Midfield pressure tactics

Help your midfielders by coaching them how to use pressure tactics to get the opposition making mistakes.

Soccer coaching tips

Help your midfielders understand that sometimes they can hurry defenders into giving away a throw-in or a corner with a simple “chip and run” tactic.
The subsequent throw-in, or corner, will then give the team a stronger platform to launch a well-supported attack.
If your players can’t chip or “loft” a ball, coach them how to do this or get them to play the ball on the deck – the principle is still the same.

What to say to your players:

“Don’t over-complicate things."
"Just look for the space between your opponent's goalkeeper and their last defender, then chip the ball over the defender into that space.”
“This will give you, or your attacker, the chance to run onto the chip pass, while their defender has to turn and then run.”
“If you’re really lucky, the defender will turn and panic. And who knows what that will lead to?”

Click here for a soccer drill to improve your midfielders' speed and fitness.

Soccer coaching tips

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