There’s nothing more exciting than seeing a well-executed through ball that splits the defense that is anticipated by your striker who runs on to it and blasts it into the net!

In recent years, teams like Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City have all gained attention for their style of play. Barca in particular (and Spain at the international level) have relied on a style that utilizes taking advantage of passing channels to create scoring opportunities. In essence, they all use possession to penetrate. The idea is to utilize passing and player movement to create gaps between defenders for attacking players to run into and for the ball to be played through- the KILLER PASS. The killer pass is the pass that creates a goal-scoring opportunity. Players that can play these combinations in and around the box become the most effective players.​

PASSING LANES VS. CHANNELS

Passing lanes used to be called “gaps between defenders”. It is a space available for a ball to be passed through, typically on the ground. The “gap” must be wide enough so that no defender can extend the leg to cut off the pass. Or the passing distance must be short enough and the pass hard enough such that defenders don’t have time to react.

The purpose is to play a ball into space behind the defense for another attacker to run into- the KILLER PASS. If it’s inside the penalty box it will set up a great scoring opportunity. Anywhere else in the field it will open up space and keep forward progression moving.

A channel is most commonly referred to as the space between the most outside defender and the side line. It used to be called playing the ball down the side or the wing. From a passing technical perspective the difference between passing between two defenders or one defender and the side line is that the side line acts as a passive defender. It restricts the space available, but unlike a person, it cannot move to intercept the ball.

If the situation is as in the above diagram, and the space down the side is available, a pass should follow to set the runner free and generate the cross into the penalty box. A pass on the ground will be easier to control for the receiving player, but there must be enough space to play the ball through. A ball over the top wouldn’t necessarily be called a pass into the “channel.

It is easy to see how channel and lane can be used interchangeably. What matters is the concept of having space for a pass between defenders, or space for a pass between the most outside defender and the side line.

Watch professional level soccer long enough and you will notice certain aspects to the game that every team performs consistently- switching the point of attack, one or two touch play, possession to produce weaknesses, using the width of the field, etc. One key aspect that isn't always discussed however, is maintaining possession in your attacking half of the field and the tactical reasons why.

Once a team has built the attack out of their defensive third (post 11/27) and across the half, there are some key components to maintaining possession of the ball and player positioning on the field. Much of this is determined by the formation that the team is playing, but overall, the concepts and tactics do not change much from one formation to the next.

Key Concepts:

• Spreading out
• Getting width
• Getting depth
• Maintaining a high defensive line

ATTACKING PRINCIPLES

1. Penetration- In simplistic terms penetration is the act of breaking through the defense by dribbling, shooting,  running or passing. 
2. Support- A player in possession of the ball receives help to maintain possession. Support attackers provide forward, backward and sideways options to the attacker in possession. 
3. Mobility- Attackers make runs into different areas of the field in order to draw defenders out of their positions. 
4. Width- The attacking team attempts to stretch the opponent’s defensive shape. The attacking players use the width of the field to tempt defenders from a compact shape covering the dangerous areas in front of goal and in so doing create space. The attackers move the ball to change the point of attack in an effort to find a seam or space between or behind the defense. 
5. Improvisation, Creativity & Surprise- Attackers will try to break down defenses by employing the element of surprise. Skills such as back-heels, cut backs, flicks, feints and fakes are all used to this end. Comfort on the ball is critical and this training starts in the 1st stage of development.

PLAYER EXPECTATIONS:

• Position with maximum width and depth
• Circulate the ball at a high speed to shift the opposition defensive structure
• Progress the ball forward to players in time and space

​Goalkeeper- Circulate the ball short and to free players, and support the ball near-side as an option to circulate the ball
Center Backs- Split to approximately the width of the penalty box. Shift the opposition’s first pressing line by circulating the ball to one side and then quickly shifting to the other. The center backs must move forward of the halfway line to keep the ball in the attacking half.
Full Backs (Outside Backs- Get high and wide, positioning level and outside of the opposition’s first pressing line. 
Defensive Center Midfielder- Be positioned centrally between the two center backs and in the same horizontal line as the full backs.
Attacking Midfielders- Play between the opposition lines in the  midfield spaces. Attract opponents and create space in behind by dropping in front of the midfield line.
Outside Midfielders- Get and maintain width with a high line of attack. Drop back to support and cover any attacking runs by the fullbacks
Forward- Play between the center backs and be active in movement. Drop into available spaces to receive the ball and support attacking midfield players.

The goal in attack is to score. However, it is important that other tasks be performed before that can happen. Maintaining a high defensive line- INSIDE THE ATTACKING HALF- is among the most important tactical aspects. Switching the point of attack from one side of the pitch to the other also allows for creating gaps in the defense to exploit. 

Tactics may vary from coach to coach. The most important thing a player can do is to listen to the coaching directions and tactical responsibilities for ALL positions. This way, the players have a clear understanding of the overall plan and approach.

One thing that coaches are often guilty of doing, is brushing over defending as a topic to cover during training sessions, particularly during high school seasons, when your time is limited due to the number of matches. In addition, some coaches, like me, play the game in a much more attacking way, which tends to focus on the time from gaining possession to scoring. Self-admittedly, this overlooks one key factor- to gain possession, you must first DEFEND.

Defending is also a much less glamorous position to hold and a much less exciting component or skill to practice. Every player wants to get out on the field, beat guys 1v1 and score goals . . . ALL DAY! But a team that struggles to defend- individually or as a unit- will struggle to win games. Therefore, we must focus on defensive responsibilities of individual players and as a team regularly.

Roles of the Individual Defender

1. Closing down the attacker- taking away the space between the nearest defender and the attacking player. This should be done quickly, however, defenders should slow down their pace as they approach the attacker. Moving at full pace limits the defenders opportunities at reacting to the movement of the ball due to momentum.
2. Pressure- the nearest defender should move toward the ball to slow the attack and prevent a forward pass.
3. Stance- players should always utilize a proper defensive stance- knees are bent, chest is leaning slightly forward, feet are about shoulder-width apart and staggered (one foot forward), always be on the balls of your feet (toes), remain active in order to make small adjustments
4. Steering the attacker- positioning your defensive stance in a way that shepherds or pushes an attacker into a desired location on the field (toward the touchline, inside, etc.)
5. Jabbing at or gaining possession of the ball- timing an attempt at poking away or winning the ball.

Golden Rules of Individual Defending:

1. Always defend from the “goal side”- Position yourself between the goal and the attacker
2. Be patient- "contain" attacking players toward the flanks or at midfield to allow your teammates to cover. This also forces attackers to have to think about what they are going to do, which often leads to mistakes or poor touches.
3. Recovery- When you get beaten, recover to the “goal side” (back and center of the field) as fast as you can before trying to win the ball
4. No Diving- Do not “dive in” to try and steal the ball. A skilled player is just waiting for a defender to do this so that he can use a move to get by the defender.
5. Don't turn your back- players often want to turn their backs on a shot or pass as a means of avoiding the pain of getting hit with the ball. But turning your back to avoid getting hit is only setting you up to be beaten by a “fake” move. With your back to the player, you have little opportunity to react appropriately and end up chasing them down.
6. Limit Slides- Slide tackling should only take place if you are certain you will get the ball or you are in an act of desperation. Poor tackling can lead to costly fouls and penalties.

Key Principles of 1 v. 1 Defensive Pressure:
Quick Pressure- The player nearest the ball must “close the space” as quickly as possible as soon as the ball is played to his opponent. You should close ground on your opponent as the ball is traveling to the attacker, do not wait until he/she has received the ball. Defender has three priorities:

• Intercept the Pass- if you can anticipate the attackers’ actions, but never commit to this unless you are sure you can get there.
• Challenge the First touch- Be in a position that you can “steal” the ball off of a poor first touch.
• Contain the attacker- Deny space to turn or pass in a penetrating manner.

Touch Tight Pressure (within touching distance/arms length)- When closing down space, it is important that you don’t overrun the play. As a rule you should slow down about 5 yards from the attacker and gradually take away the remaining space in a controlled defensive position.

• You want to be in a position that the attacker feels uncomfortable, and if he makes a mistake you can win the ball.
• You are close enough that you limit the attackers’ vision of the field.
• You cut off forward passing lanes, making play more predictable for your supporting defenders.

Patient Pressure- Good defenders will recognize that they do not need to win the ball immediately. If you approach the attacker quickly and under control, taking away his space, you will shift the initiative to the attacker. Most attacking chances are created through poor and impatient defending. General rules for “Patient pressure” are:

• Don’t Dive In
• Be Cool and Alert- Ready to take the ball when it’s exposed
• Tackle with Confidence-  Be quick enough to poke the ball away or hard enough to send the ball forward through the attacker.

Problem Areas for Defenders
As you can see the role of the first defender is vital to the success of team defending. If we do a poor job in applying pressure to the ball and taking away the attackers options the whole defensive system will suffer. It is very important that we spend time teaching each player the principles of individual defending. The 1 vs. 1 is the foundation of the game. This doesn’t just apply to the attacking principle, but defensive as well.

Throughout most matches, the transition from defense to offense- or offense to defense- will usually go through the midfield players who are tasked with supporting either the forwards or attacking midfield players or the defense. They must have vision to see where to pass, and the skill and speed to execute their tactics.

Here is the biggest non-committal phrase in soccer: "It depends." Players often ask questions about what to do and invariably, my answer will include this phrase. So much of our decision making truly depends on the dynamics of the moment. So coaching this game, and especially transition, is tricky.

A few key points for midfielders to be aware of when transitions from defense to offense:

1. Is there an opportunity for a fast break attack?
   • The real question here is, "Can I play the ball long or wide to create an overload opportunity?" The keys to a fast break are quickness of play and taking advantage of defensive weaknesses in the moment.
2. What opportunities do I have in progressing the ball forward to a teammate?
   • I once had a coach tell me this- "Your first option, when a player is available, is to always to play the ball forward, the second option is to play a ball to an available player square, and the last option in attack is to play the ball back." Can I make a killer pass? Where is the available space on the field?
3. Should I slow down play?
   • Sometimes, the best thing for a midfield player to do is change the tempo of the game or wait for their teammates to get into position. Midfielders must be able to read the game in a way that is productive and effective.

The more players play and watch the sport, the more they begin to understand the tactical options they have. It may also depend on the style of play that a particular team or club is trying to foster. For example, Barcelona and Spain became legendary for a style of play called "Tiki-Taka". In tiki-taka, a team focuses on possessing the ball through short passes and movement that exposes and takes advantage of channels on the field. The central idea is to possess and move the ball so quickly that the defensive players get out of shape and forward passes can penetrate to skillful forwards and wingers.

Liverpool play an attacking style that Jurgen Klopp has famously called "Heavy Metal Football". This is a direct style of play that employs a few key components:

• Gegenpressing-  this is immediate pressing on the loss of the ball and pressing high up the pitch. "The best moment to win the ball is immediately after your team just lost it,” Klopp has said. “The opponent is still looking for orientation where to pass the ball. He will have taken his eyes off the game to make his tackle or interception and he will have expended energy. Both make him vulnerable.

• Fast break attack utilizing the long pass. This is a not "boot ball". This is strategically playing a long ball to a player, usually a midfielder, or into space where the player can gain possession of the ball and either attack the goal directly or combine with teammates to score a goal.

In a nutshell, the style requires intensity, creativity, quick thinking and quick strikes.

Space- in soccer, it’s sometimes THE FINAL FRONTIER . . . . Learning the power of available spaces on the field can be powerful for any player or team. It can be a difficult concept for some players to learn, mostly because they are accustomed to playing sports where the idea is to pass a ball directly to a person, not behind them or well in front of them. But in soccer, it’s often the key to a dynamic and successful attack.

The first trick in understanding space is knowing when and when not to play a ball there. Often times, our best option is to play a ball directly to a player- feet, head, etc. To make things even more difficult, players have to make these decisions in seconds. They need to be able to read attacking patterns on the field and often under pressure from a defender, especially during indoor where space is limited and pressure is tight.

Liverpool FC (The greatest club in the world! . . . I'm required to say that), are perhaps one of the best teams to demonstrate the ways in which playing to space or feet can be productive in attack, and usually through combination play that results in scoring opportunities. Take a few minutes to watch this highlight compilation from LFC's 2018 campaign to see what great attacking runs and combinations look like:

Playing the ball into space requires three very important things to take place:

1. A player, off the ball, making or initiating a run into the space
2. The player with the ball recognizing the run
3. The player with the ball getting the ball into space and how to get it there

So, how do we initiate a run into space? Often times, it's simply making a timed run off the ball. The player sees the space and makes a run toward that direction- sometimes communicating to the player with the ball through gestures or verbal cues. The other ways include making "check runs". During a check run, a player runs toward the player with the ball and then changes direction to move into the space. The strategic idea behind a check run is to bring your defender with you and then to use your change of direction run as a means of gaining an advantage.

Similarly, players can create space on the field by simply moving on the field. Similar to a check run, this is intended to drag a defender away from a space, thereby making the space available for another teammate to run onto the space and exploit it.

Types of Runs:

The bottom line- players spend MOST of their time on the field WITHOUT THE BALL. Understanding their usefulness and the advantages they can create are extremely important for every player.

Strong legs. Fast reflexes. Pure speed. Soccer players boast some serious athletic attributes. Here’s how to get them.

Forgetting for a moment the sheer distance covered in a match (about seven miles), what might be most impressive about soccer players are their razor-sharp moves. A pass fake to thread between defenders, stealing the ball from an opponent dribbling down the field, pulling a 180 to scissor-kick the ball mid-air—all require fast feet and reflexes. Also known as agility. So what is it, exactly? The basis of agility is acceleration. The ability to speed up, decelerate, change direction, reaccelerate.

Much of our training at U14 builds in agility to our drills and scrimmages. But agility is different from endurance. Agility workouts require training at 95 to 100 percent of max effort, meaning you’re getting up to an all-out sprint during every run. To ensure that intensity, sessions have short active periods and long rests. Coaches also often build in sport-specific skills like swerves, cuts, and drop-steps, to mimic on-field action. Agility has obvious benefits on the pitch and doing agility work at a high intensity may have brain benefits, too. A University of Copenhagen study suggests that working at 90 percent of your max can improve motor memory consolidation—the brain’s ability to retain new motor skills.

Due to our lack of time in training, players MUST maintain their physical fitness independently. Here are some exercises players can, and should do, in order to build and maintain speed, agility, strength and endurance:

Strength Exercises

Being a youth coach over the last 20 years has provided me with a whole host of experiences with players and parents. Predominantly, these experiences have been positive and even life-changing for me.

However, I have also seen my share of difficult experiences between players and their parents, parents and officials, parents and parents, and parents and coaches. These negative experiences can have a lasting impact on anyone involved and it's important that we ALL work to keep athletic experiences positive for our sons and daughters. 

Below is advice for parents that I have shared over the years. Although it was initially written for basketball parents, many of the points apply to parenting in general.

The following advice is borrowed from Coach Morgan Wooten. Coach Wootten is a legendary coach who led the DeMatha High School boys basketball program in Hyattsville, MD, from 1956-2002. He won 1,274 games and has a winning percentage of 86.9% 

1. Tell your child every time you watch them play, “I loved watching you play today.” Please think about how that would make you feel! It takes the pressure off of your child and allows them to simply enjoy the game
2. Do not soften the blow for your child after a loss. If they lose, teach them to not make excuses, to learn from the loss, and move on. Many times the players move on from the loss quicker than the parents. We get better through setbacks if we face our challenges head on. It also makes us mentally tougher and resilient - two important life skills to develop.
3. Teach them to be a part of something greater than themselves. Teach them this by applauding their efforts and their coachability. Do not coach them to look to score, take over the game, show their talent, or shoot more. If you teach them to be “me-first” players they will miss out on the experience of being part of a team. Teamwork teaches humility, working toward collective goals, and being part of something greater than any one individual. All young people need to learn these skills.
4. Do not coach your child. Coaching your child will confuse them. Allow them to experience how to deal with others. Encourage your child to listen to the coach. Although you may not always agree with every decision a coach makes, you can rest assured that no matter what they have the best interests of the team and your child at heart. A very simple definition of each person’s role puts it into perspective. Players = play, coaches = coach, officials = officiate, parents = support. Make sure to play your role well and don’t try to assume someone else’s role.
5. Do not approach your child’s coach about playing time. Encourage your child to speak with their coach. A coach should be honest with their players about where they stand and what they need to do to improve. Your job is not to approach the coach about playing time or strategy. Your child needs to learn to advocate for themselves and learn how to communicate with others. Remember that a player being a valuable member of the team is important. It is not all about playing time. Also, your child may be a less experienced player and may need to develop. Many players do not come into their own until their senior year.
6. Do not compare your child to others, but encourage them to be the best that they can be! If a parent is constantly trying to have their child be better than someone else, the child will always be second best… but if you encourage your child to be the best they can be and compete to be that everyday, they will get better and they will reach their potential.
7. Cheer for all! Never speak negatively about your child or another child or coach. We would not want anyone to speak negatively about our child, so do not speak of someone else’s child  negatively. Faith • Love • Service • Leadership
8. Be self disciplined. Basketball (soccer) is an emotional game. It can bring out the best in us. It can also bring out the worst in us if we are not careful. Keep your emotions under control. Would you want someone yelling at you from the stands? Would you want someone yelling at you at work?
9. Let it be your child’s experience. In order to do so, we must acknowledge that we can not control the experience of our child… that is why it’s called an experience. When we experience something we will have good times and bad times, great moments and average plays, we will deal with victory and defeat… allow your child to experience these highs and lows in sport which will give them the tools to deal with the ups and downs of life. If we try to control the experience, our child is not being prepared for life.
10. Teach them to play for the love of the game and not a trophy or individual recognition. Teach your child that they are playing for the love of the game, for their teammates, and for the love of competition. Think about if you could teach your child to be a great competitor, a great teammate, and to love what they do - that would be special! In youth sports we need to get away from the fact that everyone gets a trophy. If we do, we are teaching them to play for the reward rather than understanding that the reward is playing the game itself.
11. Focus on the process. Sports, like life, are a process. We need to attack the process everyday to grow and get better. The process is hard work, knowledge, attitude, perseverance, teamwork, coachability, dealing with success and failure - winning is only the by-product of the process in sports and in life.
12. Enjoy the journey of your child. Any journey we take is bound to have great moments, some bad moments, and some moments that we laugh at. Enjoy the journey with your child and do not agonize over every single play, decision by the coach, or a good game/bad game by your child or their team. In 25 years, you will wish you were watching your child play sports. Enjoy the journey while you can!
13. Be a parent, not a fan. Your child will make mistakes. Your child is not always perfect. Teach them when needed and make sure to compliment them when needed. There is always a teachable moment in any situation.
14. Do not make excuses. “The teacher or coach does not like me” is a familiar excuse. In the end, coaches and teachers like players that work hard, are coachable, have a great attitude, show perseverance, are good teammates, and more. Teach your child to show their coach these attributes. 

A few videos from coaches about the youth experience that I believe sum up aspects of the problems and solutions. The unifying theme- let the coaches coach and let the players play.

In soccer, you will often hear these two terms- finishing and shooting- interchangeably. But they have very distinct meanings that all players must understand. Having the ability to shoot, does not mean you can finish.

Key Concepts:

• Shooting- When a player kicks the ball at the opponent's net in an attempt to score a goal.
• Finishing- Scoring a goal, generally at close range.
• Repetition- The act of repeating an act over and over.

Shooting refers to the act of kicking the ball toward the goal, usually from distance, with a chance at scoring a goal. Finishing generally refers to scoring goals from close to goal, often from a cross or through creative play. To put it simpler- shooting involves hoping the ball goes in the goal, while finishing is putting the ball in goal.

I'm not trying to minimize the skill involved in finishing versus shooting. Both attempts on goal require players to utilize particular mechanics and techniques that players must practice regularly and independently. Through practice, players learn where and how to strike the ball to create the type of shot they want to produce. another difference includes how hard players strike the ball- shooting will often require power, whereas finishing often requires finesse.

​For my teams, shooting also serves a secondary purpose. Shooting from distance early in a match can force defenses to step forward and defend higher up the pitch. Therefore, I will often coach my teams to take shots from 20+ yards away from goal in order to force the defenders to worry about shots from distance. This creates space behind the defenders for attacking players to run into and create chances for finishing on goal.

Finishing requires players to make decisions quickly in tight spaces and requires various techniques and surfaces of the foot or head- inside/outside/laces. Due to the limited time often afforded players in front of the ball, they must practice one-touch and two-touch shooting in this space. These are often scrappy goals that develop from mistakes and scrum-like conditions.

The final key, in both shooting and finishing, is going to be repetition. The higher the number of reps a player takes, the more they will perfect their technique and mechanics. It isn't as easy to do during indoor, but I would often advise my players to either stay after training sessions or spend time independently working on shooting and finishing- this may include taking free kicks and corner kicks.

Types of Shots

• Instep drive: This shot is done with the laces of a boot and is widely used. The ball is struck through with the laces or the top part of the foot. The shot is powerful but less accurate.
• Bending shot: This shot is made using the side of the foot (or the outside of the foot on occasion) and is usually but not exclusively used in free kicks. The ball bends or swerves in such a way that it beats the keeper, the only drawback is that it lacks great power.
• Chip: Also known as the lob, this shot focuses on getting the ball to a certain amount of vertical height, where the goalkeeper can't reach it and then have it come back down again into goal, it takes a certain amount of technique and precision to pull off.
• Knuckleball: A free kick or shot from distance that has no spin and has erratic movement.
• Toe poke: Used with less frequency, this shot uses the toe of the boot; as it is a quick strike which requires little motion, it is often utilized to fool or surprise opponents who would normally not expect this type of shot.

Having a cohesive tactical approach to attacking play can have great benefits for any team. Successful teams have players who understand those roles and tactics on the entire field. However, being creative in the final third of the field is what produces goals . . . and hopefully success!

First of all, let's define what we mean by the "final third". We often divide the field into thirds in soccer to denote the differing tactics that are used in those areas.

The area closest to the team's goal is the defensive third. The middle of the field around the halfway line, and including the center circle, is the middle third. The part of the field nearest to the opponent's goal is what we refer to as the final third. It’s called the final third sometimes because that’s your team’s offensive objective: to build play and finish in your opponents defensive third with a goal.

Key Concepts:

• Attacking Third- the part of the field nearest to the opponent's goal
• Finishing- scoring
• Splitting- a direct pass to a teammate that goes between defenders
• Cross- a ball sent into the middle of the field from the flank
• Early Cross- a cross that is sent from the middle third

Attacking in the final third has two basic components- the build up of attack and finishing. For this post, I am going to focus primarily on building the attack.

Building the Attack
Coaches have varying thoughts and tactics when approaching the final third. In general, however, you will hear most of our coaches discuss any or all of the following:

• Possession (Barcelona)- maintaining the ball through a series of quick passes- often laterally on the field- intended to create passing lanes toward goal.
• Killer Pass- an attacking pass that puts a player into a goal scoring position. This is often a midfielder playing to a forward by splitting the defenders.
• Width (Bayern)- playing the ball wide to flank players in space.
• Cross/Early Cross- Crosses most often create scoring opportunities in the penalty box. They are difficult to defend due to the trajectory of the pass, the aerial nature of the pass and the angles of attack created by a ball entering play from the flank. 
• Direct Attack (Liverpool)- this tactic may relay on long or short passes, but the result is in scoring opportunities from speed, quick wall passes and creativity.

In training, we will often run through multiple tactical scenarios to move the ball into the attacking third. Personally, I try to encourage creativity with limited risk- playing a simple pass, playing the way you are facing, playing into space, etc. All of this requires patience. Mistakes often happen when players are impatient and simply get rid of the ball in a direction they think someone should be, not where a teammate is on the field.

Since 2003, I have been a trainer and coach with Lake Placid Soccer Centre (LPSC) which runs player and team camps through St. Lawrence University. LPSC is partly owned by Co-Founder and International Director of Coerver Coaching, Alfred (Alf) Galustian. In 2010, I completed my Coerver Youth Diploma with Alf and continue to believe strongly in the Coerver mission and method.

Here's a little information about Coerver Coaching and it's goals:

Coerver Coaching is a global soccer coaching program inspired by the teachings of Wiel Coerver and created in 1984 by Alfred Galustian and Chelsea great, Charlie Cooke.

 Coerver Coaching is:

•  A soccer skills teaching method suited for all ages but especially for players aged 5-16 years old of all abilities and their parents, coaches and teachers. 
• A Method that focuses on Individual skills development and small group play

The ultimate goal of the Coerver Coaching Method is to:

• Develop skilled, confident and creative players
• Make the game fun to practice and play
• Teach good sportsmanship and respect for all
• Value winning but not more than character and performance
• Provide a safe & educational experience that meets best practice criteria

We will be working with Coerver skill development during many of our technical training sessions. In particular, I will focus on an aspect of Coerver skill development called Mirror Moves. These are complimentary attacking moves that allow players to either beat a defender 1v1 or change-of-direction moves to divert play away from pressure. These are components of 1v1 Attack & Defense in the Player Development Pyramid above.