VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC had their first training session under new head coach Marc Dos Santos Tuesday on a wet and chilly morning at the WFC National Soccer Development Centre. And in the span of just under 90 minutes, a new high-tempo style of play already started to emerge.
“You can tell he has a clear plan,” striker Theo Bair said of his first impressions of Dos Santos.
One important aspect of that plan is how to play without the ball – and how to win it back as quickly as possible. The vast majority of Tuesday's session revolved around defensive organization and defensive behaviours in the attacking third, with the goal of winning possession high up the field by applying pressure on the opposing back line and goalkeeper.