Sergio Busquets led with his chest and upper torso to create separation and mislead his intended direction. Despite the fact that he was slow, he was the king of misdirection with the ball at his feet. It didn’t matter because he avoided the obvious move.

Looking for the unexpected move is a holding midfielder’s most important role within the team because if they can catch the opposition’s defense off-guard with a misdirected dribble or a cutting pass, now they are chasing and reacting in a compromised position to start.

If you watch Busquets receive and dribble, he always looks to bait his man into choosing a direction, but you’ll notice he has an upright posture. He uses his upper torso, his chest, to feint more so than his feet. If his intention is to go forward, he’ll lean back. He leans back; the defender thinks he is cutting back. The defender’s momentum takes him back, and then Busquets moves the opposite direction, forward out of pressure.

If he wants to move backwards or side to side, he’ll stay more upright but not leaning forward. That creates indecision, and players naturally want to move forward. The defender then commits his momentum forward. Once Busquets sees them commit, he dribbles back out of pressure.

Agile or quick wingers will use their hips, but slower midfielders use their upper body.

It is an instinct, an art, not necessarily a science. It is a gift to be in tune with both the opposition and your team. You have to be in tune with the opposition because you have to pay attention to when they let their guard down. They let their guard down, you draw them in with misdirection, and then you play the least obvious pass to constantly keep them chasing. Which gives the advanced midfielders and the forwards more space.