New training sessions released on counter-pressing and transitions from defence to attack

When we watch a game of football, we often think in terms of attack and defence, or which team is in possession of the ball. However, many goals can be traced back to the transition, or when possession breaks down. For the side that wins the ball, getting the transition right can provide the key to opening up stubborn opposition defences. For defenders, the transition from attack to defence is crucial for preventing sucker-punch counter-attacks. 

The first session, developed by Morocco U-13s coach Noureddine Boubou, is in four parts. It teaches the principles of the counter-press, a tactic deployed to devastating effect by Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. The aim of the counter-press is to swarm the opposition immediately after losing the ball and regain possession as quickly as possible. When successful, it allows teams to win the ball back high up the pitch and create chances immediately, without playing through a congested midfield. Not for nothing has Jürgen Klopp described a good counter-press as more valuable than a great playmaker.

The second new release, from FIFA Elite Coach Educator Simon Jennings, looks at the same phase of play from a different angle. The three exercises that make up his session are intended to give teams the tools they need to attack the opposition at pace and in numbers as soon as they win the ball. His drills emphasise the importance of reacting quickly to turnovers of possession and moving the ball forward as fast as possible, including through crowded areas of the pitch.