Ep 368: The MILLION DOLLAR Question – How to Solve Scoring Issues with Your Teams and Players

Breaking the Final Third Conundrum in Soccer

In this episode, we discuss one of the most common challenges possession-based coaches face: dominating possession but struggling to score goals.

We dive into various strategies to improve our finishing in the final third, including the importance of rehearsing attacking patterns, working on individual skills outside of team training, and the role of set pieces.

We also touch on issues such as the American soccer ecosystem, the value of talented strikers, and more.

00:00 Intro

04:53 On Losing Your Man

10:50 Sub: Spectators Should Stop Ball Watching

14:14 Has MLS Gotten Better?

16:42 Sub: Are MLS Teams Trying to Play Possession?

19:06 Sub: External Non-Soccer Influences in MLS Impacting Play

21:22 The Role of Attacking Patterns

25:09 Sub: On Working Outside the Team Training Environment

27:04 Sub: How to Train Finishing Outside the Team Environment

30:34 What to do If You as a Coach Don’t have That Special Goal Scorer?

34:46 Sub: Reduced Space in the Final Third

37:59 How to Train the Central Mids in Transition

41:19 The Importance of Watching Games together with Your Coach

43:52 The Most Effective Activity and Advice for Finishing

47:54 On Set Pieces

50:45 On Heading the Ball

54:29 On the Strikers Having/Needing the Hunger and Mentality

01:00:42 Who is the GOAT 9 in Global Football

01:04:01 How Does Pro/Rel Apply in this Episode’s Context?

01:06:17 Sub: The 2025 LA Galaxy as an Example

01:08:22 Sub: On MLS Parity

01:12:33 Sub: Football is Not About Winning a Trophy

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