Differential Learning (difference- differential…I feel like Sherlock Holmes), which is a training theory in part owed to FC Barcelona, Thomas Tuhel (PSG coach), and Jurgen Klopp’s success. If repetition is the mother of skill, differential learning is your college professor. Developed by Professor Wolfgang Schöllhorn from Mainz University, “differential learning” also contends that players do not learn by repetition, but by making adjustments to their technique to solve new problems. Part of the effectiveness of Differential Learning is that it simply makes things harder. Shooting the ball with your arms grasped behind your back will throw you off balance and require other muscles to function in new ways.
Video: Escape Pressure With This First Touch Technique
The best players in the world see where pressure is coming from and use their first touch to escape. This is a good soccer skill using timing and body feinting to create space from the defender. It works particularly well when a defender is closing you down as the ball arrives on a pass. I am not the smoothest with this technique, but I will keep practicing.