What can a player do when the pressure is coming from the side?

Look at the depiction below to get a good idea about what a side on pressure problem looks like.

However the most interesting problem to solve in this depiction is the one to get to the option behind and below the press.

Ignoring the option to manipulate the moment and change the pressure problem, one option is to consider a Drag Back V.

A drag back V in very simple terns involves a Drag back (into the body) and a touch out of the body. When initially practicing and developing Drag back Vs, this touch should be at 90 degrees to the drag back (and so making the ball move in a v-shape). In games the angle of a Drag Back can be what ever it needs to be to maximize the moment.

There are some basic fundamentals that need to be place before a player is able to do a drag back Vs, and as DBVs become more game functional, players need to be more athletic and intelligent whilst doing a DBV. 

Also a DBV can be done using a little toe touch (great for acceleration) or an inside touch (great for opening up the space and is very similar to a back foot first touch technique).

These will covered at a later point. But for now these are the main Drag Back Vs a player needs to learn, and hopefully they notion of side on pressure is always in mind when they are practiced.

These videos just go through the theory of the basic techniques

Beginners and very young players - again should not do isolated practice for too long in one go. Instead, They should play a tech game, and every 10 minutes or so, have a practice period before then taking the technique practiced back into the tech games.

To get side on pressure problems and in particular DBVs, as a tech game - initially tweak Quick Feet, and give points to the attacker if they can get the ball into the defenders zone and then drag the ball out and away (that is, set up the side on pressure and then execute a DBV)) before the defender can get their ball.

As always, the games and progressions need to be pitched to the level of players. Progressions must always get closer and closer to the game.

Using a zig zag cone patterns is a great way to increase the game functionality of the footwork practice

Challenge 1 : Learn the pattern (its always way more simpler than it looks)
Challenge 2 : Do the exercise slowly
Challenge 3 : Do the exercise as quickly as you can
Challenge 4 : Get the head up

Note as a player improves, the 'explosive movement and precision of touch' out of the drag becomes increasingly important. Players should never think that once a technique has been learnt then that is the end of that journey. Being able to do a technique is only the first step in a big flight of stairs.