Spain midfielder Pedri discusses how he sees pictures on the pitch
Capped 43 times he has a key role with La Roja
"The idea is to build a mental picture of where everyone is on the pitch. You’re always looking around to stay aware of where your team-mates and opponents are and how much time you have so you can plot your next move. Once you receive the ball, you can always improvise if the situation changes but at least you already have an option up your sleeve.”
Those are the words of Spain midfielder Pedri, explaining to FIFA the process of seeing pictures on a football pitch. They are words worth listening to given the exceptional peripheral awareness of this 23-year-old which enables him to keep tabs on everything going on around him before making his next decision. And such is his footballing intelligence that he is regularly able to control the tempo of a match – a rare talent which, he admits, invites comparisons with former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi. Pedri favours operating in a deep-lying position, with play unfolding in front of him, so he has the chance to read the game and react accordingly, though Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has deployed the young Canary Islander in both roles at different times. “That makes things easier," he says of the deeper role. "When you’re playing between the lines as a No10, it’s more difficult because you often have your back to the game. I find it much simpler to operate as a No8 because I’m always scanning and I can see everything playing out in front of me."
By his admission, he says little on the field, instead absorbing and processing the action around him. “I’m not much of a talker. Some players are more vocal, especially the centre-backs. They’ll warn you if someone is closing you down or tell you when you’re free, even if you’ve already checked for yourself. It still helps. Rodri does the same. I prefer to look for myself. If a team-mate is on the ball, I might help him out and let him know if he has someone on his back but I’d rather stay focused on scanning and analysing what’s going on in the game.” The mention of Rodri brings us to a man he is constantly linking up with, another wonderfully intelligent midfielder who occupies similar spaces. The understanding between the pair is almost entirely instinctive. “I can tell with just a glance or from the way he moves what he’s about to do, and he can do the same," he reflects. "I think that’s a trait we Spanish players share – one look is all it takes to understand your team-mate’s next move. We have that same bond off the pitch and the fact that we’re like a second family to one another helps us to connect so naturally once we’re out there.”
After winning La Liga with Barcelona last season, Pedri is targeting another trophy with this "second family" in North America. After two matches, they have four points on the board going into their . yet Pedri has certainly taken food for thought from his side's struggle in their curtain-raiser against Cabo Verde, when the 2010 champions were frustrated by their opponents' compactness and low block.
As a final reflection, he pinpoints exactly what happens when the opposition take that tactical approach: “I think when a side drop very deep, it’s harder to create chances because there’s very little space and so many players behind the ball. When teams defend man-to-man, beating your marker forces another defender to step out, and that releases someone else. It makes the game more open. Of course, if you lose the ball, they have the numerical advantage, but that’s all part of the beauty of football.”
Sources: FIFA Official
