Decoding Dribbling Dynamics: Unveiling 5 Patterns of Ball Reception and Scanning in the Final Third by Karl Marius Aksum (Patreon)

Jacob Hanstad, perhaps the best scanner I ever coached, informed me that there seems to be a pattern on which the best dribbling players receive the ball and scan, especially in the last third of the pitch. There are 10 distinct ways players do this. 

Here are 5 with examples:

1) You are pressed very closely - You perform the 1st touch away from the pressing player. Note: If the press is overly aggressive: accelerate to the side or beyond the pressing players.

2) You are pressed very closely - You perform the 1st touch away from the pressing player to draw him with you, and then perform a wall pass (1-2), most often with a wider positioned player.

3) Press from behind (without a possibility to turn) - You stop the ball completely and lure the pressing player in. You follow this with an acceleration to the side (Hazard).

4) You believe that you have the space to turn forward (based on previous scans), but do not have the time to perform the last scan - You stop the ball completely and turn either sideways or fully to see if it is space to turn. This is often followed by a short touch forward at the exact moment you realize you have space (Messi). Note: The short 1st touch allow you to change the plan immediately if there was no space to turn (inhibition).

5) You are getting pressed, but based on your last scan you see that it is time to turn forwards - If the opponent continues his press, you dribble past him. The best players in the world are extreme at turning forwards every time they get in order to gain the advantage (Messi). The best defenders will not commit in these situations for fear of getting dribbled past.