Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending the Final Third

FAW Coach Ed

Dylan Rees

Profile Summary

Name:	Dylan Rees
City:	Prescot
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

Organisation (Practice Layout & Transition)

Specific Practice: Area 75 x 50yd. Two sets of pinnies for teams 7v7. Both formations 4-3-3 principles. Start mostly from GK and defensive line has to push up to beyond sideline flag markers. Offsides monitored by assistant. Cones to tapered one end of the field at 75yds. Flags either side about 5 yds beyond the 18yd box (line for back 4 to start at}

SSG: Area 90x50yds Add 4 players to make 9v9.Both formations 4-3-3 principles. Start mostly from GK and defensive line has to push up to beyond sideline flag markers. Offsides monitored by assistant. Cones to tapered one end of the field at 75yds. Flags either side about 5 yds beyond the 18yd box (line for back 4 to start at}

Play throw ins. Corner kicks for yellow if go off of blue.

Total Work: 40 minutes

Number of Repetitions: 1 reps of 8-9 minutes long

Number of Sets: 4
Volume:Medium - Low

Rest: 2-3 minutes

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Specific

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Specific

How

The coach will work with one team (Blue defending) and the assistant coach will manage the opposition. Opposition will look to break lines through the middle, around and over. The red discs are visual markers for the teams to recognize central and wide areas, no conditions will be used. If the ball goes wide to Opp 7 or 11, they will provide a variety of crosses into the box for the defending team to deal with. Blue team will set up centrally and try to prevent passes through that area, force the opponent into wide areas. If the ball does go wide then player nearest applies pressure on the ball, for example ball goes to yellow 11, then blue 2 applies pressure, blue 4,5, 3 will shift to their right to provide cover and also protect central space against crosses. Blue midfielders will also drop back to protect back 4, when 2 applies pressure 8 will provide cover against passes to yellow 6, blue 6 will provide cover to block passes to yellow 10 or 9. If yellow 11 passes back to 6, then blue 8 will to jump out on any pass back to yellow midfielders, on that pass the back line will push higher as a unit to try to force yellow 9 to others into an offside position.

Control the space behind the back 4 by movement back/forth depending on the position of the ball. If starting at Opp GK then play higher up, focring the 9 to move with the line.

Blue Attacking - Blue in possession, maintain the possession for as long as possible. Score in the large goal.

Blue Attacknig to Defense Transition: If blue loses the ball in Opposition half, can they try to get back into an organized system quickly.

Assistant Coach will work as AR and monitor offside. When possible concurrently coach attacking principles to yellow team especially during interventions

Challenges: Defending team try to limit central through passes to 9 down to 10% success.

Scenario: Attacking team is down 2-0 with 8 minutes to play in FA Cup, can they go on to win the game? Can defending team keep the lead and win the Cup?

Conditions: Yellow team touch restriction may be used if they are not moving the ball quickly.

Targets: Do not allow yellow team to score a goal during 10 minutes.

Key Coaching Points

Out of possession

Make the field compact/stay narrow centrally

Force wide and shift as units (Mid Unit & Def Unit) to take away the space.

Break passing lines by positioning around the ball, and prevent split passes with good spacing (5-6 yds apart) between players.

Pressure the ball, get out there fast, slow down for control and then get low athletic position, blocking off direct runs into central areas

In Possession

Play through, around or over

Provide width and depth

Move the ball quickly to create scoring chances

Take chances to score

Interventions

Walk Through

Concurrent

Terminal

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG

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SSG

How

When the ball with with attacking GK, blue 9 will position centrally to take away passing line, 10 will be split either 2 & 6 or 3 & 8 to force the ball in the opposite direction. If ball goes to Opp 3 then can 9 put pressure on the ball, 6, 8& 10 shift over to block passing lines and cover around the ball, back 4 move up the field to compact the total space, and GK is advanced to protect the space behind the back 4. If the ball goes wide to 7/11 or any other player in those channels, can pressure be applied quickly on the ball, keep forcing wide and into the corner, plus block the cross. For example, ball goes to Opp 11, 2 applies pressure and with good body position make the cross difficult and also force wide. In response 4, 5, 3 will shift right, 4 will get closer to 2 to provide cover if beaten. 6, 8 , 10 drop back to protect back 4. Protect central top of the box area, and also deep crosses to left side. 9 would drop back to take away passing lines to 3 or 8. GK would communicate the desired organization to the back 4 and other defenders based on threat.

Around the ball, recognize triggers to for a second defender to go pressure on the blind side because you are close enough to apply the pressure, the attacker has slowed down due to good defending by your teammate and now their head is down so apply pressure on the blind side and try to force them to lose the ball. Win the ball an transition quickly depending on field possession or control possession, passing to support behind or ahead and begin to build up.

Blue Attacking - Blue in possession, maintain the possession for as long as possible. Score in the large goal.

Blue Attacknig to Defense Transition: If blue loses the ball in Opposition half, can they try to get back into an organized system quickly, get narrow/compact. Pressure the ball. Delay if a fast break. Tactical foul if break away is a major threat.

Assistant Coach will work as AR and monitor offside. When possible concurrently coach attacking principles to yellow team especially during interventions

Challenges: Defending team try to limit central through passes to 9 down to 10% success.

Scenario: Attacking team is down 2-0 with 8 minutes to play in FA Cup, can they go on to win the game? Can defending team keep the lead and win the Cup?

Mid Block: midfield drops back to just inside half way line to create a triangular or straight line defensive unit in front of back 4. 9 will apply initial zone pressure to direct ball left right or central. Once the opposition enters into blue half then apply pressure on the ball aggressively and cover around the ball with good spacing/positioning to take away passing lines.

Conditions: Yellow team touch 2-3 restriction may be used if they are not moving the ball quickly. Based on technical ability.

Targets: Do not allow yellow team to score a goal during 10 minutes.

Key Coaching Points

Out of possession

Make the field compact/stay narrow centrally, shift as needed and get compact, taking away space and passing options.

Force wide and shift as units (Mid Unit & Def Unit) to take away the space.

Break passing lines by positioning around the ball, and prevent split passes with good spacing (5-6 yds apart) between players.

Pressure the ball, get out there fast, slow down for control and then get low athletic position, blocking off direct runs into central areas

In Possession

Play through, around or over

Provide width and depth

Move the ball quickly to create scoring chances

Take chances to score