Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): Improve Your Teams Ability to Recover the Ball in the Defensive Half (Start Time: 2014-08-25 18:05:00)

Technical Warm-Up (10 mins)

Organization:

Players in 2 lines across from each other 15 yards apart. 5 to 10 minutes.

Instructions:

In groups of 2 in free space players work on passing ball - lofting it if possible. Once a player passes they must close down and shadow player as they dribble to opposite line. After crossing line attacker stops ball on line and sprints back to opposite line. Roles are now switched.

Progression 1 - Move from shadowing to playing defense and trying to counter to other line. Make sure roles are always reversed though.

Key Coaching Points:

Good angles when closing.

Shuffle feet when shadowing - don't cross feet

Force ball a certain direction.

Expanded Small Sided Game

Organization:

1-3-1 on Defense v 1-2 on offense set on defensive 3rd of field. One full goal and two small goals on outside for counter-goals. 25 minutes.

Instructions:

Player at midfield passes ball into to strikers who are making runs to get open. Attackers play to full goal and defenders work to counter to two small goals on the outside of the field.

Key Coaching Points:

Players must first work to mark strikers and prevent ball from being played into center of the field.

Communicate when ball is played in, who had ball and who is support player.

Mark runners.

Force ball wide.

Proper closing distance preventing easy shots.