Renowned football coach Manuel Pellegrini, who has worked at elite clubs all over the world, frequently employs perceptive metaphors to explain football and its complexities. One such metaphor focuses on players who are technically proficient and significantly contribute to their team's ability to win the game.
These technical players are extremely knowledgeable about the field and the mechanics of the game. Like a chess player anticipating several moves ahead, they are able to predict the ball's location before it even arrives. Their main duty is to create scoring opportunities by giving forwards or strikers accurate last passes so they can finish with shots on goal.
Think of these technical players as orchestra conductors, directing the movements of other players in the same way that a conductor leads musicians to establish rhythm and harmony. They are so skilled that they hardly ever make mistakes; in a season, they frequently only lose possession of the ball two or three times. What distinguishes them from other players on the field is their degree of control and accuracy.
Pellegrini uses this metaphor to highlight the value of technical skill in football and how players who are proficient in it can greatly improve their team's performance. A soccer team gains a great deal when its technically skilled players perform at their best, much like a well-oiled machine runs smoothly because every part works flawlessly.