Ball possession
Ball possession in soccer is meant the action executed by two or more players that get to transmit the ball avoiding the interventions of opponents. In other words, during the game, each time a team dominated the ball we can say that team "possesses the ball".
At this point we have to make a simple but yet substantial difference between to be "possessing the ball" and "playing to possess the ball"; the first one refers to the fact that any player from the team completely dominates the ball and can execute any move, while the other is an strategic election of the team that wants to dominate the ball for a tactical issue.
The advantages of playing with ball possession in soccer could be:
- Make the opponent move towards the ball to move him away from the defense of their goal
- Force the opponent to a constant change of position to then surprise him in the empty spaces that they has left
- Create the basis for an attacking action
- Change the front of attack
- Control the rhythm of the match
Each coach can add to this cast other motivations and advantages that come from the strategic election without forgetting that to be able to act in an efficient manner they needs from each player some essential tactical and technical concepts:
- Capacity of transmitting the ball and particularly the pass
- Capacity of receiving the ball and particularly of the oriented control
- Capacity of defending the ball
- Capacity of mobility of the players and particularly of unmarking
- Capacity of staggering on the available space creating lines and different passing depths
In the proposed exercises players can become familiar with multiple situations and get used to keep possession of the ball, improving technical and tactical aspects. In this context the coach can influence with individual or group corrections transmitting their philosophy in an efficient manner.
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Soccer Tactics
Small-sided Game - 3 Teams
Ball possession - Practise possession, movement and intercepting in different game situations. -
Soccer Tactics
Small-sided Game - 5 vs 5, wide playing
Creating width and depth - Exercise to practise possession, wide play, the defensive phase and shooting -
Soccer Tactics
Small-sided Game: 4 vs 4 - Possession with an objective
Ball possession - Exercise to practise possession, passing and movement without the ball -
Athletic Training
Piggy in the middle 4 vs 2: change positions on Coach's signal
Ball possession - A physical conditioning exercise which develops a classic "piggy in the middle" game to train passing and movement without the ball -
Athletic Training
Aerobic ball possession 4+2 vs 2 in the square with supports
Aerobic endurance - Ball possession in a reduced space to train physical resistance -
Soccer Tactics
Small-sided Game: 4 v 4 scoring on two goals
Finishing - 4 v 4 drill to train possession of the ball, offensive phase, defensive phase and finishing -
Soccer Tactics
Small-sided Game - 3 vs 3 and two objectives
Ball possession - 3 vs 3 ball possession useful to train verticalization with a deep penetrating pass -
Soccer Tactics
Flying 3 vs 2
Transitions - Exercise to train power play: training transitions decision and playing speed -
Soccer Tactics
Assist and finishing - Chelsea FC
Ball possession - Conditioned game, created by Chelsea Youth Academy, with a final pass executed by the neutral player -
Soccer Tactics
Ball possession - The 4 areas
Ball possession - Ball possession game with 4 different areas for shooting, useful to train various tactical aspects, such as looking for a space, change of game, unmarking and then some technical aspects, such as shooting, lofted ball and headers