Today’s blog is the second in a series in which we will explain various coaching styles and training sessions with inspiration from some of the Premier League’s top managers. This blog will explore the training methods of Thomas Tuchel and help understand how to implement his drills into your sides training sessions.

Pass and Move

The first drill below is designed to improve movement and link patterns of play on the pitch at high pace. The drill should be set up with 4 players likely to link up on the pitch to enhance their relationship and increase understanding on how players receive and deliver the Ball. The drill starts with a lay off from Player 1 into Player 2. Player 2 instantly plays it back before making a run to the next cone where Player 1 delivers the ball. Player 1 now darts out of the drill behind Player 4 . Player 2 now plays into Player 3 and follows the pass to position behind Player 3. On receiving the ball, Player 3 dribbles to the right and the drill restarts with Player 3 and 4 taking the roles of 1 and 2 for the second rotation.

5 + 3 Possession Drill

The object of this drill is to work on possesion in a tight space. There will be 2 teams of 5 with 3 floaters who can receive the ball from both sides. These players must attempt to return the ball to a player on the same team in which they received the ball from with only one touch. The aim of the drill is to achieve 10 consecutive passes to score a point. A fun twist is to add a forfeit for the losing team after the number of passes is achieved. A twist Tuchel uses is making players hold tennis balls to stop shirt pulling and encourage physicality in the drill. To increase difficulty, limit the space in which the drill is taking place in.

Reaction Time

This drill is effective for forward players to improve their reaction times. To set the drill up, position 2 goals at each end of the space and have have 2 players half way in between. On the whistle, players should turn while bouncing on their toes. When ready, the coach should shout either left, or right. It is then a race between the 2 players to reach the ball and score a goal. This drill is competitive and will help your forward players spring into action from deflections, rebounds, and balls in behind.

Understanding the System

If you’d like to learn more about how Tuchel’s system works check out our Coaching Masterclass all about the shape and intricaties of the system.