Dragging a core ‘foundation stone’ on to which other skills are attached - it allows players to keep possession while looking up to ‘outwit’ defenders & connect with teammates - dragging to dodge, dribble, shoot, cross, pass, turn, disguise, it puts the ball carrier in control 🧵

Ellis Simms goal - he organised his body leaning away & swinging down on the ball like a cricket ‘sweep’ shot to ‘smother’ the ball into the ground - technique vs an awkward bounce short of a length meant he could hit with instep shin or knee to still keep it down & score ⚽️🏏

Dragging a core ‘foundation stone’ on to which other skills are attached - it allows players to keep possession while looking up to ‘outwit’ defenders & connect with teammates - dragging to dodge, dribble, shoot, cross, pass, turn, disguise, it puts the ball carrier in control 🧵

Hockey coach
Andreu Enrich
explains ‘dragging’ the ball with a hockey stick - the same craft applies to ‘dragging’ a football - just replace ‘stick’ with ‘foot’ in the quotes below

Dragging is a foundation to build other skills on to - or if unattended a ‘black hole’ 🕳️

Ellis Simms goal - he organised his body leaning away & swinging down on the ball like a cricket ‘sweep’ shot to ‘smother’ the ball into the ground - technique vs an awkward bounce short of a length meant he could hit with instep shin or knee to still keep it down & score ⚽️🏏

Like a “Big game in the park” mixed age groups, newcomers added to each team to balance the teams, nobody on the sideline screaming “pass it” - the only restrictions your imagination - the inspiration ‘The Spirit of Football’ 🔥⚽️

Like a “Big game in the park” mixed age groups, newcomers added to each team to balance the teams, nobody on the sideline screaming “pass it” - the only restrictions your imagination - the inspiration ‘The Spirit of Football’ 🔥⚽️

Andy here’s a photo of my Dad welcoming Alfredo Di Stéfano when Real Madrid visited Manchester to play United & raise funds after the Munich air crash - Alfredo doesn’t look too impressed by one of Dad’s lighthearted comments 🔥⚽️

“No midfield player ever dictated to me, ever - the STRIKER ALWAYS DICTATES - to the midfield player, people always say ‘the midfield player ran the game’ ok he ran the midfield game - he can never run my game - he can never run the striker’s game”
(Steve Archibald)

‘If you want to be a striker & lose your marker, score goals …then you’ve got to be thinking way ahead of the defender, you’ve got to be thinking ahead of your teammates, you’ve got to be thinking ahead of the whole game’
(Steve Archibald) 🧵

‘Defenders are all ball watchers, every single one of them, because they’ve got to watch the ball …to take position off the ball, they can’t just watch the striker…they’ve got to take their position off the ball & balance the striker (Steve Archibald) 🧵

A key step in progress for players is to not just want the ball but to ‘outwit’ their opponent, to attend to their opponent’s eye gaze when they look at the ball provides opportunity - positioning blindside is like sneaking a look at a poker player’s hand giving you advantage

Cole Palmer is always looking & scheming - planning ahead to ‘gain advantage’ over opponents - coaches can ‘detune’ these ‘predatory’ characteristics if they don’t stress the intention to ‘outwit’ opponents by attending to positioning, body language, changes of speed & direction