Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): 3-5-1 (with True HM - faux diamond back)

2 v 2 + 3 keepaway (15 mins)

2 v 2 keepaway with 3 targets.

Teams have to keep the ball away from the opposition and can use the outside targets to do so. Switch roles every round.

First team to 25 passes

A point is made every switch (5 points wins)

Coaching points:

Spacial awareness

1st touch away from pressure

Quality of pass

Movement of target players to find passing lane

Shadow play (3-5-2) Building (20 mins)

Patterns building from the back.

1. Free play

2. Set patterns

3. Set patterns with timer / competition

Add in defenders to create problems

- three strikers up top (playing wide)

- two strikers up top (loading the CB)

- 1 striker with 3 MF coming up (over loads and counter attacks)

Focus on:

HM role and responsibility (needing to stay a HM, diciplined, create a diamond back when defending (allows FB a little freedom to step forward) - keeps numbers in the back if FB gets released or beat.

2nd MF dropping in and creating 2 HM role when defending - can he recognize the pockets and play off the HM shoulder to deny the space in behind and between them and defenders.

AM needs to stay high and play off the two HM to ensure that he is a target player - can he find the pockets to be able to feed and support the two strikers?

9 v 9 scrimmage (30 mins)

9 v 9 scrimmage

Play the opposing team with 4-3-1 to ensure that you are playing similar to your opponent - this will create the coachable moments of responsibilities for the MF and the outside player and shifting as a unit.

Coachable moments

-second MF does not recover into shape

- HM (parker) gets pulled out to defend too high or wide

- Outside MF does not shift or recover FB coming up

- distance between HM and CB are too big - create too large of a pocket

Ensure that players know their marks agaisnt this formation and 4-4-2 (flat or diamond) so that during a game they are able to quickly recognize the formation and who is responsibile for who.