Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Defending In a 4-3-3 vs A 3-4-3 In Attack In Quadrants 1 and 2

Screen 2 (20 mins)

Set Up:

44 x 30 

2 yard net on either side

Balls behind each goal

4 x teams of 4 players in different colour pinnies 1 x neutral

Activity:

4 Attackers playing to small goal on eachside, teams waiting off are the servers orange and blue teams: Ball is played out from the end line to theattacking plyers who then plays to either ofthe open players their side or the neutral. Ball can be reversed back through the playerstrying to go to goal. The defenders mustfind a way to stop the attacking team, win the ball through concentrated,connected and coordinated pressure looking to with the ball and counter to theopponent’s goal

Coaching Points:

 Offensively:  Can we move the ball to find the open man to get to goal

Defensively: Can we recognize and apply pressure to the player with the ball, create the support for the player closing in the ball, and the remaining players recognize how they can best support the established pressure rotating as the pressure needs to shift with the offensive team's ball movement.

Duration:

Duration/ intensity20 minutes (7 x 2 minute intervalswith 1 minute rest in between for change over, first two intervals are a directswitch for the teams to get into the flow of the activity)

Screen 4 (30 mins)

Set Up:

Playing area: half a field

Balls at the server in the middle of the field

Coach starts at the top with the server but moves around the field to get a different perspective

8 v 7 in opposite colour pinnies

8 playing to mini goals 1-4-3 (1 GK, back 4, 3 midfielders)

7 playing to large goal 4-3 (4 midfielders, 3 strikers)

Activity

Opposite GK or player playing to large goal serves ball to attacking #5 or #6

They look to play ball first centrally

The defending team maintains a compact shape moving side to side as a unit, but closing down the player with the ball and having two players behind him in cover and support while maintaining proper spacing and angles to the ball so that the attacking team cannot play penetrating passes through the defense's lines

When the defenders win the ball, they are to attack the two small goals at half creating the opportunity to use the width of the field against the attacking team

Coaching Points
Not allowing space in between the defenders to be exploited and break lines with passes

Quick movement to the ball to isolate the player with the ball and limit their angles to pass out of pressure, or attack the goal

Using compactness to shift the attack to the width of the field and closing up spaces in the defensive block to win the ball and advance the ball to the opposite goals

Having a plan once the ball is received and what to do next

Creating angles in support of the player defending the ball and close down others trying to create an angle of support to attack

Limiting separation from the defender by physically checking with the attacker (Blue #10 checking off Orange #8 or Blue #9 checking to Orange #4 and into space)  

Maintaining proper spacing and distance between the player with the ball and the other attacker that they are marking