Hello and warm welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter! In this issue, the following topics take center stage:

How far apart do players actually need to be in possession – and what happens when those distances become too large?

Creating width and depth – it's one of the first things coaches teach their players when working on a possession-based game model. And fundamentally, it's right: a team that uses the pitch well forces the opposition to cover more ground, opens up space, and makes pressing expensive.

But this is precisely where a misunderstanding creeps in that you can observe on training pitches everywhere: width and depth get confused with maximum stretch. Players spread as wide as possible – and the opposite of what you're hoping for starts to happen. The ball takes longer to reach its target, the opposition's press becomes easier to coordinate, and a single turnover suddenly leaves dangerous gaps exposed.

The right distance between players is not a minor detail. It is a central quality marker of a well-organised team – and it has an impact on every phase of the game.

Take a concrete example: a back three within a 3-2-5 system. The team is building out from midfield, the opposition is set to press. What happens if the three centre-backs maximise the width of the pitch and position themselves as far apart as possible?

On the surface it looks promising: plenty of space, a wide structure, the opposition has large distances to cover. But the critical disadvantage shows itself the moment the ball is played. Every pass now needs to be sharper, more precise, hit with more pace. The ball spends longer in transit. And the longer a ball is travelling – whether in the air or along the ground – the more time the opposition has to organise their press, set cover shadows, and close down the next receiver before it arrives.

The principle in practice

In a 3-2-5, the left-sided and right-sided centre-backs ideally don't position themselves at maximum width – they hold a distance of roughly 10 metres between each other, sometimes a touch more, rarely significantly less. That sounds tight, but the logic is clear: the ball can be moved quickly and flat from side to side. Passing lanes are short, the ball travels faster, and the opposition can't find a consistent rhythm to press against. The width in this system isn't created by the back three – it's created by the front five, the wide forwards or wing-backs who genuinely stretch the pitch. The back three provide the foundation for quick ball circulation, not the width itself.

This principle doesn't only apply to the back three. It applies equally to the double pivot in front of them, to the connections between lines, and to every player in possession looking for a passing option. Too close is a problem – players get in each other's way, space between the lines goes unused, and the opposition can flood tight zones. But too far apart is also a problem – ball speed suffers, and with it the fluidity that possession-based football depends on.

The second aspect is at least as important – and often gets less attention in training. What happens to a team's defensive structure when the distances in possession were too large and the ball is lost?

Staying with the back three as our example: if the three centre-backs are positioned very wide, the moment possession is lost leaves large gaps between them. The space they need to cover – especially the central channel, the most dangerous area of the pitch – is suddenly unprotected. The distances to cover are too great, the reaction time too short. What looked like good use of space in possession becomes a structural liability the instant the ball changes hands.

Why the central channel is always the priority:

The central channel is the most direct route to goal. A team that can't close it quickly after losing possession is essentially inviting the opposition in. A back three that looked well-positioned in possession can, after a single bad touch, become an open corridor for a counter-attack – with three defenders too far apart from each other to protect the space that matters most.

This isn't a weakness inherent to the back-three system. It's a question of correct positioning within the system. Compact distances protect the central channel, allow for an immediate counter-press, shorten the distances in transition – and give the team a genuine chance of winning the ball back rather than being forced into a reactive defensive sprint.

What makes this topic so relevant is that it goes well beyond the moment on the ball. The distances between players are a consistent quality indicator that runs through every phase of the game – possession, transition after losing the ball, transition after winning it, and even the team's ability to press without the ball.

In possession, well-chosen compact distances enable quick ball circulation, clear passing options, and security under pressure. In the defensive transition, those same distances determine how quickly the central channel can be closed and whether a counter-press is even possible. In the press without the ball, compact organisation allows the team to press as a unit, keep spaces tight, and cut off options rather than chasing the game.

A team that manages its spacing well plays more fluidly in every phase. That's not a coincidence – it's the result of a clear structure and a shared understanding of what "creating the right space" actually means in practice.

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Alongside this issue's tactical content, there's a concrete platform update to share. The Training Planner module has received several new features over the past weeks – and the centrepiece is a direct connection to artificial intelligence.

Here's what's new and what it means for your day-to-day coaching.

With a monthly or annual subscription you get full access to both modules – the Session Planner and the Match Preparation Tool – at the same price. All new features included.

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