Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending - Carousel Practise

Technical Defending - Carousel Practise (30 mins)

Adaptations (Progressions & Regressions):

Session 1 is aimed at increasing player capabilities to defend as a team. Each defending player is encouraged to pick an opposition player and when that player receives the ball, to get in line with the ball (mechanic 1), put pressure on the ball (mechanic 2) and place their body into a position to restrict the oppositions options of passing or running with the ball (mechanic 4). Once the ball is won, the defending team then look to dribble the ball through any of the yellow gates. 2 points for winning possession and an additional point (1) for ensuring the ball passes through a gate.

Progressions

Time limit - Defending team has a time limit to win the ball back (time dependant on age and ability of players) and dribble through the yellow gates.

Add a touchline as an additional defender - Red cones on each side of the pitch are brought into play to act as touchlines. Reinforces the players need to get their bodies into a good defensive position and use the touchline as an additional defensive mechanism. 3 points awarded for a defender who effectively uses the touchline to reduce the oppositions space. 

Regression

Team in position must make 5 passes and all of the team must touch the ball before progressing towards the yellow gate. This will allow the defending team more time to get into good positions to add pressure to the ball.

Session 2 is aimed at increasing a players capability to defend in a 1 V 1 situation. Defending player is encouraged to get in line with the ball (mechanic 1) early and put pressure on the player as soon as possible (mechanic 2). It is key that the defending player stays on their toes (mechanic 5) and is patient (mechanic 6) before deciding to win the ball at the best moment (mechanic 7). Once the ball is won, the defending player will then look to dribble the ball across the baseline. 2 points for defender winning possession and dribbling the ball across the baseline. 1 point for the attacker beating the defender and dribbling across the baseline. Points are accumulated for each player, with the most points winning the duel. 

Progression

Defending players must win the ball within the section indicated on the pitch, increasing or decreasing the amount of physical work the player needs to show to put pressure on the ball and speeding up the decision making process of when to win it.

Regression

Limiting the number of touches the player in possession has on the ball to increase defending opportunities to win the ball. 

Session 3 is aimed at increasing a players capability to defend in the final third (defensive third) of the pitch. Defending player is encouraged to close the space between them and the attacker as soon as possible by accelerating once they've passed the ball and then decelerate (mechanic 3) to enable them get into a good body position (mechanic 4) to prevent the attacker from getting a shot away. Patience (mechanic 6) and decision making on when to win the ball (mechanic 7) are extremely important to the defensive players chances of success in this session. If the defensive player blocks/prevents a shot or wins the ball 1 point is awarded.

Progression

Awareness of where the defender is in relation to the goal and the baseline area is also important and the defender puts pressure on ball (mechanic 2) to manoeuvre the attacking player away from the goal and into the baseline zones. 2 points award if the defensive player steers the attacker away from goal and into a baseline zone. 

Regression

Limiting the number of touches the player in possession has on the ball to increase defending opportunities to win the ball.

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

The challenge for the defending player(s) in these sessions is to see how many times they are able to win the ball within the allotted time.