Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Attacking through Lines w/ pace (Checking into space)

Villarreal Force Academy

Equipment: 

• 12-18 Players; 
• 6-8 mannequins; 
• Ball; 
• 3 goals (1 full, 2 small)

Field Set-Up: 

• Use the middle and defensive thirds of a field;  
• Create a midfield/possession grid of 20Lx50-80W; Place 2 small goals at the end-line of this grid;
• Set two rows of 4 mannequins with a 10 yard channel between and the width of the 18 yard box; the 4 deeper mannequins should be 25-30 from the full size goal;
• Create two wide zones from outside 2 mannequins to the sideline

Player Set-Up:

• 8 v 8 (7+Goalkeeper)
• The Attacking (Yellow) team Starts with 5 players in the Midfield/Possession Zone; and 3 Players in the Defensive Third.
• The Defending (Blue) team starts with 4 players in the Midfield/Possession Zone; and 4 Players (3 defenders + Goalkeeper) in the Defensive Third

Objective: Attacking team (Yellow) needs to combine quickly through the Midfield with 3 passes before releasing into a checking player into the wide zone or central channel; Then the 3 attackers must go quickly at the defense in the defensive zone to create a chance on goal. 

• Play starts with the coach at the midfield third end-line into the attacking (Yellow) team. 
• They must get at least 2-3 passes in the midfield zone before playing it into a checking forward player. 
• The Forward players must check in to receive a pass in the channel between the midfield and defensive zones (with no defensive pressure to start) and turn and go 3v3 at goal. They have to create a chance on goal within 5 seconds or the play is over. If a player checks from the forward position and does not receive a pass from the midfield zone, they must retreat back to the defensive third before a different forward player can check.
• If the defenders win the ball in the midfield zone, they can go at either of the two smalls goals one the end-line. If they win it in the defensive third, play ends and the coach starts a new ball.

Coaching Points:

• Playing quickly through the midfield
• Finding the checking attacking player in good space
• Combining with other forward players to create chances before defensive help arrives
• Defensively in the midfield, organizing and trying to create chances from winning back in higher areas of the field
• Defensively in the defensive third, organizing and delaying to slow the attack or force bad chances by the attackers