Possession Football Quotes

The archetypal No. 10 is a skillful player who is more interested in being in possession than tracking to get the ball back.

There are a lot of teams that don't want to play, that only want to defend against Barcelona, and that makes it difficult. We're always looking for the open space. A lot of times we'll face six defenders and four midfielders.

It's in the DNA of River fans to prefer attractive and technical football with plenty of possession. I noticed that quickly, and I was made aware just how important that was to River fans, and so I tried to adapt with my characteristics and ability.

Liverpool are known for this 'rock and roll' football. I think I've adapted well to this even if, as a player, I like to hold onto the ball longer.

Guardiola has helped me so when I receive the ball, I have space.

I know that Spurs are a team who like to play offensive football.

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 you want to play dominant football, you need to get the ball, think fast, and play quick combinations in small spaces.

Barcelona have a unique approach to the game based on specific types of footballers playing together as one.

At Barcelona, it wasn't about winning all the time; it was first about how to win.

In England and Germany, perhaps, there is more of a focus on the physical side of the game, in breaking down the opposition's play, especially against the lower placed sides.

The football in Spain is more about skill and technique. Every team tries to play good football. The physical side, with plenty of running and hard tackling, plays more of a role in the Bundesliga.

When teams train now, it is about what they do with the ball and, if they lose it, how quickly they press to win it back.

I always tried to defend high up the pitch, to be in the opposition's half and play the game there.

You can't play man to man against Liverpool and out-pass them. You have to keep your shape and stop them.

When you play against a Spanish team, especially Madrid, it is quite an open game.

When I watch Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund side, I see a manager who is determined to play in his opponent's half, who is committed to attacking football, and, from the way he conducts himself on the touchline, is clearly an interesting, charismatic personality.

I like the idea of playing with a bit more tactical freedom, either in a deeper role or supporting the strikers more often.

The way Guardiola plays suits me. It enables me to get into space in attacking positions.

It's not so easy for us when we play teams who have a different mindset, like Chelsea or Inter Milan, because they have the intention of trying to stop us rather than playing a game that is more attractive for the spectators to enjoy.

It's a different playing style than at Monaco; there were two of us in midfield there, and here at Liverpool, there's three.

We know it's impossible sometimes to have good defending against Cristiano Ronaldo but we want to keep the ball, with good possession, as then he can do nothing in attack.

When you're at a club like Liverpool, it's always about what you can do with the ball.

If you look at Barcelona and the way they press high, or Bayern Munich, the way they press high... that's what makes them the best teams, because when they lose the ball, in the first three seconds, that's when they get the ball back, really, really high.

Arsenal's style of play is so smooth and easy and I hope I can adapt to their style quickly.