Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): NSCAA National Instruction - Individual Defending

Technical Passive / Opposed - Main Activity (30 mins)

Organization:

- 4 players: 3 attacker, 1 defender

- 15x10 area

Instructions:

- Player 1 takes small angled touch in either direction.

- Player 2 opens gap to player 3 opposite of player 1's touch.

- Player 3 moves to create triangle / gap to receive ball from player 1.

- Player 1 passes into player 2, player 2 looks to forward (cannot), player 2 sets back to player 1.

- Player 1 then plays down to player 3.

- Player 3 dribbles back to opposite endline.

- Rotation: Player 1 to Player 2, Player 2 to Defender, Defender to Player 3, Player 3 to Player 1.

Manipulate when defender A can begin to move / try to win ball

- Defender moves on player 1's first touch (deny seperation / penetration)

- Defender moves on player 1's pass (deny turn, appropriate tackle)

- Player 1 can play through line straight to attacker 3 (deny penetration, delay with pressure, speed / angle of approach, visual cues, when to tackle)

- Player 2 cannot play backwards (work on tackling, 1v1 situations)

Progressions (LIve):

- Addition of PUG goal, Player 1 becomes live defender on Player 3's first touch, player 3 tries to score in PUG (See group on right).

-Attackers attempt to get ball from Player 1 to Player 3 and back to Player 1.

Coaching Points:

1. Intercept / win ball on pass? Visual cues - eye contact, head down to pass.

2. Cannot intercept? Pressure ball, prervent turn, force attacker to receive on front foot (angle / shape of approach, side on, touch tight, mirror attacker's feet.

3. If attacker can face up; deny penetration, delay with pressure (distance from attacker and how it will affect him).

4. Can you seperate 1st attacker from his support? Create true 1v1

5. Tackling technique: poke, block, slide

6. Tackling tactics: when to tackle / delay

-tackle: bad touch, ball away from foot, head up (from already close distance)

-delay: head down (from already close distance), head up (bigger distance from attacker, can i get head down by pressuring?), attacking player has a lot of support.

6v6 to Goal - Small Sided Game (30 mins)

Organization:

- 6v6 small-sided to goal

Instructions:

- Players play 6v6 to goal.

Coaching Points:

1. Intercept / win ball on pass?

2. Deny attacker opportunity to play forward first time or turn? - visual cues, when to tackle / delay

3. If attacker can face up; deny penetration, delay with pressure (distance from attacker and how it will affect him), angle / speed of approach.

4. Tackling technique: poke, block, slide

5. Tackling tactics: when to tackle / delay

-tackle: bad touch, ball away from foot, head up (from already close distance)

-delay: head down (from already close distance), head up (bigger distance from attacker, can i get head down by pressuring?), attacking player has a lot of support.

Progressions / Regressions:

- Touch restrictions / requirements

- Players cannot play the ball forward unless it's a dribble / shot

- Zonal restricitons