Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending the lines (midfield 4) (Start Time: 2023-01-22 14:30:00)

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James Pritty

Profile Summary

Name:	James Pritty
City:	Warrington
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

Organisation (Practice Layout & Transition)

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Screen 1

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Screen 1 (10 mins)

Primary Focus

Specific practice on defending the lines. Understand when and how to stop the opposition playing through, around, or over. Working with a midfield 4.

Organisation

Players bibbed up in and in positions as shown above.

Area Size

Width - 30yards Length - 30 yards

Timings

3 blocks of 2 minutes 30 seconds.

Explanation

Set up as shown. Blues look to play through, around, or over into front 3. If they manage this it's a 3v2 for the blues to score (8 seconds to score). The two white players do not become live until the midfield line has been broken (attacking blue receives a pass). To begin with the blues must take 2 touches when passing it around in the 3 and must show patience to wait for the space to break the line.

If the whites win the ball they look to score in the goal ahead of them and this can be defended (4v3). Whites have 8 seconds to score if they win it. If a ball goes out of play a new one will be fed in by the coach.

Adaptations (Progressions & Regressions):

Progressions

Make the pitch wider.

Remove two touch restriction for attackers.

Allow central attackers to make runs in behind.

Regressions

Make the pitch narrower.

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

Block 1: Stop the opposition playing through the middle zones (through the gaps where two players are either side of the ball).

Block 2: Stop the opposition playing around the sides of you (wide).

Block 3: Stop the opposition playing over the top.

Key Points

Block 1: Focus on staying compact to stop the attackers playing through the middle. Shift as a unit showing composure and patience. Piece of string defending.

Block 2: Get in line with the ball. Slide and screen (piece of string defending). Still remain compact but less focus on defending the central areas.

Block 3: Get in line with the ball and approach attacker with speed, slow down on approach, stay down and big, can we show them inside? Cover and balance - defenders take up covering positions when teammate presses the ball. Pyramid/triangle shape when central players press.

Interventions

Concurrent, Terminal, Walk Through, Coaching Process.

Problem

1. Remove two touches for the attackers.

2. Defenders become unorganised and out of shape when pressing.

3. Central attackers manage to make a run in behind.

Solution

1. Retreat to gain a better angle and close the gaps. When stopping playing over defenders need to make sure they are pressing quickly.

2. May need players to interchange slightly on the switch (RM swaps with RCM if they find themselves closer to the opposition central player).

3. Don't go with the player, remain in shape and focus on shifting as a unit to stop the ball being played behind into the runner.

How do we measure success?

Defensive team will get a point for each time the opposition does not play it through, around, or over (dependent on challenge at the time). They will gain an extra point for scoring in one of the mini goals.

Block 1: Defending team gets a point for stopping them play through the middle.

Block 2: Defending team gets two points for stopping them play around but still gets a point for stopping central split.

Block 3: Now 3 points for stopping them play over but the other two sets of points remain the same.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Screen 2

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Screen 2 (10 mins)

Primary Focus - SSG on defending the lines. Understand when and how to stop the opposition playing through, around, or over. Working with a midfield 4.

Organisation - Players bibbed up in and in positions as shown above. 9v9.

Area Size Width - 50 yards Length - 75 yards

Timings - 3 blocks of 2 minutes 30 seconds.

Explanation - Set up as shown. Ball will either start from the blue GK or fed in at random by the coach. Whites are trying to stop the blues playing through, around, or over them. If they win it they have 10 seconds to get a shot away. Coach to work with the whites on the principles of defending the lines but with the focus being around the midfield 4.

Adaptations:

Progressions - Remove target zone and play as normal game.

Regressions - Coach can give the ball to whites to start an attack if struggling.

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

Block 1: Stop the opposition playing through the middle zone (blue).

Block 2: Stop the opposition playing around (red).

Block 3: Stop the opposition playing over the top (beyond blue).

Key Points

Block 1: Focus on staying compact to stop the attackers playing through the middle. Shift as a unit showing composure and patience. Piece of string defending. More of a mid block, with striker trying to block central passes.

Block 2: Get in line with the ball. Slide and screen (piece of string defending). Still remain compact but less focus on defending the central areas. Back 3 must shift across to help double up in wide areas. CM shuffle across more as potential cover if wide player pushes onto opposition full back.

Interventions

Concurrent, Terminal, Walk Through, Coaching Process.

Problem

1. 1 of the opposition defenders beats the striker and carries ball forward.

2. Opposition wide defender picks up the ball in space and away from defending striker.

3. Blue midfielder drops in next to CB to create overload centrally in defensive third.

Solution

1. Reorganise, does depend on the players around. If back 3 are comfortable midfield 4 may slightly retreat and make sure that they are compact and stop the ball being played through. If players are running in behind, pressure may be needed on the ball. Midfielder closest will apply pressure, other 3 must show cover and balance.

2. Wide player on that side applies pressure, other 3 shift over to cover, leave spare player.

3. CM can step up to apply pressure, others must cover and balance in triangle formation to cut passing lanes. CM should try and shape body to show player wide to set trap to press wide.

How do we measure success?

Defending team score by winning the ball and scoring within 10 seconds. Goal worth two if they can do it through finding the striker after winning the ball.

Block 1: Scoring by playing through the blue will be worth 2 goals.

Block 2: Scoring by playing around now worth 2 goals, playing through is worth 1.

Block 3: Scoring over = 3 goals, around/through = 1 goal.

Also, judge on how midfield 4 move as a unit and gauge understanding of their roles and responsibilities.