Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Fitness, Soccer News, Soccer Refereeing, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management, Soccer Training | Tags: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira, stuart Holden, Xabi Alonso, Yann M'Vila
Yann M’Vila (born June 29, 1990) is a French football player of Congolese descent who plays for French club Rennes in Ligue 1. He operates as a defensive midfielder and is described by his club as a player who possesses “excellent defensive abilities” and “impressive physical strength”
Xabier “Xabi” Alonso (born November 25, 1981) is a Spanish World Cup-winning footballer who currently plays for La Liga team Real Madrid.
Sami Khedira (born April 4, 1987) is a German international footballer currently playing for Real Madrid and the German national team. He is considered a dynamic midfielder with ‘flawless aerial ability’ who can cover a lot of ground and quickly join in the team attacks with his powerful mid-range shooting.
Bastian Schweinsteiger (born August 1, 1984) is a German footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bayern Munich and the German national team. A right-footed player, he is capable of playing out wide or in a more central role.
Stuart Holden (born August 1, 1985) is a Scottish-born American soccer player who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers in the English Premier League.
Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Fitness, Soccer News, Soccer Refereeing, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management, Soccer Training | Tags: attack, defending from the front, England, Manchester United, press, Rooney, tackle
There is no better proponent of the art of defending from the front than Wayne Rooney of Manchester United and England. His defensive qualities set him apart from the other best attackers in the world – think of Cristiano Ronaldo or Francesco Totti neither would be seen charging the defenders high up the pitch where his bubbling enthusiasm can often see him win the ball back in his opponents half.
His movement when Manchester Utd lose the ball means that as the full backs advance Rooney can fill in as a third defensive midfielder blocking the attacking runs of the defenders.By forcing the play back he creates space in the centre of the pitch for Manchester’s more creative players like Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher to flourish.
These creative players then use the space to slip balls behind the opposing backline for Rooney or his striking partner to run on to making it hard to defend against.
This idea is something I like to make use of during my coaching sessions. If I can get the attackers in my teams to push high up the pitch to close the opposition defenders down before they are out of their own half it can force a mistake which opens up huge opportunities for my team to attack the space behind the defence.
