Possession football drills

Use the false-nine drop to create and exploit space. Drop off to receive and drag the marker out, then slip a runner into the space behind before the defence adjusts.

Keep the shape and find the free man. Occupy your zone, give a passing angle on the half-turn, and progress the ball line by line as the press commits and frees a teammate.

Play out with a dropping pivot. Drop the holding midfielder between the centre-backs to make a spare man, feed him, receive on the half-turn, and progress past the press.

Break down a low block. Probe and recirculate to shift a compact defence to one side, then switch quickly to the free man on the far side to penetrate and finish before they recover.

Keep possession and score through the free gate. Scan for the open gate, switch the play away from pressure, and drive through the gate the defenders have left open.

Keep possession with a two-neutral overload. Support the ball at good angles, use the neutrals to beat the press, and switch the play to the free side to keep the ball.

Keep possession to find and use a free target player, then switch. Circulate to move the defenders, play into the open target on one side, and switch quickly to the target on the other.

Manipulate the defence with an overload, then switch to isolate a free attacker. Combine to draw the defenders, recognise the moment they commit, and switch quickly to the player left 1v1 in space.

Progress the ball cleanly from the back to the final third. Build with a pass into feet, receive on the half turn to progress, and penetrate the last line with a well-timed forward pass.

Beat a press by playing through it, not around it. Get the shape right first, centre-backs split, pivot dropping to form a diamond with the keeper, then draw the press and play the pass that removes the presser from the game.

Hold the ball up under pressure and link the play. Get side-on with your back to the defender, keep the ball on the far side, feel the defender with your arm, and lay it off to support at the right moment.

Move the ball from one flank to the other faster than the defence can slide across. Build a strong side to draw them over, use the pivot as the anchor, and switch with an accurate driven diagonal to the free player in space.