Really interesting piece Mark - ta for sharing John Sent from my iPad
> On 25 Jan 2019, at 00:19, Nicholas Armit via Leedslist <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Sounds remarkably similar to my training sessions with the U-12 East Lansing > Boys Recreational League..... > On Thursday, January 24, 2019, 6:45:07 PM EST, Simon McNally > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Superb! > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On 24 Jan 2019, at 21:29, Mark Pilling <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Haven't seen this posted/mentioned. thought it might interest: >> >> https://www.socceriqeducation.com/bielsa-observations.html >> >> >> >> Leeds were set to face QPR on Sunday at 2pm in the FA Cup, so in all >> honestly I came into the visit not exactly too sure of what I was about to >> experience. I naturally expected something resembling a generic pre-game >> preparatory session, fine-tuning a few details before tomorrows game. But >> as we reached the fields, I already knew this was going to be something a >> little out of the ordinary. This is a Bielsa team after all. >> >> Once we got down to the fields, 5 fields were prepped and ready to be put >> to use, each one sprinkled with mannequins, and each one created for a >> different purpose and area of the pitch. As the players headed out to the >> field, the make-up of the squad consisted of around 13 first-team players, >> 8 u23 players, and 5 u18 players, with some players coming back from injury >> on another small field for a total of around 29 players training that day. >> >> Goalkeeper Coach Marcos Abad had a small area set up behind us to begin >> work with Bailey-Peacock Farrell and Will Huffer, and his themes for the >> session focused around tipping high balls, near-post angles from cut-back >> crosses, and reacting to make double saves inside 10-12 yards. >> >> On what seemed to be the main field, there were 6 mannequins set up in the >> attacking third. Midfielders Lewis Baker, Adam Forshaw, and Tyler Roberts >> left the core group (who went to warm-up on another empty field) and >> immediately began working with Assistant Coach Diego Flores on some >> triangulating movement patterns & combination play. This was fairly intense >> and included lots of repetition and sharp movement over 15 yard spaces. >> >> Carlos Corberan (Leeds United’s First team Coach and Head Coach of the >> u23’s) took 5-6 players over to one field, where he worked them through a >> very specified passing pattern to replicate playing out of pressure and >> manipulating the opponents shape to exploit spaces in wide areas. This went >> on for roughly 15 minutes, and the pattern was obsessively replicated, with >> extremely fine details touched on by Corberan in terms of angles of >> reception to the ball, and disguises in body shape when looking to play >> into the next zone. >> >> On another field adjacent, a few other Assistant Coaches worked with a >> small group of 5 u18 / u23 players. Again, there were mannequins set up in >> a specific shape, and this group were focusing on building out from the >> Goalkeeper into the middle third in high intensity bursts. The phase of >> play itself lasted no more than 10 seconds, but the pattern was repetitive >> and diligent. Players had cues of exactly when to move into targeted >> pockets of space either in front of, or behind certain colored mannequins. >> Everyone knew their part within the pattern, and the detail was intriguing >> to watch. >> >> After the 15 minute warm-up via some passing patterns and agility, the core >> group of players headed onto the main field to begin the main chunk of the >> session. By this point, The equipment staff and Assistant Coaching staff >> had set up an opposition formation (via mannequins) in the attacking half >> of the field. I had an idea this was going to be some focus on team shape >> in transitions, and sure enough it was. This was probably my most >> intriguing part of the day, as the attention to detail was astounding. >> iPads with numerous members of the coaching staff, filled with specific >> visual movements for each player to observe and then produce when it was >> time to execute certain shifts in shape. >> >> The shifts in shape were short bursts, yet quick and inventive. I’d like to >> say I fully understood the tactical transitions completely but I didn’t, as >> they happened so quick and there were 4 or 5 varied patterns in which each >> player knew their exact next move. You’d hear a number called out loud by a >> staff member, and out of nowhere the #2 was suddenly on a full sprint into >> the #8 position, while the #9 would turn into the #11 and the #11 would >> become the #10 as the #10 became the #9 (for example). All this happening >> within about 5 seconds. >> >> It is also worth noting how fascinating it was to see the staff to player >> ratio in the ongoing sessions. As I looked around the numerous fields in >> use, there must have been a 1-to-3 ratio in every capacity at any moment. >> The players had plenty of observant eyes on them, but also plenty of >> willing coaches ready to help and tweak any glitches in preparation that >> may arise during the session. No stones were left unturned, and it was also >> quite surprising to me how often the staff would stop exercises and bring >> the group in to watch more iPad footage or to to get some tactical points >> across. For many of us, a very contrasting notion in comparison to the new >> way we are taught to coach in terms of “let the players play”. >> >> Nevertheless, as much as I would love to share the actual session diagrams >> with everyone, and the meticulous approach to pattern play in which Bielsa >> is renowned for, I unfortunately cannot. But what I can say is this.. For >> anyone who believes you cannot replicate “game speed” or “realism” when >> training against mannequins, I challenge you to go and observe a Bielsa >> team train, and then watch the players replicate the exact motions and >> movements in real-game situations, consistently. >> >> This guy is a genius, and the smallest details matter if you play for him. >> What angle are your hips facing when you receive the ball? Are you moving >> when you receive it? - You better be, or you’re going to get hammered by >> Bielsa personally if you aren’t. Can you drive a pass 22 yards diagonally >> between two opponents 6 yards apart? Try it, and try again.. >> _______________________________________________ >> Leedslist mailing list >> Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist >> To unsubscribe, email [email protected] >> >> Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ >> >> RIP Jimmy WAC-COE > > _______________________________________________ > Leedslist mailing list > Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > To unsubscribe, email [email protected] > > Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ > > RIP Jimmy WAC-COE > > _______________________________________________ > Leedslist mailing list > Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > To unsubscribe, email [email protected] > > Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ > > RIP Jimmy WAC-COE _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] Find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/leedslist/ RIP Jimmy WAC-COE
