“The 5 P’s” is a handy acronym often used in the British military, designed to help you remember a key idea:

Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

This serves as a reminder to players that training isn’t just about the here and now—it’s about preparing for something bigger. It also keeps everyone aware that there’s always more to focus on as we train.

In addition to the core 5 P’s, we can consider five other P’s that are directly related to how our team plays football:

Passing, Possession, Position, Pace, Pressure.

Let’s break them down:

1. Passing

The ball always moves faster than any player. The team that passes quickly and accurately will almost always have the upper hand. Since football is played with our feet, ground passes are the easiest for teammates to control. With defenders constantly closing down space, the most successful pass is typically about 10 yards (9.144 meters).

This is a distance that, with practice, every player should be able to complete successfully 100% of the time. That’s why I emphasize short, quick passes to keep the ball moving and maintain control. Being confident to be able to pass and receive is incredibly important.

2. Possession

The ball is your most valuable asset. With it, you can win the game; without it, you can’t. When we have possession, it’s crucial to use the ball wisely—make decisions that are in our favor, and don’t panic. Keep possession when needed, and be ready to move quickly when an opportunity to attack presents itself. We should never give up possession of the ball cheaply. We can do this by understanding the attacking principles of play. 

If we do lose the ball, we must act quickly to get it back, showing both focus and determination.

3. Position

Based on our formation, what phase of play we are in (ie: do we have the ball or not) and where we are on the field in relation to our teammates, the ball and the opposition. When we have the ball, positioning is all about creating angles and opportunities for the teammate with possession. It could mean moving to a position to receive a pass or moving to draw a defender away to open up space for others. Again, all based around the attacking principles of play.

When the opponent has the ball, a player’s job may be to press an opponent, or to fill space in ways related to our team’s formation or our collective team philosophy at any given time. Again, this is often based around the principles of play, but often players can have specific instructions, while other players may need to adapt to what is happening in the moment. Communication is key here—players should talk to one another to ensure everyone knows where they need to be.

4. Pace

Pace isn’t just about speed—it’s about timing. A pass should be delivered at the right moment, just as the receiving player arrives. It also applies to how our team reacts as a whole. For example, if the opponents have everyone packed into the final third (near  their own goal), we may not want to rush. Instead, slow down, pull them out of their defensive shape, and strike with pace when the moment is right.

Want to see this in action? Watch how Brazil plays Argentina in this futsal match. Brazil holds possession while Argentina defends efficiently. When an Argentine defender breaks rank, Brazil seizes the opportunity to attack swiftly.

5. Pressure

Pressure is created when there are more players in a smaller area of the pitch. You can easily demonstrate this during a training session, by reducing the size of the area that you play in. Less space means a higher concentration of players in the space, increased pace of passing and movement of players to maintain possession. 

The application of pressure is predominantly the requirement of the defending team, or the team without the ball. Pressure can be applied to try and win the ball back, and more often is created in areas of the pitch that would provide the opponent a high chance opportunity for scoring or creating a goal (such as in Zone 14!).

When we lose the ball, we often immediately press to regain control of the ball, by reducing the opposition’s time and space to make decisions and ultimately force errors that transfer possession of the ball back to us.

When we have the ball, we might be seen as putting pressure on an opponent by following our attacking principles and moving the ball into their half and closer to their goal. This forces our opponents to defend/compress nearer the ball (which creates the pressure). We try to make them do this in areas of the field that ultimately creates more space (reduces pressure) in the other areas of the field that we actually want to attack, like those in front of the goal (zone 14).  If the opposition does a good job of applying pressure on us that might cause us to lose the ball, we can release the pressure by playing the ball back into our half — where having more space and time allows us to regroup and keep possession.  (Again, you can see this in the Brazil v Argentina futsal video)

All these principles reflect conversations I had with Michel Bruyninckx, the Academy Director at Royal Standard Liège Football Club, whose insights helped shape my approach.

Michel uses the acronym MAT to guide his players: Movement, Angles, Timing. These ideas align with the 5 P’s but specifically focus on attacking play. Michel encourages players to move the ball with their first touch, which changes the angles on the field and forces the opposition to react. This allows us to dictate the flow of the game.

Michel also shared a simple but powerful insight that will change how I coach 1v1 situations:

In a 1v1, you dribble to attack space, not just to “take someone on.”

The key point is that when you’re in a 1v1, moving forces your opponent to move, which opens up new spaces to exploit—either by passing or dribbling. It’s not about flashy moves; it’s about controlling space and time.

Football isn’t just a series of individual battles—it’s a game of evolving space and moments. Understanding this makes all the difference in how we play.