Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Functional session: defending the third

Clearances (15 mins)

Set Up & Organisation:

Theme: Defend The Third

This defending session is a technical practice that works with paired defenders in developing their individual and paired defending technique.

With 1 goal protected by a Goalkeeper and 2 Defenders, position 3 other players on each of the cones as shown with a supply of 3/4 balls. Each player must take it in turns to deliver a lofted pass or cross into the box for players to clear. Work through all balls and rotate defensive players to repeat practice.

To start the practice, defenders work individually, clearing the ball to give the coach a chance to work with each individual player. Then defenders work as pairs in clearing the balls delivered in.

Key Coaching Points:

Individial defending

Focus in on positioning to the ball

Clearing the ball high and wide

Reading the ball to judge clearance, header or foot clearance

Paired Defending

Focus on distance of clearance and covering positions of teammate and GK.

Progression

Press & Defend | After each clearance, players must squeeze and drop ready for next delivery. After the first clearance, a second ball is delivered into the box for defenders to clear.

SSG (20 mins)

Set Up & Organisation:

Progressions & Constraints:

In this half pitch practice, we focus on our attacking 4 players against a back 4. Our coach will play a ball into one of the front players, with their challenge to create effective angles to move defenders around. The back 4 must remain compact and look to regain possession to finish in one of two mini goals as shown.

Implement opportunities for defenders to recover during counter attacks, this may be after they have regained possession and look to score in mini goals.

Create opportunities to defend the goal with high balls and crosses around the 6 yard box, encouraging goalkeeper and defenders to protect goal.

- Encourage the opposition to get the ball wide and put balls into the box.

- Give 2 goals if the opposition score by a cross to encouage the balls into the box

Key Coaching Points:

Tactical | Compactness to protect space behind defensive line and recognition of when to squeeze or drop as a back line.

Technical | Defending in 1 v 1s and Defensive clearances (headers / tackles)

Social | Collective defending, limiting spaces in between and communication to perform group actions (press/drop/shuffle

When do you press and when do you delay?

What is causing the defensive line problems and how can you use the offside line to influence attacking options?