Roberto López del Campo’s Post

“Do players really slow down in the second half — or are we measuring the wrong thing?” ⚽️🔍 Coaches often blame late-game dips on fatigue. Analysts point to falling totals. But two peer-reviewed investigations, combined into one applied study by the 👉 Football Intelligence & Performance Department at LALIGA, tell a sharper story: 📊 The scoreboard redistributes work by position. ⏱️ The way we time the game (total vs. ball-in-play) can create illusions. What we tested 🔹 Belief 1: Second-half performance always drops. 🔹 Belief 2: Running output is stable regardless of the scoreline. Key insights 1️⃣ Match status redistributes work • Losing: defenders increase medium/high-intensity running and sprints. • Winning: attackers (especially wide roles) run more at high speed. • Central midfielders remain stable. 2️⃣ Second-half “drop” depends on the denominator • Using ball-in-play time, high-speed running and sprints per minute are largely stable. • The late-game decline appears when dividing by total time, inflated by stoppages. • Exception: centre forwards show a real second-half reduction — manage carefully. 3️⃣ Context sharpens interpretation • Effective time decreases late in games, inflating false “drops.” • Home matches often carry higher high-speed demands, while stronger opponents raise intensity. Practical applications 🔧 Reporting: Pair totals with ball-in-play metrics. Always tag by scoreline and venue. 🏋️ Training: • Forwards → repeated sprints after min 60. • Defenders when losing → high-line chase mode, recovery runs. • Wide players → cruise-then-burst patterns. • Central roles → compact-to-press transitions. 🧠 Substitutions: Build status-aware thresholds, especially for strikers. Why it matters The denominator you choose changes decisions on substitutions, training, and feedback. Treat the pitch as a living lab: test beliefs, then act with clarity. 🔬⚽️ Research origin • Do elite soccer players cover longer distance when losing? Differences between attackers and defenders. DOI: https://lnkd.in/d3wjzWRh • Elite soccer players do not cover less distance in the second half of the matches when game interruptions are considered. DOI: https://lnkd.in/dAMYWy3t 👉 Final question: If we all start reporting second-half performance using ball-in-play minutes and tagging match status… which “truth” at your club would change first — conditioning plans, substitution timing, or tactical evaluation? 🤔 🎧 Podcast: https://lnkd.in/d3H7Hjdb 🔗 Web: https://lnkd.in/d-JAs7hB #FootballScience #PerformanceAnalysis #EffectivePlayingTime #MatchStatus #HighSpeedRunning #SprintPerformance #SportsAnalytics #FootballCoaching #EvidenceBasedCoaching #LALIGA #FootballIntelligence

“LALIGA’s tactical evolution: higher regains, longer sequences, tighter shapes, smarter finishes.” 🔍 Over several seasons, Football Intelligence & Performance Department at LALIGA treated nine longitudinal studies as a single investigation to test stubborn assumptions in professional football. Do more crosses really help? Does one “right” formation exist? Is faster progression always more dangerous? Instead of arguing in the abstract, we followed the evidence across thousands of matches and asked a harder question: which habits consistently separate stronger teams once the game evolves? 💡 What the data says (integrated view) 🔹 Possession has become more associative: more passes and slightly longer sequences, with lower direct speed before the final thrust. 🔹 Start location matters: top teams recover and begin higher, and they protect the first pass after regains to stabilise attacks. 🔹 Compactness is a habit, not a plan-on-paper: shorter team length and a more advanced goalkeeper line compress opponent space while keeping build-up stable. 🔹 Principles travel across shapes: formation diversity increased; identity is built by repeatable ideas that survive system changes. 🔹 Offensive length beats raw width: stronger sides pin the last line and arrive to finish—often through third-man actions and cut-backs—rather than relying on early, hopeful deliveries. 🔹 A quiet tell of stress: corners conceded correlate with weaker status; fix the origins (late blocks, panicked clearances, poor exits), not only the set piece itself. 🔹 First vs second tier: LaLiga EA Sports shows tighter spacing and more association than the second division; newly promoted teams adapt fastest by compressing vertical distances and stabilising earlier. 🛠️ What to do on Monday 1️⃣ Move the average start of your possessions five metres higher and make the first pass after regain non-negotiable. 2️⃣ Build sequences that stabilise before speed—reward third-man actions, underlaps and cut-backs. 3️⃣ Coach team-length bands and the GK line as part of build-up and rest defence. 4️⃣ Replace “more crosses” with repeatable arrival routes that reflect how goals are actually created today. 📌 Why this matters Across elite football, passing frequency and accuracy trend upward while direct progression trends downward. Our LALIGA work refines that picture: where possessions start, how long they last, and how tight the structure stays are the levers that now decide status. The attached image summarises these insights as a Decalogue for quick reference. 🎧 Podcast: https://lnkd.in/dYy2arH3 🔗 Access to the 9 longitudinal studies : https://lnkd.in/d-daBCnE

🇬🇧 🔹 From Chapman to Guardiola: when a coach changes football The history of football has been shaped by coaches who went beyond the role of simple tacticians, becoming visionaries capable of rewriting the game 🏛️⚽. 👔 Herbert Chapman In the 1930s, he marked a historical turning point. With the WM system, he introduced a new tactical arrangement that balanced defense and attack. But his impact went beyond the pitch: shirt numbering 🔢 modernization of club facilities🏟️ a more managerial conception of the coach’s role. Chapman was among the first to realize that a coach should also guide the cultural and organizational evolution of a club. 🇳🇱 Rinus Michels In the 1970s, he ushered football into a total revolution. Through his “total football”, he made roles fluid 🔄 and interchangeable, turning rigid systems into dynamic principles: collective pressing constant mobility centrality of play off the ball. Michels redefined the very idea of a team: no longer a sum of individuals, but a living organism in continuous transformation. 🇮🇹 Arrigo Sacchi In the 1980s, his Milan introduced a new dimension of pressing and synchronization. Sacchi broke with the dogma of individual talent: “You don’t need eleven stars, but eleven men who know how to move together.” Compact lines, a high defensive block, and organized aggression 🔺: principles that inspired generations of coaches. His contribution was also cultural: football as a scientific discipline, based on method and systematic study. 🇪🇸 Pep Guardiola Today, he represents both synthesis and innovation. He inherited the legacy of Cruyff and Michels, integrating it with the new resources of modern football: data analysis 📊 digital technologies 💻 holistic approach to team management 🌍 From “tiki-taka” to “position play”, Guardiola has shown how a coach can adapt historical models while at the same time anticipating future trends 🔮. 📚 From Chapman’s managerial spirit to Michels’ collective vision, from Sacchi’s tactical science to Guardiola’s innovative research, the common thread is clear: the coaches who changed football were forerunners of the future, able to interpret their historical context and transform it into a new identity of play. Through them, football is not only a sport: it is history, culture, and vision.

In the modern era of football, tactical philosophies have done more than influence match strategy. Tiki-taka and gegenpressing have reshaped the way players grow, train, and understand the game. Tiki-taka is characterized by short, quick passing, positional rotation, and a supreme emphasis on possession. Born from the legacy of Johan Cruyff’s ideas, and refined under Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona and the Spanish national team between 2008 and 2012, it became the benchmark for control and elegance in modern football. In this system, every player — even defenders — must be comfortable with the ball, able to make clever passes, understand spatial geometry, and move fluidly off the ball to create passing angles. The notion is that by controlling the ball, you control the game; a team that holds possession denies opportunities to the opponent. From a growth perspective, tiki-taka forces a player’s technical and cognitive development: 1) Technical precision: Players must master first touch, short passing, quick combinations, and instant decision-making, even under pressure. 2) Tactical intelligence: Understanding when to rotate, which gaps to exploit, and how to maintain positional structure is vital. 3) Adaptability: Players learn to interpret space, find windows for progressive passes However, tiki-taka is not without its criticisms. Some argue that focusing too much on possession can reduce vertical threat or leave a team vulnerable to quick counterattacks. Moreover, as Pep Guardiola himself once complained, passing for its own sake is meaningless; the passes must have intention and purpose. In contrast with the possession-centric world of tiki-taka, gegenpressing (or counter-pressing) operates on aggression, intensity, and reclaiming initiative the moment possession is lost. It advocates for high pressure, short bursts of coordinated collective movement, and rapid transitional play. Pioneered by coaches such as Jürgen Klopp and influenced by German coaching philosophies, gegenpressing embodies a proactive defense: win the ball back as close to the opponent’s goal as possible, then attack. It punishes opponents for errors, stifles their buildup, and exploits turnovers immediately. From the development view, implementing gegenpressing in training changes what coaches emphasize: 1) Physical attributes: High stamina, acceleration, strength, and recovery speed become more essential than ever. 2) Mental sharpness: Players must instantly react to turnover, shift roles, and reorganize. 3) Team coordination: Pressing requires synchronicity — triggers, zones, traps — all executed collectively. Gegenpressing doesn’t reject possession; rather, it aims to make possession dangerous by combining disruption with quick attacking transitions. The evolution from a singular tiki-taka dominance to a more flexible, pressing-aware pedigree mirrors the broader trend in football: tactical pluralism.

In modern football, the ability to adapt across different tactical systems has become a core requirement for young players. Unlike in the past, when clubs often followed a single philosophy from academy to first team, today’s game demands flexibility. Managers switch formations based on opponents, competitions, or even individual match phases, and clubs want players who can perform at a high level regardless of the tactical framework. From Philosophy to Practice Each academy begins by instilling a clear identity—whether that’s Barcelona’s positional play, Ajax’s emphasis on fluid attacking football, or RB Leipzig’s vertical transitions. Yet, the best academies also recognize that players will not spend their careers in one club or under one system. For that reason, they expose youngsters to a variety of tactical contexts. A player might train in possession-oriented exercises one week, and pressing-focused drills the next. The idea is to build a broad footballing education, not just a narrow specialization. Developing Tactical Intelligence Training methods go beyond technical mastery. Coaches now use video analysis, tactical boards, and data-based feedback even with U-15 and U-17 squads. Players learn to recognize pressing triggers, spacing principles, and transitional moments. For example, German academies—such as Borussia Dortmund’s—often teach players to anticipate counter-pressing situations immediately after losing the ball, a hallmark of the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, academies in Italy, like Atalanta’s, emphasize tactical discipline in defensive phases, preparing players for systems that require compactness and shape retention. Examples of Adaptability in Action Some of the brightest young players in recent years illustrate this flexibility. Pedri at Barcelona can operate in both possession-heavy systems and more direct attacking setups with Spain. Jude Bellingham, developed in England and polished at Borussia Dortmund, adapted seamlessly to Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, thriving in both a midfield three and an advanced attacking role. These examples highlight how modern training prepares players not for one role, but for multiple tactical demands. A youth player capable of understanding and adapting to multiple systems becomes invaluable at senior level. In competitive leagues, clubs often alternate between a back four and a back three, or shift between high pressing and mid-block defending within the same game. Versatility ensures that young players don’t become system-dependent but instead can thrive under different managers and environments. The new generation is trained to think, read the game, and adapt instantly. This holistic preparation equips them for the fluid and unpredictable nature of modern football, making them not just athletes, but complete professionals capable of succeeding under any philosophy of play.

The Next Ball Mindset: Winning Beyond Failure! In cricket, failure is part of the game. A batter gets out, a bowler is hit for six, or a team loses a final. What separates champions from the rest is not their ability to avoid mistakes, but how quickly they reset for the next ball, the next over, or the next match. Business is no different. We all face missed targets, lost clients, or failed product launches. The danger isn’t the failure itself — it’s letting one poor result spill into the next, creating a cycle of self-doubt and hesitation. Why We Get Stuck? In both sport and business, the human tendency is to carry baggage. A missed shot lingers in the mind, just as a lost deal lingers in the boardroom. This mental load clouds judgment, limits creativity, and reduces confidence. Over time, it can create a culture of fear where people play safe instead of aiming high. The Reset Formula Just as athletes train to move on quickly, leaders and teams can apply a simple reset: 🔹Acknowledge the miss – Call it as it is. (“We missed the quarter’s sales by 15%.”) 🔹Narrow the focus – Pick one or two controllable levers to adjust. (“Our onboarding flow needs simplification.”) 🔹Return to basics – In sport, it’s watching the ball; in business, it’s listening to the customer. 🔹Debrief without blame – Separate fact from identity. Learn, but don’t label the team as “failures.” 🔹Shift perspective – Treat every failure as data. The next ball, the next client, the next quarter is still unwritten. Why It Matters In sport, one ball doesn’t decide a career. In business, one quarter doesn’t define a company. What matters is resilience, the ability to reset, refocus, and play the “next ball” with full intent. The Winning Edge! The best athletes don’t avoid failure; they master recovery. For leaders and teams, the real competitive advantage lies in doing the same, acknowledging the stumble, learning fast, and stepping up with a clear head for the next opportunity. That’s how both great sportsmen and great businesses win, not by never falling, but by always getting unstuck. #NextBallMindset #PlayTheNextBall #WinningEdge #ResetAndRise

Transforming Football Through Tactical Intelligence and Player Development – The FK Method At the heart of modern football lies one principle: control. Control of the ball. Control of the spaces. Control of the game. Frans Kos has dedicated his career to developing a methodology that goes far beyond drills and exercises. The FK Method is a modernized approach to positional play – a framework inspired by the philosophy of Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola, adapted into a practical, trainable system for today’s football. From grassroots to professional academies, and from the Netherlands to international stages, the FK Method brings structure, intelligence, and dominance into every training session. It is not just about creating better players – it is about shaping smarter footballers who understand why they make each decision on the pitch. ⚡ The FK Method – Core Principles: European Tactical Expertise – Delivering a proven positional play framework used at the highest levels. Winning Through Dominance – Structured build-up, vertical acceleration, and calculated overloads in every zone. Creative Zone Access – Connecting intelligent, creative players to break defensive structures. Dynamic Development – Adaptive training to outsmart opponents while building confidence and composure. Elite Player Pathways – Preparing U19/U21 players for the transition into professional first-team football. 📈 Why the FK Method Stands Out: Where many academies focus on intensity or physicality, the FK Method prioritizes intelligence. Players are constantly challenged to ask the “why” question: Why this pass? Why this movement? Why this decision? By teaching players to think in principles rather than fixed patterns, the FK Method creates adaptability, awareness, and ultimately: winners. 🌍 International Vision: The FK Method is designed to adapt to any environment. In MLS, it provides a European tactical edge to young American players hungry for structure and clarity. In the Gulf Region (Dubai, Saudi, Qatar), it merges European expertise with cultural adaptability, ensuring players grow within their own identity while meeting international standards. 👤 About Frans Kos: Frans Kos is a tactical visionary with a proven track record in Dutch football. Having coached at clubs like Sparta Rotterdam, SC Feyenoord, Westlandia and Quick, he brings championship-winning experience at youth level and positional play expertise at U19 and U21. His work is deeply influenced by the legacy of Cruyff and Guardiola, but uniquely evolved into a trainable system for the modern era. “Ballpossesion. ballpossesion … and o yes ballpossesion.” – Frans Kos 📞 Get in Touch: The FK Method is available for clubs, academies, and federations seeking a complete transformation in youth development and tactical excellence. 🌐 franskosphilosophy.com 📩 fkos@franskosphilosophy.com 📞 +31 6 4323 4957

In High Performance Sport, great teams lose! I know that sounds pretty obvious but it’s especially important to recognise when you have broad, deep, and robust mental frameworks in place. Let me explain further… I spend my life working with individual players, coaches, teams, and organisations to build and incorporate these broad, deep, and robust mental frameworks into their day-to-day engagement, development, and performance. And I’m pretty out-spoken and vociferous about the importance of these frameworks - I believe every player, every coach (and coaching staff), every team, and every organisation needs these frameworks for consistent high performance under pressure. I think mental frameworks better help people engage, develop, and compete. I think they help people high perform and win more often. But perhaps the biggest advantage of having broad, deep and robust mental frameworks in place in High Performance Sport is to sense-make losses… …is to help us reflect on and think about losses…and then plan ahead appropriately. Players with mental frameworks for their game will never play great all the time. Teams with strong and dynamic mental frameworks will never win all the time. Organisations with systemic mental frameworks will never claim every title and every championship. What they do is give themselves their best chance to high perform and win. And just as pertinently, they give themselves their best chance to brainstorm low performance, loss and failure. That’s why every player, coach, team, and sporting organisation needs the broadest, deepest, most robust mental frameworks in place for engagement, development, and performance…

Inside Mikel Arteta’s Playbook: What Elite Coaches Borrow from Fighter Pilots, Pickpockets & War Rooms Most football managers give the same team talk: “Work hard. Stay focused. Execute the plan.” Mikel Arteta hired professional pickpockets to steal from his players during dinner. Here’s why Arsenal’s manager is rewriting the rules on leadership, attention, and performance under pressure—and what it means for anyone building high-stakes teams. The Latest: Bringing RAF Fighter Pilots Into the Dressing Room. At the Lead Better, Live Better Summit 2025 in London (alongside NBA coach Steve Kerr), Arteta revealed his next move: partnering with Royal Air Force fighter pilots to audit Arsenal’s communication systems. The goal? Strip every instruction down to one-word clarity—the kind that prevents catastrophic errors at 30,000 feet, now applied to the chaos of a Premier League counter-attack. In Arteta’s words: “In life-or-death contexts, there’s no room for ambiguity. We need that same precision when we’re pressing at Anfield.” The insight: When stakes are highest, cognitive load is your enemy. Simplicity isn’t dumbing down—it’s survival. The Pickpocket Dinner: A Masterclass in Awareness. 2024 preseason. Team dinner. Casual atmosphere. Then Arteta stood up. “Check your pockets.” Phones, wallets, watches—gone. He’d hired professional pickpockets to work the room while players ate. The lesson wasn’t about theft. It was about situational awareness. In football, switch off for three seconds and you lose a goal. In business, it’s a client, a market shift, or a competitive edge. The Athletic confirmed every detail. Players were stunned. The message became muscle memory. The insight: Experiential learning beats PowerPoint. Want behavioral change? Create an unforgettable moment. Training at 120 Decibels: Context Over Content Before a crucial match at Liverpool’s Anfield stadium—one of football’s most intimidating environments—Arteta didn’t just drill tactics. He turned Arsenal’s training ground into a Liverpool simulator. Speakers blasted “You’ll Never Walk Alone” at full volume. Crowd roars. Hostile chants. The chaos of 60,000 fans screaming against you. Why? Because you can’t prepare for pressure in a quiet room. You have to rehearse inside the storm. Captured in Amazon’s All or Nothing: Arsenal, the scene demonstrated a core principle: transfer-ready preparation. If your practice environment doesn’t mirror performance reality, you’re underprepared. The insight: Great teams don’t rise to the occasion—they fall to the level of their training. Make training harder than the real thing. The Power of Props: How Metaphors Hard-Wire Memory Arteta uses physical objects and visual metaphors to encode complex ideas into instant recall: