Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Sam Holmshaw - UEFA B - Session plan 1 - Defending the Lines

Specific practice (Problem 1)

Defending the lines (fast pressure on the ball, protect the middle, stay narrow and compact, stop split passes) 

Problem 1: Opposing team have an extra man in midfield in their build up and are playing through the middle.

Managed Team

Setting up the problem: Both 9's putting pressure onto the CB's. GK plays into 5 or 4 to create bounce pass to draw in 9's and play to 6. Or high pressure on the ball to play Into 6.

Managing opposition: Attacking team set up in a 4 - 3. Two central defenders positioned on 6 yard end line. 6 positioned on edge of 18 yard box centrally.  Two 8's in half space, full backs in wide space.

Challenge: Challenge the team to try to play the ball through the central area to break the line.

Target: Each time the opposition can play through the central channel, they will gain two points, if they can then score, they will gain 3 points.

Regression: A point given every time the attacking team break the line. If they can progress the ball forwards and score in either net they gain 3 points.

Conditions: 

May add a touch limit for the attacking team, 3 touches maximum.

Focused Team

Red's solution: Moving into a mid block. wide players coming centrally to create a defensive line, compact shape with 8's. Two nines sitting in-front, central and compact. central defender sits 5 yards behind acting as anchor.

From the goal-kick, depending if ball left or right, closest 9 making a curved run to press, pressure on inside shoulder to try to force the play to full backs and block passing lane to 6. Second 9 dropping in to mark the 6, touching left shoulder.  

When ball played to full back, winger's trigger to press quickly (quick acceleration, de-accelaration, body shape & distance from attacker, dictate outside). Anticipate the next pass.

Two 8's shifting across towards wide channel, winger moving in behind opposing 8 to mark (check correct detail here).  

Additional triggers to press (bad touches, bouncing balls, loss of control) 

Pitch geography (reference point for shifting across) If left winger presses right back, left 8 come and cover in around corner of 6 yard box or where nearest player is. right 8 comes central part of pitch to create more balance. right winger, when you see opposite winger go touchline, come across to middle part of pitch in line with the back post.

Red's Challenge: When winning the ball, the defending team tries to score within 8 seconds.

Reds Target: A point given every time the defence forces the opposition wide.  

What ifs:

Solutions: Fast pressure on the ball, Protect the middle, Stay narrow and compact, Stop split passes, Protect the space in behind.

Small sided game (set up)

Set up:  

Half pitch, Now use two 11 - a - side goals.  

Using cones, mark out the half space channel. 

Corners for focus team tapered for emphasis on breaking line through middle   

Add two cones at the sides to reference defensive shape positioning.  

8 vs 8, add goalkeeper for attacking team.

Attacking team (managed team) of 8 simulating 4 - 3 - 3 (remove two wingers and forwards). Defensive team (focus team) set up as 4 - 4 - 2 (remove a cb and two full backs)  

Managed team: Red 

Focus team: Black

Small sided game (problem 2 - revisited)

Problem 2: Attacking team playing around to play through. Playing wide to come back inside.

Managed Team 

Setting up the problem: Defender is playing wide to full back immediately, or defender plays into 6 or 8's who play wide immediately.

Managing opposition: Attacking team with good width and depth. full backs in wide area, cb's in half space channels, 6 pivot in the central channel. 8 around the ball in half space, 8 away from ball in central space.

Challenge: trying to play the ball around the opposition to break the line.

Target: If blues can move the ball around the marked yellow central area, they gain a point. Scoring gains 3 points.

Conditions: May add a touch limit for the attacking team, 3 touches maximum.  

Focused Team

Solution:

9 presses the defender on the ball receiving from goalkeeper,

When playing out to full back, winger presses the ball using an outside run press attempting to commit the opponents to one side. 

The 5 pushes forwards to create an organised defensive line with the 8's and shuffles across as before to continue to protect the middle. Oppo winger drops and comes into central space to protect middle.

9 continues to press defender closest to ball, they should force play back to GK or an attempted play over. Second 9 drops in to protect central space.

Technical detail:

Attempt to commit the opponents to one side

Maintaining distance 10 - 12 yards, pressure when required.

Curving runs when pressing, pressure from the inside shoulder

Shadow and block passing lanes, close down quickly and anticipate the pass.

Triggers to press are bad touches, bouncing balls and loss of control. 

Challenge: When winning the ball, the defending team tries to score within 8 seconds.

Target: A point given every time they force the opposition to play back. 

What ifs:

Solutions: Fast pressure on the ball, Protect the middle, Stay narrow and compact, Stop split passes, Protect the space in behind.