How To Coach Attacking Wingers Like Lamine Yamal & Bukayo Saka – Tactical Theory

As we have seen with many of Europes top teams this season, attacking wingers can often be the difference-makers in close matches. 

With many teams defending deep, inside their own defensive third, and crowding out the central areas, having a player who can go by a full-back and take defenders out of the game is almost an essential weapon. 

This tactical analysis will provide examples of how coaches can develop their wingers attacking attributes on the training ground.

This includes developing their individual skills and techniques, as well as involving their wide playmakers in combination play.

The practices are designed to develop key individual skills required by top-level attacking wingers, previously analysed in this tactical theory on wingers. 

The movements and traits of high-level players, such as Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, and Belgian international Malick Fofana, were analysed. 

This analysis examines the individual characteristics of Arsenals Bukayo Saka and Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey, as well as how Celtic’s Brendan Rodgers utilises his wingers to combine centrally. 

Listen to this article free on the Total Football Analysis Podcast via Spotify, Apple Podcast, or RSS.

Coaching Saka Stop-Starts 

The above practice is designed to work on wingers one-on-one abilities against a recovering defender arriving from a central area. 

Specifically, the technique involved in controlling a drilled pass and being able to ‘freeze’ an opponent before dribbling beyond them and delivering a cross into the box.