Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): Quarter Field - Attack vs Defense - Playing out of Back

Screen 1

Setup players on cones in formation/positions on one vertical half of field. Play starts with a goal kick and attacking team has to keep possession, working combination plays, and build the attack across the halfline against pressuring defenders on that one side of field. The basic aim of this exercise is to help players learn how to play short out of goal kicks and to play past immediate pressure of 1-2 defenders with short passing combinations and movements to break the first line of pressure and advance the ball with good possession into the next phase. 

You can vary the number of defenders. And you can restrict the defender to pressuring certain zones or players. This setup is for 9v9 play, but you can adapt same setup for 7v7 or 11v11. 

If defenders win the ball, they get to go to goal and try to score against GK. 

Defender Variations: 

- Only 1 defender can to press high and remaining defenders can only defend in midfield zone. 

- Only 2 defenders can press high. 

- Progress from having 1 defender press high with remaining defenders only defending midfield zone to 2 defenders pressing high, to 3 defenders pressing high.  

- 1 defender plays along the halfine only to defend against scoring. 

- 1 defender marks CF only  

Attacking/Scoring Variations: 

Encourage players to keep the ball on the ground and use purposeful passes & movement and combination plays to get around pressure and advance ball forward - not just kick the ball long.

- Controlling ball across halfline. 

- Small goal/gate along halfline. 

- Big goal with goalkeeper past halfline. 

- Must pass to a runner across halfline. 

- Allow players to continue play down the field in the other half and finish on goal. 

Rotation Variations (extra players) 

- Extra players take turns as defenders and rotate in. 

- Players take turns in specific positions. 

- After set time or # of balls, players rotate positions. 

- Rondo style, players who loses ball becomes defender 

- Team Competition. Play with two teams and same time and teams provide defenders to play against other team. 

Coaching Points: 

- Positioning 

- Angles 

- Movement off ball to support 

- Reading & decision making 

- Movement to support after passing 

- First touch with purpose 

- Creating Triangles/Diamonds 

- Using split passes & gaps 

- Drawing in defenders to create space 

- Timing of movements & runs