v1, get past opposition and score, winner stays on...2v2 + 1n wing/side, 2min games, rotate teams...2v2+1n, if defensive teams are simply guarding the goal then add a possession count score for the offense...4v4 + 1n wing/side...5v5 + 1n def between the 2 end goals...6v6, goals in corners, 2 goals/team or last goal locked out...7v7 + 1n playing in defense so switches/team...8v8v + 2 horizontal midline pivot players
CONSTRAINTS BEAT COMMANDS
Setting out mini-goals can coach for you where if you want your team to counter press after losing possession in final 3rd then it lets the opposition score in mini-goals so the consequence is clear if they don't...Red work the ball from 1 end to the other with a +3 or so trying to score at the other end and mini goals are set up ¾’s of the way down the ground for the red team to score when regaining possession...If red regain possession before then then they can go straight back at their own goal and all of the green/offensive players in front of the ball can’t go in and defend
BALL MASTERY
Stage 1 early development 0 - 7 years old x ball control. touches, love of the ball + introduction to basic attacking/defensive principles in 1v1 + small-sided games to reinforce mastery of the ball + practice without overcoaching...Stage 2 intermediate development 7 - 12 years old x more complex ball control via turns and dribble techniques + 1v1 with more advanced attacking/defensive strategies and decision making + small-sided games with increased complexity and some basic tactical elements...Stage 3 x advanced development 12+ years old x advanced ball control, dribble at speed, creative skills and execution under pressure + 1v1 x high level attacking/defensive techniques, understanding spatial awareness, develop tactical intelligence + small-sided games x intense small-sided games to simulated game situations with a team context
BALL MASTERY
Must come before everything else...Without it you’ll always be fighting with the ball rather than using it...Even if they tactically know what to do, their ball handling will let them down...Is not about tricks but about creating players who rarely panic, can escape pressure, can turn the defense inside out when needed and can think about the next action without fighting the ball...Players need to be able to perform different kicks (non/dominant foot, in/outside edge etc) under different conditions (no/under pressure, at pace, in tight/space, un/balanced, open/being tackled)
LOSING TEAMS
Stop measuring by the scoreline alone...Reframe game success in games x scoring shots, inside 50’s, restricting opposition scoring, win the quarter etc...Reframe season success x won head to head v 1 – 3 teams, score a goal every game, no loss by more than 25pts etc...Make the first goal easy so they meet it which increases intrinsic motivation and then they’ll strive for the next one...Get back to the basics at training but link your activities to your game day goals...Stay consistent, don’t change it up as soon as you fail...Keep player expectations/standards high for effort/attitude/body language/support...Identify/praise effort/small wins
ATTACKING 1v1 to 4v4
1v1 own the duel x break the line/penetration, shift the tempo/change of pace, master their touch/close control, explode away/change of direction, sell the lie/disguise, see the problem early/head up, draw don't chase/commit defender...2v1 create the prob x stretch the picture/width, force the decision/penetration, offer the out ball/support, choose the moment/decision making, be the threat/dribble, pass with purpose/timing, angle, speed, direction...2v2 play between the lines x draw defender 1/commit, drive with threat/dribble, pass with purpose/pass, time the overlap/communication, pass, disguise the intention/delay...3v2 overload with purpose x move the ball/no aimless passes, try to manufacture a 1v1/isolate, draw the defender/commit, connect with quality/pass technique, support at angles/give options...3v3 master the triad x widen the wall/create width, support/outnumber, around, away, attack the line/penetrate, choose smart/decision making, isolate the duel/create 1v1’s, combine with clarity/passing...4v3 exploit the edge x speed the circulation/quick ball movement, no aimless passes, create 2v1 or 1v1/manipulate defenders with movement, commit with intent/1st attacker draws pressure, pass to penetrate/use passing to break shape, support with shape/angles to give clarity and options...4v4 control the chaos x play forward fast/get ball forward quickly, arrive in support/support ball urgently, move to offer/create angles to receive, pass with purpose/secure possession through shape and detail...principles that stick from all games x stretch the space/width unlocks overloads, commit before you combine/draw the pressure then release, shape to support/good angles turn options into outcomes, pass to create not escape/possession must have purpose, speed kills stagnation/play fast but not rushed
COACHING
During the initial session of introducing a new concept players won’t grasp it immediately as they focus on learning the activity rather than the intended outcome of it and this can be part of the problem sometimes...Work in 16 week blocks that repeat training activities with a different focus with each session building on the previous one and each 16 week block introducing/revisiting essential topics...Repetition can be boring but it’s where learning lives...Repeat sessions/topics later in the 16 week block where the players will have better understanding and it will look closer to the desired outcome...Once mastery levels are grasped then level up
1v1
Players need to read the defender, not just execute moves...Are they off balance?...Which foot is forward?...Where’s the space?...Do I go alone or combine?...The best 1v1 players decide faster than they move...Train the eyes, not just the feet
GAME MODEL
Offense x pass, build, circulate, create final 3rd actions...Transition Defense x anticipate turnover, counter press, block passing lanes, delay, recovery runs, organise...Defense x set the block, control the middle, make it predictable, defend deep, suffer stress, regain possession...Transition Offense x create width/depth, quick pass to exit pressure, forward pass, forward runs, start gain, re-establish positions
CONSTRAINTS
Technique x maximum/minimum touches allowed, weak foot only, must beat player before passing, all goals must be 1st time…Tactics x can’t score until all players are in the forward half, must make 5 passes before shooting, goals from crosses count as double, offside line at halfway…Physical x pitch size, time limits per attacking play, sprint recovery after goals, continue play without breaks…Psychological x silent no talking, play with +/- numbers, multiple balls in play, surprise rule changes
GAME MODEL
Players understanding why execute better than those who just copy so don’t just show the movement, explain the mechanics, connect to game situations and make it relevant to their position...Defending in defensive 50 x work as a unit/compress corridor...Defending in mid 50 x rest defender/defend corridor...Defending in forward 50 x high press/triggers/counter press...Attacking from defensive 50 x find free player/break lines...Attacking from mid 50 x stretch/switch/penetrate/circulate...Attacking from forward 50 x cross and finish/finishing zones
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