Ball Distribution Quotes

I think my game isn't very flashy, but the test of time for the position of quarterback is how fast can you get the ball out of your hands to the right guy? And I think I do that better than everyone else.

With Bayern, we want a lot of ball possession and to control the play, so I operate sometimes like the 11th outfield player. Thus I am included a lot into the build-up play and have a lot of touches of the ball.

If I were a player, I would like to be like Busquets.

If you do an outside spin with the ball, it's more difficult to control it, so I try to pass it in a way that allows them to take the ball quicker in their path. That way, they may have more of an advantage to score or create themselves.

For Argentina I'm a central midfielder. Always have been and always will be.

On a tactical level the defensive midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation is just about the most demanding position there is.

When you don't give the forwards the service, then it's difficult for them to score. Not everyone's a Gareth Bale.

When I get the ball, the players need to start running, and then I just feed them with the ball.

In my time at Milan, the club played with a 4-3-1-2 formation, and I was the player behind the two strikers. At Real, I play behind three. There is a greater defensive obligation, but I try to work around the area.

Maybe modern tactics mean that making the switch from defence to midfield is easier. Many years ago, full backs were more limited - you were just supposed to defend, and it didn't matter if you could get forward too.

Most of the time, you're just trying to be the point guard out there based on the play call and the defense that you're getting; that really dictates where the football goes.

I was shooting 45 times a game. What was I supposed to do? Pass it into Chris Mihm & Kwame Brown?

The massive thing that has changed for me was the game management aspect. I still get it wrong sometimes, we all do, when to attack and when to kick, how to control the game, speeding it up and slowing it down. Whereas I used to just go flat out, as hard as I can, get the ball out and get to the ruck as quick as possible.

I know if I'm playing centre-back, there are certain places where you don't give your full-back the ball - because I've been the full-back!

Sometimes in midfield, it's nice because you do get a little bit more of the ball, and maybe out wide you rely on people to get you the ball.

I played behind Phil Thompson and Alan Hansen, and they were both brilliant centre-halves.

Our offensive philosophy is to simply find a way to get the ball into the hands of our team's best player.

I have improved both feet for my passing game as well as in the vertical play into attack, whether that be low balls or longer balls.

While it's great for a quarterback to have athletic ability, his goal is to get the ball out of his hand, orchestrate the offense and not allow his ability to stand in the way of the offense running efficiently.

I haven't played a lot as a centre-back, but in those games, I feel like I did well.

I have had some bad shooting games but that doesn't stop me from getting the ball to my teammates

I've always wanted to shoot a good percentage for my team, because I'm the point guard, and I can take fewer shots, still score more, so that I can get my teammates feeling good about themselves. That was always my feeling - that if I shoot a high percentage, I don't have to shoot a ton.

To be a modern goalkeeper, I have to think offensively, to initiate our attacking moves safely and securely.

Whenever you play against Fred - we certainly did it - you let him get it because he has to take three or four touches. He doesn't know how to do one or two touches. Anyone that watches his game, he gets it facing the wrong way, turns, turns, chops, chops and he'll give you the ball three or four times a game.

As a wing back, when you get the ball wide, you usually don't have any help out wide. You have to be pretty good on your own out there.