Joe Campos

For high performance youth teams in a Positional Play game model, shortening the transition times is an important detail requiring consistent training and development of a pressing mentality valuing defensive work . Measuring the time to recover possession is one way to gauge progress. In this group stage match at National Cup XXIII, the teams are tied 1-1 with just minutes to go. A promising attack by my Valencia CF Academy M07 team stalls when a pass is made behind a teammate. 2 seconds after the pass, the opponent has possession. 1 second later, we regain possession. Time to recovery is 3 seconds. (That is very good!) 5 seconds later the game winning goal is scored. Total time elapsed from bad pass to goal is 8 seconds. Without the immediate, aggressive press, the goal is likely not scored. Develop a pressing mentality! ValenciaCFAcademy-Seattle Academia VCF 🦇