Phase Of Play

Educational platform for Football coaches: tactical theory, tactical practices, training methodology.

[Magnus Eriksson @ErikssMagnus]

Great example by Como of how to attract pressure in order to create and find the free player

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

“We spend very few minutes and moments in training isolated on defence or attack. We train in complex situations because the game is complex thus, we don't try to divide the situations in an artificial way. Everybody needs to attack, and everybody needs to defend." –Thomas Tuchel

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

Finalthird platform helps coaches turn ideas into action by connecting the full coaching process in one clear flow: create your tactical ideas and training practices, plan your week and match-day with purpose, and improve through structured evaluation: https://t.co/sdbugShbhD

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

The e-book converts theory into action with 40 detailed tactical practices designed to coach every phase of the game within a 4-2-3-1 structure — from build-up and progression to pressing, defensive transitions, attacking transitions, and final-third combinations.

[Jamie Hamilton @stirling_j]

Beautiful diagonal attack.
https://t.co/FBGbWcfy2a

[Mavid Data @maviddata]

Para los que me decís que Brasil de 1994 no hacía jogo bonito. ¿Según vosotros esto que cojones es?

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

@ThePurist_ How do you coach creativity? Why do you think it’s not being coached?

[JOGO FUNCIONAL @JOGOFUNCIONAL1]

Everything about Dinizismo is present in this clip

The Tilt/Yo-Yo (Paralela Cheia)

The Toco y Me Voy (Give & Go)

The Escadinha + Corta Luz (Diagonal Perception)

Short Circulation to find a rhythm & moments to instigate attack

The micro game dominates the collective idea

[Jamie Hamilton @stirling_j]

Perfect example of 360 perception at the moment of ball reception from Rayan Cherki.
Couple this attunement with principles of diagonality and the shadowpass is afforded.

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

@BeneSB_ Hi Bene, interesting point, can you give some examples in terms of separate blocks training and how you put it all together?

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

Alonso integrates two contrasting philosophies: positionism - the structured discipline of space and movement - and relationism - the intuitive interplay of relationships between players. Tactical theory and 40 detailed practices. https://t.co/taz1gyGqSF

[Bene Schneiderbauer @BeneSB_]

I love teams with a clear concept.

From De Zerbi’s build-up patterns to Simeone’s defensive structures.

I admire them because I know how hard it is to build something like that.

It looks easy from the outside, but making something look simple is incredibly hard.

When I started coaching, I had a lot of ideas about what I wanted to build.

But nothing worked—at least not how I wanted.

And when it didn’t work, I changed things at the team level.

I switched formations. I changed strategies. I selected new players.

When the team idea doesn’t work, we must change the team idea, right?

Wrong.

The truth is, all my ideas could have worked.

But by constantly changing approaches at the team level, I wasn’t focusing on the players enough to make one idea work.

I used to see player development and team development as separate things.

But they’re not.

There’s only player development—within the team context.

"Teams don't learn.

Individuals within the team learn.

Development is a personal process,
even when conducted in a team environment."

- Johan Cruyff.

Once I understood that, my ideas started to work.

The moment I focused on the players,
we started playing as one.

Here are three things that helped me focus on the players and, as a byproduct, build a stronger team:

1 - An inch wide, a mile deep.

We limit our team principles to just a few.

It’s tempting to add more.

But more principles mean more time on team tactics—and less on players.

“I have three main principles.
It’s important that they are few because otherwise, I would name principles until tomorrow." - De Zerbi.

Fewer principles mean more focus on players.

Instead of working on new team tactics every week, we develop game intelligence and technique.

By limiting the principles, it’s much more likely that everyone thinks the same thing at the same moment.

As a result, we develop stronger players, and everyone works toward the same goal.

2 - No Match Plan.

Nowadays, it's easy to get information and footage of your opponent.

I understand the temptation to use this to create a match plan.

But this takes the focus away from your players.

You think about your opponent, not your players.

You create exercises to prepare for this game,
instead of refining your ideas.

Players think about the new plan,
instead of reflecting on their actions.

I prefer to think long-term.
It’s not about winning tomorrow.

It’s about building a team that can compete against anyone.

So try at least to minimize the adaptations.

3 - One formation, all solutions.

When problems arise, the easiest solution is often to change the formation.

I stopped doing that. We stick to one formation.

We refine it. We find solutions within it.

Here’s one last example:

Look at La Masia, Barcelona’s Youth Academy.

From U9s to the first team, they play the same way.

This doesn’t limit players.

It creates an incredible depth.

Players spend years mastering the fundamentals.

They don't change their philosophy. They play the same formation.

They can focus on what matters: the player.

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

@BeneSB_ Great this 👏

[Macca @MaccaCoaching]

Forest in the 30th minute today whilst leading the game 3-0, incredible.

A powerful reminder that before tactics come into play, success in football begins with cultivating a culture and environment built on a relentless mentality. 👏

https://t.co/Yylwr2qBsf

[Higor Santos @HigorSantos_10]

O Malmö joga um futebol antagônico as tendências do mundo hoje. E que futebol.

[Gaurav @GauravAnlyst]

Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen - Anticipating Penetration

[Jamie Hamilton @stirling_j]

So good.
It always amazes me how often you can watch entire games between 'top teams' and not see even one attacking combination that approaches this level of quality.

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

@stirling_j Beard situation also needs addressing 🤣

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

@HenshawAnalysis @VideosModern https://t.co/GMIH0eaomQ

[Phase Of Play @phase_play]

@stirling_j Explain that to Josep Guardiola aka the most successful manager in history of football (but obviously everyone could do it with that kind of cash in the bank…).