Soccer Coach Weekly Issue 73

Every first issue of each month since February, we have brought you an exclusive column from Ben Bartlett, the author of the popular book Constraining Football.

Ben, pictured above during his 12 years at the FA, leads the integration of coach and player development at Premier League club Fulham and has now penned 10 linked articles for us.

The theme that binds them all is establishing a successful playing culture at your club, and continuing to accurately reflect it in the way you coach.

This month's contribution, spread over five pages, contains Ben's usual level of depth and thorough analysis, as he explores how data, when used correctly, can complement your coaching, and your club ethos.

He particularly focuses on Passes Per Defensive Action (PPDA), a metric which can indicate how highly teams value pressing, or conversely how passive they are.

As ever, context is important and Ben looks at when it is appropriate to incorporate such numbers when planning and which metrics are dangerous to focus on in isolation.

Scott Mowberry, from our friends at the Soccer Coaching Podcast, has been speaking to the former Luton Town foundation-phase lead Ross O'Kane, who passes on the benefit of his academy experience.

Plus we have a practice session based around possession of the ball and winning it back after losing it.