Part One: The Rise of the 4-3-3 alongside our obsession with possession Ever since Barcelona and the Spanish national team's domination of top level soccer from 2008-2012, the 4-3-3 formation has become synonymous with possession orientated soccer, especially at youth level in the United States. Playing a high possession style doesn't just come from selecting … Continue reading An Exploration of the 4-3-3’s Flexibility
Rondo and Positional Play Exercises
A little ways back, Jens Schuster, a German coach, posted an excellent presentation with a litany of exercises for rondo and positional play based training. I've personally used many of these exercises already this fall season and have used them as a springboard to develop new exercises as well. These are both a great collection … Continue reading Rondo and Positional Play Exercises
AS Roma in Boston 7/26 Training Session
After two interesting evening training sessions for Luciano Spalletti's AS Roma at Harvard's Ohiri Field, Tuesday evening's session had some reoccurring exercises from Monday and work on set pieces. One development worth mentioning however for AS Roma supporters, all four players who competed at the Euros, Daniele De Rossi, Alessandro Florenzi, Stephen El Shaarawy and … Continue reading AS Roma in Boston 7/26 Training Session
AS Roma in Boston 7/25 Training Session
AS Roma's week of preseason preparation at Harvard University's Ohiri Field continued on Monday evening. The session ran from 5:30pm to about 7:00pm and like Sunday evening's session, the focus was on team play. It was Roma's second field session of the day. The first session at 10:00am, according to Roma's website, involved the players … Continue reading AS Roma in Boston 7/25 Training Session
AS Roma in Boston 7/24 Training Session
As part of their preseason preparations, AS Roma is spending nearly two weeks in the United States. In what seems like an interesting twist on the usual big European Club comes to America for preseason tour for the benefits of promoting the Club at the expense of the team's preseason training, they are spending July … Continue reading AS Roma in Boston 7/24 Training Session
Quick Look at Benfica as Europa Encounter Looms
After Tottenham's inspired comeback at White Hart Lane last Thursday against Dnipro the mighty Spurs last march towards glory continues next week. Spurs will face the current leaders of the Portuguese top division, Benfica, who had a good showing in the Champions League group stage going 3-1-2 and dropping into the Europa League despite collecting … Continue reading Quick Look at Benfica as Europa Encounter Looms
Spurs Get Revenge on Krul, Pound Newcastle 0-4
Earlier in the season Newcastle went to White Hart Lane and came away with a narrow, 0-1, victory over Spurs thanks to one of the best goalkeeping displays of this season from Tim Krul. In a cruel twist of fate for Newcastle and Krul, three of the four goals came from deflected shots or crosses … Continue reading Spurs Get Revenge on Krul, Pound Newcastle 0-4
Sherwood Gets Tactics Right, Spurs Take the Points
In a match that didn't see much in the way of goals or even an array of well created chances, Tottenham managed to nick a goal from a moment of brilliance and come away with all three points, 1-0, over Everton at White Hart Lane. Kyle Walker's quick thinking and Emmanuel Adebayor's cool finish were … Continue reading Sherwood Gets Tactics Right, Spurs Take the Points
Bentaleb and Soldado, Not All Doom and Gloom
In Spurs most recent setback, dropping points away to Hull City, two players that came in for fairly heavy criticism were Nabil Bentaleb and Roberto Soldado. One, Bentaleb, is the nineteen year old that has been handed a wealth of playing time under Sherwood in midfield over more experienced, senior players and the other is … Continue reading Bentaleb and Soldado, Not All Doom and Gloom
Spurs Stall Out Away to Hull, 1-1
After Tottenham's midweek disaster at home to Manchester City, Spurs were hoping for a quick three points and a rebound away to Hull City(Tigers). Any one of the bottom ten teams would have done following Man City, with everything so tight in tenth through twentieth position there's plenty of reason for optimism when facing any … Continue reading Spurs Stall Out Away to Hull, 1-1
Soccer2Football 