MSC Bonus Content This Week: Three Training Ground Ideas You Can Use
Another busy week of content at Modern Soccer Coach, with three excellent training ground exercises from RB Leipzig, Marcelo Bielsa and Chelsea. This week's bonus content covers three very different areas of the game: high-tempo attacking, aggressive individual defending and technical activation. What I love about these exercises is that they offer coaches practical ideas, but also an opportunity to look beyond the organization and understand the detail behind the coaching. Here is a quick breakdown of what we have added this week.
RB Leipzig – High-Tempo 3v2 Attacking Game
A brilliant attacking exercise from RB Leipzig that challenges players to make quick decisions, exploit numerical advantages and attack with speed. The 3v2 format creates constant opportunities for players to recognize when to pass, dribble or finish, while the tempo encourages decisive actions rather than slowing the game down. A great example of how a relatively simple exercise can create a demanding attacking environment.
Marcelo Bielsa – Aggressive Individual Defending
Defending while retreating can be one of the most difficult situations for a centre back. The attacker has forward momentum, while the defender is often moving backwards towards their own goal. This exercise from Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay training sessions focuses on how defenders can still be aggressive in these moments, with particular attention to footwork, timing and recognizing the cues to engage. Some excellent individual defensive detail that coaches can take straight onto the training ground.
Chelsea – Passing Activation Warm-Up
A look inside Chelsea's training ground with a passing activation exercise that brings technical work into the opening stages of a session. These types of exercises can sometimes be dismissed as simple passing routines, but there is real value in the detail: body shape, quality of passing, timing of movement and the speed at which players prepare for their next action. The challenge for coaches is making sure the exercise is more than just players going through the motions.
In Case You Missed It – Joel Hansson Interview
One of my favorite conversations recently was with Joel Hansson, Head of Physical Development for U8–U14 at Hammarby in Sweden. We explored why traditional warm-ups might actually be disengaging young players before the session has even started, and how clubs can approach physical development differently. From movement exploration and wrestling to speed development and creating more engaging environments, Joel offered some fascinating insights into how we can better prepare young players. A really thought-provoking conversation for anyone working in youth development.
If you're looking to take your coaching development even further, check out our range of Modern Soccer Coach online courses. From session planning and tactical analysis to player development and coaching methodology, our courses are designed to give coaches practical ideas, fresh perspectives and resources they can apply immediately on the training ground. Whether you're working at grassroots, academy or senior level, there's something to help you continue learning and improving. Explore our courses at modernsoccercoach.com.
