Category: Masterclasses

How To Boss The Midfield Like Kovacic and Jorginho – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Central Midfield, Coach Education, Coaching, Defensive Midfield, Masterclasses, Masterclasses, Player Analysis, World Football

Thomas Tuchel currently remains unbeaten in his first three matches in charge of Chelsea. During that time his team have kept over 70% of the possession and haven't conceded a single goal. One of Tuchel's most impressive tactical implementations has been his reliance on Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic as a double-pivot in a highly functional 3-4-2-1/3-4-3 system that transforms into a 3-2-5 in attack. Jorginho and Kovacic are playing just about as well as any central midfielders in the world at the moment, and might just be the pair of players that can bring Chelsea to greater times. This article will explore how players of any age can boss the midfield like Kovacic and Jorginho.

Instagram Live Conversation with @CoachMariaSoccer

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Home Training, Masterclasses, Player Education

Join us and @CoachMariaSoccer today at 3PM EST on Instagram Live. Maria and I will be discussing athlete motivation, what it takes to get to the next level, and answering questions from the audience! Don't miss this Instagram live! ⚽ Maria Procopio - Soccer Coach🧿 (@coachmariasoccer) • Instagram photos and videos Rhys Desmond (@desmondrhys) • Instagram photos and videos The Mastermind Site (@mastermindsite) • Instagram photos and videos.

1v1 Defending Tips for Success

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Fullback, Masterclasses, Masterclasses, Player Education, Sport Psychology, Winger

Players engage in 1v1 battles just about as much as anything else in the game. So, to help players defend their 1v1's to the best of their ability, we provide eight tips for success when defending 1v1 situations.

How To Be A Good Sports Captain

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Masterclasses, Masterclasses, Player Education

Although some coaches believe in avoiding captains altogether, it is unquestionable how many positive outcomes can come from allowing players to take on leadership roles, such as in the form of a captaincy. Giving a player or two an armband can be great for developing confidence, leadership, positivity and teamwork within the entire team; not … Continue reading How To Be A Good Sports Captain

How to move like a world class striker

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Masterclasses, Masterclasses, Player Education, Striker

It's practically undeniable that a striker's number one role in a team is to score goals. But the actual art of scoring goals is so much more complex than many think. It comes down to far more than just finishing ability and instinct. Movement, particularly movement done off the ball, is so important to a striker's ability to score goals. The very best are masters of the art. Some are incredibly adept when it comes to movement in deep and linking up play with others lower on the field. But this article will explore those that are particularly adept at timing their runs into the box to perfection and scoring goals from their stellar movement off the ball. Here are 7 different movement patterns the world's best strikers often use in games to score goal after goal, game after game.

Communication in Youth Soccer

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Masterclasses, Masterclasses, Player Education, Sport Psychology, World Football

Communication is one of the most important skills for young players learning their trade in the beautiful game to develop. Communication is not just all about players shouting at each other and calling for the ball. It goes far beyond that to non-verbal communication, body language, and even knowing when not to communicate. Here are some of the key words and phrases that young players can communicate to their teammates during games.

The Qualities of a Good Sports Captain

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Masterclasses, Player Education, World Football

In any sport, a team captain can be invaluable if the right person is given the role. Team captains shouldn't just be the best players on the team or the player that the coach likes the most, it's about having certain qualities that make that player a good leader and a reliable force on the team. These are some of the most essential qualities for any good sports team captain to possess.