DE JONG DRIVE/BEATING THE PRESS

As a central defender, deep lying midfielder, or as a midfielder that likes to drop down and receive the ball at the front line of the opponent, you have different options for beating the first press. You can pass it through the middle, playing a long ball for a winger maybe or switching the ball for your fullback who then is able to break the first press. But enough about these kinds of options, this drill is about how you can beat the press by dribbling through it. The reason it’s called the “De Jong Drive” is because no one better to use as an example of this, is… you guessed it: Frenkie De Jong. De Jong is a master at using his vision, pace and technique to be able to do this. Another great example to use, is Moussa Dembele, and his in Tottenham, he did this countless of times, and with ease. Here is some quick examples:

(Video)

It’s not the easiest way of beating the press and it comes with a little bit more risk, but the reward is often also a lot higher, because it’s allowing you to beat first and often the second press too. It’s going to create more space and openings in the opposition’s structure, which allows you to make more dangerous passes or even keep dribbling if the space is right, and that is because it’s more unpredictable and also attracts more opposing players to the one carrying the ball, causing havoc. The way you are going to dribble is by keep using the momentum already built and, and by trying to glide off the defenders pressing. And the pass and the end of it is most likely going to end with a wide pass to your winger or full back. But a lot more education on this topic is available at How to beat the the first press video lesson and Frenkie De Jong player analysis.

So like shown in the video on top, how we are going to practice this, is by setting up the cones in a slalom kind of way, over a pretty long distance. At the start do a little shoulder drop with back turned to the cones, then dribble through, with as much speed as possible, and at the end set up a target or something you can aim a pass for.