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Who on your coaching staff is watching the behavior of the players away from the ball? Often, the mistake players away from the ball make is trying to get too involved in the game, without understanding their role or the precise timing for when to move in and participate.

When being between players creates an advantage. Position is where you start, but what you do next is what we call Positional Play. Move from outside to inside → get between players → attract defenders → create space for the outside player

Distances when attacking It’s been said that the attacking team should make the attacking space as big as possible. However, a short distance between teammates helps them fool nearby defenders with counter-movements or fakes that create an advantage.

9v9 Course | Where to look Collective Principles gives players an identity and an idea, but we need to be clear with each player about priorities. Priorities help them sort out their intentions. Central lane over wide lanes. Look for the #10 first, then the #6.

Off-the-ball Movements Off-the-ball movements are fundamental in Positional Play, and at young ages we don’t train them as much as we should. Move to receive → Move to be an option for the receiver → Move to create space for others.

The Pressing Run isn’t just about pressuring the ball. It also blocks a passing option, depending on the trajectory. Do your players know which passing options they’re trying to eliminate when they press the ball possessor?

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🗣️ Luis Enrique: “Why do we score on transitions? Because the opponent presses high and leaves space behind them, and we play out from the back in a coordinated way, beat the high press, and attack into open space.” 🧠 Tell me how the opponent presses you, and I’ll tell you how you’ll attack.

In Positional Play, individual habits matter and they affect collective performance. At early ages, we need to focus on players developing good individual habits, so that as they grow, they’ll be able to play within a collective.

📹 APFC NEXT Language in a team isn’t only verbal. Players can communicate through decisions. Against a low block, skipping a player (or not) in ball circulation tells a teammate what comes next, since how the ball arrives in that zone can decide whether you break a line.

When we protect the ball, we need to take it toward the free space so we can lift our head and pass it away to another zone with less opponents.

One cue we need to read when applying the Penetration Run is whether the ball is pressed or not. If it isn’t, it means the player on the ball has time and space, so they can break lines with the pass.

Passing doesn’t mean you stop participating. If your teammate is pressured and you’re behind the ball, offer an emergency lane. The key: your support speed must match the pressing defender’s. If not, you won’t receive with enough time and space.