Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Midfielder - turning drill

Midfielder turning drill - Set Up

Practice objective

In possession - Turn away from defender pressure to break the lines

Out of possession - Apply pressure to win the ball back, don't let midfielders turn

Set up and progressions

An area is made consisting of 3 channels (blue, white, red). Four cones are placed on the outside to make a bigger square. Coach (green) stands in the middle an plays the ball into players controlling the tempo. 

When the ball is played into Yellow the Reds try to press to win the ball back. To do so they select one specific lane and must press through that lane. 

The red attacker then takes a touch away from their presser into a seperate lane, once in that lane they can no longer be pressed and they play a pass out to a red who then plays back to coach.

The yellow then joins the back of the red line and vice versa to keep the drill moving. 

Progression

• Tighter spaces, remove one lane and make a box. Defenders must either press inside the box or outside the box
• Attackers start on the other side of the lanes must travel back through the lane at the same time as their pressure and have a good first touch to take them away from their defender.
• Defenders are moved closer. Defenders are given numbers and when one is called then they must press the midfielder.