Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Attacking with transition to defend in the final 3rd.

Warm up (15 mins)

Theme: Attack with transition to defend.

Warm up:

Two 5 vs 2 Rondos. Keep the ball with transition to defend when the ball is lost.

Organisation:

- 14 players

- Two 8x8 meter squares with 2 blue players and 5 red players in each square.

- Red players start the practice with emphasis on keeping possession.

- 2 blue players look to gain possession of the ball and if successful, they then attempt to score in one of the two goals and red players will then become defenders.

-  Red players must transition to defend if they lose possession and attempt to stop blue players from scoring.

Coaching Points:

• Quality and selection of pass
• Body shape/first touch/back foot
• Angles and distance of support
• Width and depth
• Awareness of space and defender
• Patience in possession – no forced/rushed decisions
• Transition to defend – can we win ball back as quickly as possible
• Transition to attack – width and depth as quickly as possible

Main drill (30 mins)

Theme: Attack with transition to defend in the final 3rd.

Drill: 7v7. Attacking in the final 3rd with transition to defend.

Organisation:

• Area: Final 3rd of the pitch.
• Red players start the practice with emphasis on keeping possession and when the opportunity arises, find the penetrating pass to the front 3 or looking to get in a position to shoot.
• Front 3 player are always on the move making runs and trying to create space for the midfield 3 to either run into or to play the penetrating pass.
• Red players must transition to defend if they lose possession and attempt to stop yellow players from scoring into one of the 3 goals.
• Black line indicate potential penetrating passes and the red lines indicate the players movements behind the opposition and to create space

Coaching Points:

• Quality and selection of pass – 1st, 2nd and 3rd line passes
• Body shape/first touch/back foot
• Angles and distance of support – looking to play in between and behind the opposition
• Width and depth – Penetrating pass (Up-back-through)
• Awareness of space and defender
• Patience in possession – no forced/rushed decisions
• Transition to defend – can we win ball back as quickly as possible
• Transition to attack – width and depth as quickly as possible
• Working the goal keeper as much as possible with shots
• Main goal is to score.