Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending the overloads (Start Time: 2024-11-27 18:50:00)
FAW Coach Ed
Jun Chan
Profile Summary
| Name: | Jun Chan |
|---|---|
| City: | Pontypridd |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Membership: | Adult Member |
| Sport: | Football/Soccer |
Description
Overview:
Theme: Defending the Overload (Numerical Disadvantage).
Duration: 1 hour total, split into three stages (each 20 minutes).
Format:
Specific Practice (20 minutes)
Small-Sided Game (20 minutes)
Specific Practice into Small-Sided Game (20 minutes)
Players: 14 total (Under-17).
Out of Possession Team (Defending Team): 7 + Goalkeeper (GK), in a 4-4-2 shape but 4 players withdrawn (LST, RST, LM, RM). Therefore, active players are: GK, LB, LCB, RCB, RB, LCM, RCM.
In Possession Team (Attacking Team): 7 (no GK) in a 4-3-3 shape but 4 players withdrawn (GK, LCB, RCB, CDM). Therefore, active players are: LB, RB, LM, RM, LW, RW, ST.
Pitch Area: Half pitch.
Goals: One full-size goal (for the Out of Possession team to defend) and two small mini-goals placed on the halfway line (for the In Possession team to defend).
Welsh Game Model (Out of Possession):
Show away from goal.
Block central passes.
Stop switches of play.
Protect the space between lines.
Control the space behind the last line.
Principles of Play Focus (Defending Team):
Recognise opposition movement.
Press quickly.
Protect the middle.
Leave the furthest players.
Learning Objectives (Outcomes)
Each 20-minute block has one primary outcome:
Specific Practice Outcome:
Defenders learn to recognise when the opposition has an overload in wide or central areas and quickly adjust their shape to protect the middle.
Small-Sided Game Outcome:
Defenders improve collective pressing triggers to force play away from goal and limit forward passes, maintaining a compact block.
Specific Practice into SSG Outcome:
Defenders apply both recognition and pressing strategies in a more realistic, match-related scenario, mastering transitions and positional responsibilities.
Practice Structure with Work-to-Rest Ratios
Each 20-minute block is two 8-minute work periods with a 2-minute rest in between:
Block 1 (Specific Practice, 20 mins)
8 minutes work → 2 minutes rest → 8 minutes work → 2 minutes review/transition.
Block 2 (Small-Sided Game, 20 mins)
8 minutes work → 2 minutes rest → 8 minutes work → 2 minutes review/transition.
Block 3 (Specific Practice into SSG, 20 mins)
8 minutes work → 2 minutes rest → 8 minutes work → 2 minutes debrief/end.
Energy System Used: Predominantly anaerobic glycolysis due to repeated high-intensity efforts in short bursts with brief recovery (Reilly, 2005).
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
LSG (20 mins)
Organisation
Setup:
Same half-pitch.
7v7 (including GK for Defending Team).
Full-size goal for Defending Team to protect.
Two mini-goals for Attacking Team.
Play begins from the centre circle for the Attacking Team every time the ball goes out of play.
Objective (Defending Team):
Defend in a 4-2 shape, remain compact.
Stay aware of midfield runners.
Defend numerical overloads, especially when the Attacking Team combines centrally or out wide.
Challenges, Conditions, Targets (Defending Team):
Challenge: Deny central penetration.
Condition: Defending Team must clear the ball or counter within 8 seconds of regaining possession.
Target: Win the ball and score in the mini-goals 3 times in each 8-minute block.
Danger Scenario (Example)
Scenario: Quick one-two combination in central midfield between LM and ST creates a 2v1 against RCM.
Solution (Defending Team):RCM delays the pass.
LCM covers central passing lanes.
RCB steps in if ST receives the ball facing forward.
LB tightens in to block any pass to the opposite winger.
Coaching Points
Technical: Clean footwork, balanced stance, scanning to track runners.
Tactical:Recognise the trigger (opposition players moving into a central overload).
Press quickly to disrupt the pass.
Protect the middle by screening.
Leave the furthest wide player if it helps maintain central compactness.
Coaching Interventions
Freeze: Stop play if the ST drifts into space unmarked, re-organise defenders.
Walkthrough: Demonstrate how to shift as a unit when the ball moves centrally.
Concurrent Feedback: “Delay, delay! Now press!” to time the challenge.
Bullseye: Acknowledge good covering and communication among defenders.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
SP into LSG (20 mins)
Organisation
Setup:Half-pitch with a big goal and two mini-goals.
Same 7v7 structure.
Emphasis on transitional moments from midfield to final third.
Attacking Team restarts from the centre circle. Defenders reset shape quickly.
Two Potential Plays (Attacking Team) and Defensive Solutions
Wide Play
Play: LB combines with LW down the left channel. LM makes an underlap run.
Solution (Defensive Movement):RB presses LW immediately.
RCB slides left to cover RB.
RCM screens the underlap run, denies forward pass.
LB (defensive LB) shifts centrally to protect the box from any diagonal ball.
Central Play
Play: LM drives centrally, ST drops to receive, RM cuts inside behind ST.
Solution (Defensive Movement):LCM and RCM stay tight, block the passing lane to ST.
LCB steps up to challenge ST if he receives the ball.
RB tucks in to stop RM’s inside run.
GK stays alert to any through ball.
Challenges, Conditions, Targets (Defending Team)
Challenge: Maintain defensive compactness during quick transitions.
Condition: If defenders regain possession, they must counter quickly (within 5 seconds).
Target: Prevent more than 2 successful penetrations per 8-minute block.
Coaching Points
Technical: Defensive communication, body orientation, quality of tackling.
Tactical:Recognise the attacking pattern (wide vs central).
Press quickly at the right moment.
Protect the middle by marking ST and blocking through passes.
Leave the furthest player if it means staying compact.
Coaching Interventions
Freeze: If the Attacking Team breaks the line too easily, freeze to highlight how defenders can shift faster.
Walkthrough: Show correct spacing between the centre-backs and midfielders.
Concurrent Feedback: Guide defenders’ movements in real-time, especially when transitions occur.
Bullseye: Praise correct identification of wide or central attacking threats.
Additional Corners of Development
Physical Corner
Work-to-Rest Ratio: 8:2 repeated. Allows repeated high-intensity defensive presses.
Energy System: Anaerobic efforts (sprints, quick presses) with partial recovery, aligning with match demands (Reilly, 2005).
Social Corner
Team Meetings: Quick huddles during rest to discuss positional adjustments.
Captains: The GK or senior CB acts as the defensive captain to organize shape.
Problem-Solving Tasks: Defenders discuss how to counter wide overloads, encouraging ownership of solutions.
Psychological Corner
Encourage resilience when outnumbered.
Reinforce confidence through positive feedback after each successful press or interception.
Develop concentration to recognise movement triggers.
Conditions, Targets, Challenges, Scoreboard
Scoreboard: Track the number of successful stops or transitions to mini-goals by the defending team.
Progressions (Increase Difficulty): Attacking Team can add one more neutral midfielder to create a 4v2 overload in midfield.
Regressions (If Struggling): Defending Team can add one floating defender in midfield to balance numbers.
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specific practices (20 mins)
Organisation
Setup:
Use half-pitch.
Out of Possession Team defends the big goal (GK + Back Four + 2 Midfielders).
In Possession Team starts attacks from the centre circle with 7 outfield players (LB, RB, LM, RM, LW, RW, ST).
Two mini-goals are positioned on the halfway line for quick counter scoring by the defending team if possession is regained.
Formation and Roles (Defending Team):
GK stands centrally in the big goal, ready to organize the defensive line.
LB (left back) and RB (right back) stay compact with centre backs, protect wide channels by showing the attacker away from goal.
LCB (left centre-back) and RCB (right centre-back) protect the middle, step out quickly if the attacker drives centrally.
LCM (left centre midfield) and RCM (right centre midfield) screen forward passes, press quickly if ball travels into their zone, and track runners.
Formation and Roles (Attacking Team):
LB and RB push high to provide width.
LM and RM operate in the midfield channels, seeking to combine with LW or RW.
LW and RW stay wide to stretch the back line.
ST stays central to pin the centre-backs.
Objective (Defending Team):
Recognise opposition movement and shape.
Press quickly when the ball travels into their zone.
Protect the middle by screening passes into the ST.
Leave the furthest wide player if needed, to maintain compactness.
Challenges, Conditions, Targets (Defending Team):
Challenge: Force play to wide areas and away from the penalty box.
Condition: If the defending team wins possession, they have 5 seconds to play into a mini-goal.
Target: Concede fewer than two shots on target each block.
Danger Scenario (Example)
Scenario: In Possession LB overlaps with LW, creating a 2v1 overload against RB.
Solution (Defending Team):RB drops and shows the LB + LW away from goal (towards the touchline).
RCB shifts across to cover behind RB.
RCM slides over to block any inside pass to ST.
GK positions to cover near post angle.
Coaching Points
Technical: Body shape to see both ball and attacker, quick footwork to adjust lines.
Tactical:Recognise when the opposition attempts to overload a flank.
Press quickly once the pass is made to that flank.
Protect the middle by compact positioning.
Leave the furthest attacker if needed to maintain shape.
Coaching Interventions
Freeze: When the ball reaches the wide area, freeze play to reposition defenders.
Walkthrough: Demonstrate how LB and RCB shift across to cover the wide overload.
Concurrent Feedback: Coach provides immediate prompts as the move unfolds, e.g., “Protect the middle, shift across!”
Bullseye: Praise quick, well-timed presses (“Excellent press there, keep forcing wide!”).