Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Improve your team's ability to defend against the counter attack

Screen 1

Organization:

Area: 25Wx40L grid with 1 small goal at each end.5v4 to Goal both teams play to goal.Blue team need to have all their playersbut #8 in the attacking half to scoreand defend 3 goals.. When the red team win the ball, they will try to score before the blue team has all its players behind the half area line.

Coaching points:

Defender closest to the ball apply PRESSURE: attitude to win the ball, close quickly, angle of approach is to the side to make play predictable and isolate attacker, slow down as getting close, bend your knees, stay side way on and prepare for next action, delay(wait for support) or tackle(gain possession and transition).COVER: If you cant get to the ball to press then drop and cut penetration into the passing channel. Poke tackle: approach side way, use foot closest to the ball, lock anckle, body weight on the back foot, poke the ball in the diagonal to regain possession, poke when a bigger touch as been taken. 2nd defender will provide immediate COVER to 1st defender and stop penetration if necessary, while third defender will BALANCE the all group and make a RECOVERY run toward the goal.

Screen 3

Organization:

Area: 75Wx84L field with a regulation goal at each end, plus 2 AR for offside rule.

9v9 to Goal - Blue team 1-2-3-3: #1,#4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11. Red team: 1-3-2-3 (#1, #2, #3, #4, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11).

Coaching points:

If the ball is lost in the middle area off the field, get some COMPACTNESS by 1st defender delaying 1st attacker to CONTROL and RESTRAINT and quickly create an arrow shape with 2nd defender for COVER in front of the ball to deny the penetration, then engaged. Wide players continues their RECOVERY behind the ball and BALANCE the wide area.