Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Turning-Tolouse a Defender (Start Time: 2018-04-03 13:15:00)

Final thirds- turning (20 mins)

Learning outcomes:

Understand location of space based on defender.

Be able to gauge speed of defender to maximize opportunity to break away.

Observe defender recovering to block out lane to goal and turn.

Organization: 20x 20 yd area. 2 even lines at mid point along the width. Soccer balls with coach. Fast paced 1v1. Goals offset as shown.

Instructions:

1. Coach passes ball to blue who attacks. On pass defender in white is live.

2. Attacker tries to score on either goal and has to break out of the middle zone before they can shoot. If defender steals the ball, they can score.

3. Attacker and defenders return to their lines. Next ball is played by coach.

4 minute rounds. Team captain keeps track of score. 2 rounds per game. Team with highest total score from both rounds wins the game.

Coaching points:

(1). Identify location of defender- coming straight on? 2 options left or right.

(2). Identify speed of the defender. Coming fast? Quickly break out of middle third to use their momentum against them. Coming slow? Take a smaller touch toward them to commit them to the ball, then break away left or right to beat them.

(3). What if? Defender closing down and going to deny shot? Turn and go the other way.

(4). Protect ball- where do I keep the ball based on where the defender is?

(5). Take away touch. Direction and speed?

Progressions:

Progression 1- 2 touches in scoring third to score.

Progression 2- Once goal is scored, coach plays second ball into middle third for the players to continue 1 v 1.

Regressions:

Regression 1: Remove blue cones and make it 1 v 1 and score anytime.

Regression 2: Defender goes live off of attacker first touch.