The more I hear coaches say “we play our way,” the less I like it.
Fàbregas said after Como’s win over Napoli: “We can’t always play our way.” And this keeps coming up over and over again.
A few years ago, before he started coaching properly and while he was doing his badges, I interviewed Cesc and asked how he was preparing himself. He told me he was basically building a massive library of different game situations, different formations, different structures, trying to understand what problems different opponents might create and what solutions might be available.
So even before he had a team, he was thinking this way. Not “this is my formation and this is how my team will play,” but: what does this situation require?
I wrote about this recently with Arteta too. I think we mix up coaching philosophy, game idea, game model and playing style all the time.
Your coaching philosophy is probably the most stable part, your beliefs about football, learning, leadership, player autonomy, development, what you value. Your game idea gives you a broad direction. Your game model gives players shared principles for solving recurring problems. Your playing style is simply what actually shows up in the game.
The mistake is taking something from the bottom of that chain and pretending it belongs at the top.
“We always build short.”
“We never go long.”
“We always press high.”
“We always play through midfield.”
Those are not beliefs. They’re solutions.
And sometimes the solution is wrong.
Even last night in training we were playing 8v8 and one team was pressing ridiculously high. The team building out kept trying to play through the press. Over and over again.
But they didn’t need to.
The opposition had committed so many players forward that there was loads of space behind them. They were perfectly capable of skipping the press and finding somebody higher up the field, but they were so focused on “playing out” that they stopped seeing what the game was actually giving them.
This is exactly the problem.
We teach players a way of solving something, then eventually the solution becomes the objective.
Playing through the press becomes more important than progressing.
Keeping the ball becomes more important than attacking the space.
Pressing high becomes more important than recognizing whether pressing high is actually useful in that moment.
Then the opponent changes the problem and we keep using the same answer.
Fàbregas dropping into a low block late against Napoli doesn’t mean he suddenly believes in low-block football. It means the situation changed and Como adapted to it.
Your philosophy can stay fairly stable while almost everything underneath it changes.
If the opponent sends six players to press you, maybe skip them. If they sit deep, maybe you have to circulate and move them. If you’re protecting a lead late in the game, maybe you defend deeper than you normally would. If there’s 50 yards of space in front of you, maybe going backwards to “keep possession” makes absolutely no sense.
I think this is what a game model should actually help players with. Give them enough shared references to understand what we’re trying to achieve, but not so many fixed answers that they stop looking at the game.
Because at some point “staying true to our philosophy” can become a very convenient way of saying:
we’re going to keep doing the same thing even though the game is telling us not to.
Fàbregas interview:
youtu.be/4Bw--TKru_4?si…
Article:
sempremilan.com/fabregas-lesso…
Healthy players develop better.
Bridge the gap between sports medicine and everyday coaching.
Avoids unnecessary medical jargon while providing practical guidance that can be applied immediately on the training ground or touchline.
@Gumroadokunrinmeta.gumroad.com/l/ejnuz
Discover brands. Create impact. Get paid.
Turn your creativity into real opportunities with Motion Farm.
Apply for brand campaigns, create authentic content, and earn doing what you love.
Begin your journey now on motionfarm.com#MotionFarm#UGC#ContentCreator
If you're already creating content, why not get paid for it?
Motion Farm helps creators discover brand campaigns, collaborate with brands, and earn from their creativity.
Your next opportunity could be one application away.
#MotionFarm#ContentCreator#UGCNigeria
6K Followers 4K Following⚽Footballer @the_9thmare | ✝ | 🇳🇬🇪🇺 | a message for grassroot ballers @grassrootNIG || Red Devil 😈| DM for any FOOTBALL- related ADS/PROMO. 💸
0 Followers 1K FollowingMy husband was a big fan of investing in virtual assets. He left me a legacy, but I don’t know how to withdraw it. What should I do?【https://t.co/yzJyqI4RfS】
4 Followers 195 Following📚 Ready to improve your finances?
Join our free course and start learning from industry professionals.
Make smarter financial choices today!
👇👇
289 Followers 3K FollowingWelcome to Abraham_Sanz_Tay🔥☆ Twitter Page | feel free and keep doing you. | AbrahamSanzTay you can contact me on 0248387801 or by mail [email protected]...
10 Followers 217 Following"Web Designer | Photographer 📸 | Content Creator | Crafting digital experiences and capturing moments. Sharing insights and inspiration from the design.
20K Followers 73 FollowingFootball Coaching Specialists Since 2001 Providing Coaches with High Quality Coaching Info and Products: Books, eBooks, Software, Apps, Videos...
132K Followers 521 FollowingExploring how to live with character, purpose, and style in the modern world. Reflections on culture, etiquette, adventure, and timeless values.
320 Followers 39 Followingletter to grassroot footballers || know when to quit || know when to stay grinding || from the streets to the biggest stadiums || EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE
6K Followers 4K Following⚽Footballer @the_9thmare | ✝ | 🇳🇬🇪🇺 | a message for grassroot ballers @grassrootNIG || Red Devil 😈| DM for any FOOTBALL- related ADS/PROMO. 💸
73K Followers 356 FollowingDisclaimer: not related to seyi vibez, this is NOT him ..Billionaire in every currency 💴 Alhamdulillah || Parody || Fan Page || Commentary
2.0M Followers 120 FollowingThe original hub of all the latest #mufc news — including quotes, stats, live match coverage & more accurately. Email: [email protected]
42K Followers 807 FollowingHelping coaches read the game better and create joyful training environments that actually improves players and teams | UEFA A Licensed Coach
18K Followers 2K FollowingSYFA is the national governing body of youth football in Scotland. We are responsible for Everyday, Recreational, Grassroots football.
7K Followers 698 FollowingFollow the Scottish FA South West region for news, events, courses & developments in your area. We're here to help so ask away...
10K Followers 170 FollowingUnleash the Potential of Al and Web Development || Al & Web Dev Enthusiast ||✉️ DM or Mail: [email protected] For Paid Promotion.
80K Followers 2K FollowingHelping coaches and teams get better at soccer. Trusted and verified coaching sessions. Born in Manchester. Assisting coaches Worldwide!
3K Followers 31 FollowingWith the PSV Coaching Academy, we want to share our knowledge, inspire, and make you a better coach. On-site and online, wherever you are in the world!
538K Followers 0 FollowingChallenge you and your contemporaries. Share quotes, share stories, share book topics, share opinions, share love. Welcome to Words ! *original X*
11K Followers 198 FollowingAI Educator. Helping you to make money with Al, Tech Tools & Digital Skills |
DM for Collaboration ✨|HIGGS-8BNPN | [email protected] ✉️