In his column for the Independent, former England coach Brian Ashton reveals the lessons he learned on a trip to watch Manchester City against Arsenal in the Premier League.
So what did I learn at the Etihad Stadium? In no particular order;
1) The control and accuracy of the players under intense and ever-changing pressure was immensely impressive – skills underpinned by intelligent movement from virtually everyone on the field when they were not in possession. The general willingness to seek out space and offer options was outstanding;
2) The pace at which all this took place is only truly discernible when watching live. Television does not come close to highlighting this quality;
3) The vision and communication skills common to the vast majority of the players ensured there was little in the way of hit-and-hope football: the long ball was sparingly used, and only when appropriate;
4) The way both sides dealt with transition play – the turnover, in rugby parlance – was highly instructive. Their capacity to be both reactive and proactive with their own and the opposition's changes of shape amounted to a coaching lesson.
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