Position play is a soccer strategy that seeks to control the ball and space through possession, the mobility, the pressure and the balance. This philosophy has been popularized in recent years thanks to coaches like Pep Guardiola, Marcelo Bielsa and Jurgen Klopp, who have shown that success in football does not only depend on the individual talent of the players, but also the collective understanding of the game. In this article, We will teach you how to train the position game in soccer, from theory to practice, so you can implement this strategy on your team and take it to the next level.
Position game theory
He position game is based on the idea that The team that has possession of the ball is in control of the game. To achieve this, It is necessary to work on three key aspects: the creation of spaces, mobility and pressure.
The creation of spaces refers to the team's ability to open holes in the rival defense through the movement of players and the ball. To achieve this, It is recommended that players position themselves in triangles, so that there is always a player available to receive the ball.
The mobility is he second key aspect of positional playn. It refers to the team's ability to move with and without the ball, in order to find spaces and create passing options. To achieve this, Players must have a clear understanding of the moves they should make based on the context of the game.
The pressure is he third key aspect of positional play. It refers to the team's ability to pressure the opponent when they do not have the ball, cin order to recover as close as possible to the rival area. To achieve this, players must work as a team, closing spaces and forcing the opponent to make mistakes.
Position game practice
Once the theory of position play has been understood, it is necessary to implement it in practice. Below, we present some recommendations for training positional play in soccer.
1. Work on ball possessionn
The first step to training positional play is to work on ball possession. To achieve this, it is recommended to use exercises such as the rondo, in which a group of players tries to maintain possession of the ball while others try to recover it. This drill helps players improve their passing, receiving and mobility abilities.
2. Work on movements without the ball
The second step to training positional play is to work on movements without the ball. To achieve this, it is recommended to use exercises such as triangle work, in which three players form a triangle and work on supporting and spreading movements to create space and passing options.
3. Work on pressure
The third step to training positional play is to work on pressure. To achieve this, it is recommended to use exercises such as the recovery game, in which one group of players tries to recover the ball as close as possible to the rival area, while the other group tries to maintain possession of the ball. This exercise helps players improve their ability to press, mark and recover the ball.
4. Work on the defense/attack transition
The fourth step to training positional play is to work on the defense/attack transition. To achieve this, it is recommended to use exercises such as the counterattack game, in which a group of players defend and, once the ball is recovered, try to create a scoring opportunity in the shortest time possible. This drill helps players improve their transition ability, speed and passing accuracy.
5. Work on completion
The fifth step to training positional play is to work on finishing. To achieve this, it is recommended to use exercises such as the finishing game, in which a group of players tries to score a goal in a goal defended by another group of players. This exercise helps players improve their finishing, precision and creativity in attack.
Conclusions
Positional play is a soccer strategy that seeks to control the ball and space through possession, mobility, pressure and balance. To implement this strategy in your team, it is necessary to work on ball possession, movements without the ball, pressing, the defense-attack transition and finishing. With proper training, you can improve your collective understanding of the game and take your team to the next level. Remember that success in football depends not only on the individual talent of the players, but also on the collective understanding of the game.
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