A typical set piece in soccer involves a pre-set play that is worked on the week before the match. Set-pieces are designed to exploit the opponent based on the prior tendencies observed in past games. The fact is that most set pieces are not adapted to real-time information in the moment. Let’s take a look at American Football, a sport where they adapt plays in real-time. The famous New England Patriots with Tom Brady were so effective on offense and defense with their use of in-game audibles. Audibles are the changing of the current play in real-time based on what the opponent was showing. Think about how many times teams set up to defend set-pieces and a vulnerability presents itself. Are your players trained to adapt instantly to exploit the vulnerability? Can you develop a system of audibles in real time that adapts to what the defense is affording? Exploiting space and time to create a quality scoring opportunity is always the objective and set-pieces are no different. Can you train players to perceive and share the same affordances in the moment in a coordinated effective way? Is there a system of communication that can be implemented that disguises intentions? The idea would be to hand over all the set-pieces to the players themselves in a real-time feedback look based upon the opponent’s set-up. At the very least this is an idea worth looking into.
Moving forward into next season I will be looking to transform my pre-game warm-up into a customized process for players to choose what they individually need and how much time they need in each station – each player is unique and needs something different, even if slightly different. Our set-pieces will be in real-time based upon the opponent. I want my players to take ownership of their decision-making because they are the ones who are playing the game, not me. I do not want them to rely on a coach to give them the answers from the sideline in training or games. Yes, I can help change player perception, attune their vision, and constrain to change perception which forces changes in action and increases tactical intelligence, encourages exploring of new solutions, builds technique, and builds overall soccer IQ. For 2024 my personal goal is to keep evolving while handing more and more of the development over to the players as I constantly question accepted methods of development.