How much time and space does a soccer player have?13th February 2011

Football coaches are encouraged to teach the players techniques with the ball to maximise the chances of scoring a goal or preventing a goal.

It is vital that any player can control, pass, shot or save a football, though that is only part of the story, and during a match most of the time spent by the players will be playing without possession of the ball.

Therefore it is equally important to have a sense of position on the field and be aware of phases of play. 

During a 60 minute game, the ball will be out of play for about 20 minutes, meaning the ball will be in active possession no more than 40 minutes. With 22 players on the field, the average amount of time, during the whole match that a player will be in possession of the ball will be less than 2 minutes.  

This statistic can be changed up or down as a percentage of the length of the game, and the number of players, though the time the ball is in control by any single player will not dramatically change.  

In a 60 minute match each player will be moving in space without the ball for about 38 minutes. During this time each player will be going in or out of the play, following the phase of play, and being in the right position for each phase or marking an opponent.  

It is vital that a player shows specific skills when on the ball, and it is equally important that a player shows skills and awareness when not in possession of the ball. Given that each player spends less than 6% of the game in possession of the ball, it suggests the players would better understand the techniques and skills needed when they are in space.  

Each player should be aware of their position on the field in relation to where the ball is, and also have a sense of where their team mates are in relation to themselves.  

Having this level of awareness will enable the player to be in the right place at the right time, being in the right place for a team mate and also being in the correct position when an opponent has the ball and is in an attacking position.

In these circumstances each player needs to identify the threat and make a decision on how much threat the opponent being in that position is.  

Understanding the dangers posed be opposition players who do not have possession of the ball is not an easy thing to learn, and is something that is perfected through experience playing games.  

Knowing and being aware of where a player is in relation to his team mates when attacking can be honed in training, and can be perfected with repetitive passing and moving.  

In both cases it is important to work on awareness while in possession of the ball and without it.

 Further Reading:

• FA Young Player Development Recommendations

• FA The Future Game

• FA The Coaching Pathway