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More excellent insights from day one of Roberto De Zerbi at Tottenham Hotspur.
Following a two touch rondo, De Zerbi progressed into a small sided game where touch restrictions were removed. He addressed the players and spoke about how the modern Premier League has evolved, with a clear shift towards man to man pressing across the pitch.
He highlighted the importance of midfielders who can control and retain possession under pressure, whether that is one touch, two touch, or taking additional touches when required. The emphasis was on being comfortable in those moments, which would then allow teammates around them the time to adjust their positioning and move away from their pressure.
He also stressed the need to recognize and exploit areas of the pitch where there is a clear individual advantage in duels. In simple terms, midfielders must be capable and comfortable playing vs pressure while also identifying where the team can gain an edge in one against one situations especially in wide areas or up front. This ability to manage pressure and find the right spaces/passes is key against man to man systems.
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