Top Drawer Soccer Interview with Garrett Smith

In my vocab, high pressure is what we do when the other team has the ball: the player closest to the ball starts the defense by closing down that player in possession and the defense sets up from there. The alternative is more of a zone d where you drop back into your own half and let the other team do whatever they want with the ball until they cross half way or wherever you set the line.

Possession is an offensive strategy that favors keeping the ball and playing around the field - back and forward, left and right, with retaining the ball a priority and looking for the opening. Patience is a key to this approach; contrast is the quick striking "route one"game that often features the long ball forward for a big front player to knock down. Size is less important in the possession game.