With heavy speculation that Arne Slot will replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield next season, what better way to prepare for his potential arrival to the Premier League than dedicating a full MSC Breakdown to his training exercises. With the ultra aggressive style of play over the years, Klopp has built a reputation of high tempo sessions and it seems that Arne Slot has a very similar profile on the training ground. Although it's impossible to know everything about a coach by watching a selection of training sessions online, it is always interesting to do a little research and see what stands out. I ..read more

In this week's MSC Breakdown we look at an element of finishing that is often overlooked. Although statistical data would show that the majority of goals at the highest level are scored from a first-time finish, replicating that skill on the training pitch can be a little bit of a challenge. Sometimes traditional shooting drills fail to present the same type of quick-thinking required for an attacking player in a game. In this breakdown we look at a games-based approach to first time finishes where we also aim to add an element of variety to the type of finish.  If you would like more pos ..read more

In this week's MSC Breakdown, we take a look at ways to improve a holding midfielder in possession. Passing ability and composure are two aspects that most coaches would prioritize in this position, but in this breakdown we are looking for a little more. We want to focus on looking the contribution to creating goalscoring opportunities and the relationship with those attacking teammates. With this objective, we are going to focus on three exercises that can create realistic game-like situations, to teach body shape and receiving, progressive passes, and reading pressure. If you would like more ..read more

This week on the MSC Breakdown, we take a look at how to effective coach the fundamental defensive principles at youth level. Of course, pressure, cover and balance, are key for the players, but for coaches it's important to continually change the picture and teach these concepts in a variety of ways. We explain why in this week's video, as well as looking at specific exercises to communicate these basics. Our ideas extend from the warm up towards two types of competitive games that can potentially add a few more variables to the defensive side of the game.We also have a MSC resource available ..read more

Starting a training session with an element of energy and tempo is typically a priority for a coach. However, choosing specific exercises that introduce players to the topic, challenge their ability on the ball, and engage them in the process can sometimes be a challenge. This week on the MSC Breakdown, we look at three one-touch passing exercises that coaches can use to spark that tempo and speed on the ball. We also have a MSC resource available with 30 High-Tempo Passing Exercises. Click here to get your copy!!! Below is a YouTube breakdown detailing three exercises. If you enjoy this con ..read more

This week on the MSC Breakdown we take a look at a complex but highly valuable aspect of the game today: center forward movement. A forward with good movement can create more space, anticipate service, and open up more opportunities for their teammates. What makes this topic a complex one is the fact that it depends on a number of different variables: the type of forward you have, their strengths, forward relationships with attacking teammates, team tendencies, and coach philosophy. There is a lot to work through, but there are effective frameworks that you can introduce with your teams t ..read more

Coaches are invited to join us on Thursday, March 28th, as we take an exciting and in-depth look at the complex process of building a Game Model and creating a framework that can help coaches communicate effectively with their players and staff.  ,,Click here to reserve your place. We have discussed the aspect of game models many times on MSC Podcasts, but this will be the first event where we take an in-depth look into the process of building one to match and maximize your coaching philosophy and playing system. In addition, we will also look at important elements surrounding the model i ..read more

This week on the MSC Breakdown, we look at ways that coaches can incorporate position-specific training in their environment. These exercises can be used as warm-up exercise, post-training work, or even unit based training sessions. As game models evolve and develop, it's easy for individual practice time to drop, but there are solutions that can incorporate both. We have just released a new MSC Positional Training eBook (PowerPoint format) with over 30 exercises, all split into positional categories, the exercises in this presentation are easily adapted to offer players different picture ..read more

This week on the MSC Breakdown we have teamed up Veo as they launch the outstanding new Veo Cam 3. We were joined by Santiago Castillo, U13 and U14 academy coach at Lou City FC, who kindly shared his session plan on 'Exploiting space behind' and has recorded the session on the Veo Cam 3. . In the breakdown, Santiago discusses session design, aligning playing philosophy with exercises, coaching in flow, and the power of video review for both players and coaches. We are excited to team up with Veo for this video and highly recommend coaches take a look at the new Veo Cam 3.  Below are ..read more

This week on the MSC Breakdown, we look at attacking patterns with a tactical base. From a session design perspective, it feels that there has been a certain evolution with attacking patterns. Years ago, they used to be presented as simple crossing and finishing exercises but we have seen them evolve as tactics have become more prevalent in the game today. Coaches will always differ in their ‘final third philosophy’ with some opting for more freedom than others but in this week’s breakdown, we look at how you can implement movement, relationships, and even an element of decision making in your ..read more