Coach James Essex

Midfielders, watch this. One bad half-turn at the World Cup led to a goal being conceited by South Africa against Mexico. Here are 4 ways to receive under pressure and protect the ball.

Most players only know ONE La Croqueta… 👀

Today we’re mastering Andrés Iniesta’s signature move in TWO different ways:

⚽ On the receive to escape pressure instantly.
⚽ On the dribble to beat defenders and drive forward.

Two skills for the price of one. If you can do both, you’ll be a nightmare to defend against 🔥

Phil Foden receiving on the half turn

Receiving on the half-turn isn’t just about technique — it’s about body position.

The lower you sit into your stance, the quicker you can receive, turn, and play forward. That small detail is what takes players out of the game.

Watch how the body shape creates more time and space to play forward.

Harry Kane shooting Practice: 4 touches ➡️ 2 shots ➡️ both feet

1-2-1 Match-based scenario ⚽️

Turn away from pressure. Drive into space. Commit the defender. Finish. ⚡️

First-touch Cruyff ➡️ positive drive ➡️ step over ➡️ end product.

Building confident 1v1 players who attack with purpose. 🔥⚽️

Outside chop on the move ⚽️💨 Sharp touch, quick feet, and gone before the defender reacts. Working on staying explosive in every 1v1 and making every movement count.

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Focusing on the inside chop, a very fundamental move for anyone who wants to become a top level dribbler 1v1

Mastering the art of jabbing before turning away, a great way to off Balance a defender with pressure from behind, players like Hazard and Messi use this effectively to turn away from pressure

Aerial ball control, focusing on trapping the ball into space | 1-2-1 Training session |

click the link above and subscribe to my Patreon for a full breakdown of Aerial ball.

What an unbelievable outside turned by Eze yesterday in the Champions league semi final, This is exactly why the skills we teach should always reflect real match situations—techniques that don’t just look good in practice, but are effective when it matters most