PUMA | Mikel Arteta presents "The Nature of Playing the Defence Splitting Pass' - Football News

 

PUMA continue their training video series helping footballers across the country get ready for pre-season with a selection of 'Nature of Performance' training tutorials from Premier League stars. After sessions from Michael Carrick, Adam Lallana and Steven Caulker, it's now Mikel Arteta's turn to demonstrate the nature of splitting defences with a through ball.

The first three videos saw Michael Carrick explain the Nature of the Midfield Engine Room, Adam Lallana the Nature of Running Into Space, and Steven Caulker the Nature of Defending the Danger Area. Arteta shows his eye for splitting the defence and putting the ball on a plate for his teammate. Not exactly ground breaking stuff but an important trait for midfielders nonetheless.
 

Mikel talks us through the move saying "As I open my body I'm aware of the position of all the players when I receive the ball, my first touch is forward and then I realise the run. I play the ball between the defenders - the killer ball."

Arteta averaged 77 passes per game last season with a 94% completion rate, that's 34 more than the average Premier League centre midfielder so the boy knows a thing or two about keeping the ball and now he's been practising his through balls he might just end up grabbing a few assists rather than that safe sideways pass!

 

 

What do you think of Arteta's training video? Check out all of PUMA's 'Nature of Performance' videos on their YouTube channel. Join the conversation online, on Twitter and on Facebook.