1/⚽ The 3-5-2 Formation: A Tactical Breakdown 🧵

The 3-5-2 is a flexible system that balances attack and defense. It became popular in the 1980s and remains effective today. Let’s dive into its structure, advantages, and challenges! 👇 2/ The Basics of the 3-5-2 Formation

•3 Center-Backs (CBs): Provide defensive solidity and wide coverage.
•5 Midfielders: Includes 2 wingbacks, 2 central midfielders, and 1 attacking midfielder or holding pivot.
•2 Forwards (STs): Lead the attack and offer options in transition.

It looks like this:

THREAD 🧵: The Evolution of the False 9

The false 9 is a tactical weapon designed to distort defensive structures, overload the midfield, and create confusion in the opposition’s back line.

Let’s break down how it works and why it still matters. ⚽️👇 Traditionally, the No.9’s job was simple: lead the line, stretch the defence, score goals.

But when teams began defending compactly, that striker often found themselves isolated and marked out of the game.

Enter the false 9, a disruptor, not a target man.

Zone 14 🧵

The most valuable patch of grass in football.

It sits dead centre, just outside the penalty area, the space where playmakers come alive and defences panic. Analysts first defined it in the 18-zone pitch model.

Zone 14 was the rectangle of dreams.

The link between midfield and the box. The #10’s playground. The birthplace of the final pass.

SCANNING. The Most Misunderstood Skill in the Game.

When most people hear “scanning,” they picture a player glancing over their shoulder.

But it’s much more than that. It’s about taking in information that helps you make better decisions 🧵 Scanning isn’t just moving your head.

It’s connecting what you see with what you do next.

The best players don’t just look, they process.

They build a mental picture of the pitch before they receive the ball.

Football can be broken down into 4 key phases.

Understanding these and aligning your principles to them is the foundation of tactical clarity and effective coaching. 👇 In Possession

This is what we do when we have the ball.
It’s not just about attacking, it’s about how we build, progress, and create.

Our principles here might include:

- Creating width and depth
- Occupying key spaces between lines
- Patience in possession
- Playing forward when possible

🧵 The 5 Key Defensive Principles Every Team Needs to Master

Let’s break down the 5 core defensive principles that make great teams so hard to break down 👇 Compact Shape (Horizontally & Vertically)

Defending starts with shape, not individual effort.

A compact team limits space between players, side to side and front to back.

Horizontally: reduce passing lanes through the middle.

Vertically: shrink the gap between defence, midfield, and attack.

The goal? Force play around you, not through you.

Compact teams look small to the opposition, but massive to each other.

🧵 The Importance of Playing Forwards in Football

One of the simplest, yet most powerful attacking principles in football.

Play forward whenever possible. Progressing the ball towards the opposition goal should be your first thought.

If you can play forward, do it.
If you can’t, create the conditions to do it.

The biggest mistake in youth football coaching.

(and how to fix it) 🧵 Great coaching needs clarity and structure.

But right now, youth football is flooded with disconnected session plans.

Coaches mean well, they download a drill, tweak it a bit, and hope it fits their players. But most of the time, it doesn’t.

Less players. Smaller pitches. Bigger impact.

The new 3v3 format is about to change the way kids learn the game in the UK.

Some are worried, but here’s why this could be the most exciting change in youth football yet. 🧵 What’s happening?

The FA is introducing 3v3 formats for younger age groups.

Smaller pitches. Fewer players. More involvement.

It’s a move aimed at giving every child more time on the ball, more decisions to make, and more chances to play.

Running with the ball is a fundamental dribbling skill in football that combines control, speed, and decision-making.

Here's how to coach it 👇 1. Assess the Space:

Scan the field ahead to identify open spaces and potential obstacles, such as defenders.

🧵THREAD: Third Man Runs in Football.

The Hidden Weapon of Elite Attacking Play.

Third man runs are one of the most effective patterns for breaking down compact defences.

But what exactly are they and how do you coach them?

Let’s break it down in full detail 👇

@SundayShare10 #SundayShare 1️⃣ What is a Third Man Run?

A third man run occurs when:
•Player A passes to Player B
•Player B does not progress the ball himself
•Instead, Player B plays a pass to Player C who is running beyond the defensive line

Player C is the third man, exploiting the space created by A and B’s interaction.

🧵 Coaching Detail: On / Around / Away from the Ball

Want to make your sessions more effective?

Start thinking about where you coach — not just what you coach.

@SundayShare10 #SundayShare 1. Coach on the ball 🟡

This is the most common — and often the easiest — place to coach.

✅ Support play
✅ First touch
✅ Decision-making
✅ End product (pass, dribble, shot)

🗣️ You’re focusing on the player in possession and their immediate choices.

🧵 What is a Game Model in Soccer?

Let’s break down one of the most misunderstood concepts in coaching.

👇 A thread for coaches, players, and curious fans:

#SundayShare @SundayShare10 1/
A Game Model is your team’s blueprint.

It’s the set of principles, behaviors, and ideas that guide how your team plays — in possession, out of possession, in transition, and in set plays.

It answers the big question:

🧠 “How do we want to play?”

🧵 The Golden Zone in Football: Where 80% of Goals Are Born

@SundayShare10 #sundayshare

Inspired by @power_ray and his great new book “coaching through superiorities”

If you want to score more goals—or stop conceding them—start with this: most goals come from one key area.

Let’s break down the Golden Zone—and the Assist U that feeds it.👇 1/
The Golden Zone is the highest-value area on the pitch.

Think: the width of the goalposts and the stretch from the penalty spot to the six-yard box.
It’s football’s prime real estate.

How to Play Out from the Back Like a Pro: A Thread ⚽🔍

1/ Why Play Out from the Back?

Playing out from the back helps maintain possession, control the tempo, and break opponent presses.

But it requires precision, confidence, and structure.

Let’s break it down. 👇🏻 2/ The Basic Structure

Most teams use a variation of a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 to build out. The common setup:

🔹 CBs split wide
🔹 Fullbacks push higher or invert
🔹 A pivot (CDM) drops to receive
🔹 The GK becomes an extra passer

Overlapping vs. Underlapping Runs in Soccer: Explained

Let’s break them down! 🧵👇 1️⃣ What are Overlapping & Underlapping Runs?

These are off-the-ball movements used by fullbacks, wingers, or midfielders to create space, break defensive lines, and generate attacking opportunities.

•Overlapping Run → A player runs outside their teammate, closer to the touchline.

•Underlapping Run → A player runs inside their teammate, toward the center of the pitch.

Thread: How to Create Passing Lanes in Soccer ⚽️

Here’s a breakdown of how to open space and improve your team’s passing game. 🧵👇🏻 1️⃣ Movement off the ball

•Teammates must constantly move to create angles for the player in possession.

•Standing still allows defenders to block potential passing lanes. Always think: How can I help the player on the ball?

1/⚽ The 3-5-2 Formation: A Tactical Breakdown 🧵

The 3-5-2 is a flexible system that balances attack and defense. It became popular in the 1980s and remains effective today. Let’s dive into its structure, advantages, and challenges! 👇 2/ The Basics of the 3-5-2 Formation

•3 Center-Backs (CBs): Provide defensive solidity and wide coverage.
•5 Midfielders: Includes 2 wingbacks, 2 central midfielders, and 1 attacking midfielder or holding pivot.
•2 Forwards (STs): Lead the attack and offer options in transition.

It looks like this:

What is Relational Play?

Relational play is a concept that emphasizes decision-making based on relationships between players, space, and the ball. It’s not about rigid tactics but about creating dynamic synergies.

A thread:🧵⚽👇🏻 1/ So… What is relational play?

It’s an approach where players focus on reading the positions, movements, and intentions of teammates, opponents, and spaces rather than following fixed patterns.

Think: adaptive, fluid, and connected team play.

What is Positional Play?

A thread:🧵⚽👇🏻

@SundayShare10 #SundayShare 1/ What is positional play?

Positional play, also known as “juego de posición,” is a tactical philosophy focused on creating numerical advantages and exploiting spaces on the field. The goal is to dominate possession and control the game by positioning players in optimal areas.

What is Gegenpressing? 🧵⚽

Gegenpressing is more than just winning the ball back; it’s a philosophy that turns defense into attack in seconds.

This thread breaks down the tactics, key principles, and why it’s been a game-changer for modern soccer.

👇🏻 1/ What is Gegenpressing?

Gegenpressing, German for “counter-pressing,” is a tactical philosophy where a team immediately presses their opponent to win the ball back after losing possession. Instead of retreating, they attack the opponent’s attack.