Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): WK 4-6: Middle third

IP General: Breaking lines

Playing through the thirds

IP Focus: Breaking lines

Physical load: MD-4

3 rounds- 4 minute work: 1 minute rest
-High AC/DC/COD

Set up:

2 30x24yd boxes, 8yd spacing to create 3 horizontal channels

2 goals

3 teams, 5v5 +5

Organisation:

Coaching IP team (Reds): When in possession can they spread across 3 channels, creating width and depth to spread OP team, opening space to play between lines

Managing OP team (Yellows): Initiate pressure, cover and balance to force team into 2 channels closing off forward passing options

Managing 3rd team (Blues): Find spaces between the lines to receive ball from IP team

Point system- 1 point to teams for playing over, 2 points for playing around, 3 points for breaking line, 6 points for team out of possession dispossessing and scoring

Conditions, Targets, Challenges:

Co 1- When receiving pass from other side the team must make one pass before looking to play it back across

Co 2- Team OP swap with team they dispossess if they get a shot on target or score. After 3rd dispossession they automatically swap roles

Aims IP- Reds (Coach)

-Draw pressure to create gaps in opponents shape to exploit with line breaking pass

-All players on different horizontal and vertical lines to create passing angles for team mates

Aims OP- Yellows (Manage)

-Stay compact in shape

-Direct opponents into 1-2 channels ensuring the team has balance to close off forward options

Aims 3rd team- Blues (Manage)

-Keep moving behind the line of OP team to create passing angles to receive from team IP

Technical outcomes:

-Precision on pass, firm accurate passes 

-Receive across body when possible to open up and play forward pass

-1 touch passes when applicable to maintain ball speed and exploit gaps when open

Concurrent- Speed of ball movement to not allow defending players to get set

Terminal- Demonstrate how getting on different horizontal and vertical lines will allow new passing angles and open up other shorter or longer passing options for team mates who are around/away from the ball

Make field smaller, close off one channel

Regression:

Limit amount of players OP allowed to press

IP MSG: Breaking lines

Playing through the thirds

IP Focus: Breaking lines

Physical load: MD-3

3x 8 minute blocks, 2 minute interventions
-Medium AC/DC/COD

Set up:

60x44 tapered field (Length- Box to box, Width of D to width of 18yd box)

2 teams, 6v6 +GK's Central players in 1-4-3-3 formation

Organisation:

Coaching IP team (Blues): Create space for themselves/team mates by moving off ball away adding temporary width, depth & length to spread opponents shape and allow to play between the lines

Managing OP team (Reds): Stay compact to force Blues around and not through

Conditions, Targets, Challenges:

Co 1- Team OP can not start past orange cones on a restart

Co 2- Keeper must play on floor from restart or out of hands

Ta 1- Break lines & score is 3 goals

Ch- Can you split the defenders on the final pass before shooting?

Aims IP- Blues (Coach)

-Create gaps in opponent's shape through width, depth & length, allowing exploitation with line breaking passes

-Create gaps through drawing pressure with shorter passing combinations to allow space in behind

-All players on different horizontal and vertical lines to create passing angles for team mates (especially 3 CM's)

-When involving the 9 in the build up, one CM makes 3rd man run

Aims OP- Reds (Manage)

-Stay compact in shape, force opponent wide

-Consistent pressure cover and balance, within 10-15 yards of next line to close space between lines

Technical outcomes:

-Tight first touches to ensure ball stays close in tight spaces

-Precision on pass, firm accurate passes

-Receive across body when possible to open up and play forward pass

-1 touch passes when applicable to maintain ball speed and exploit gaps when open

Concurrent- Speed of ball movement to not allow defending players to get set in shape

Terminal- Demonstrate how getting on different horizontal and vertical lines will allow new passing angles and open up other shorter or longer passing options for team mates who are around/away from the ball

Make field smaller- up to the orange cones

- Use smaller target goals of End zones instead big goals to stop shots from distance and give more opportunity for line breaking passes

Regression:

Set up managing team in GK-4-4-2 formation OP to allow more opportunities to overload in midfield

IP Specific: Switching play

Playing through the thirds

IP Focus: Switching play

Physical load: MD-3

3x 8 minute blocks, 2 minute interventions
-Medium AC/DC/COD

-Medium HSR

Set up:

40x60yds (Middle third- Use field dimensions)

2 teams, 7v7+ target goals (9's)

Organisation:

Coaching IP team (Reds): Draw opponents into one side of the field to create space on other side for switch

Managing OP team (Yellows): Force play into wide channel, If dispossess get across end line or play to target goal

Conditions, Targets, Challenges:

Co 1- When out of possession, can only defend in 2 of 3 of the channels

Ta 1- 3 goals for switching play from one wide channel to the opposite wide channel, double points if done in 1 pass

Ch 1- If you win ball back in one wide channel can you get the ball to the other wide channel in under 4 seconds?

Aims IP- Reds (Coach)

-Understand when to possess in tight spaces to bait/draw defenders, creating space for switch

-When around the ball of the player receiving, rotate your body around their feet be a passing option, maintain possession until we find the player facing forward to switch the ball

-Winger sees when it is time to move high and wide ready for switch

Aims OP- Blues (Manage)

-Stay compact in shape, force opponent wide

-Compress the space to not allow time for team in possession to get the ball out of their feet to switch

-Weak side full back anticipate switch to intercept/put pressure on winger on first touch directing towards sideline

Technical outcomes:

-Set up touch out of feet for Driven/lofted pass

-Driven/lofted pass technique, toes out, knee forward

-Tight first touches to ensure ball stays close in tight spaces

-Precision on pass, firm accurate passes

-Receive across body when possible to open up and play forward pass

-1 touch passes when applicable to maintain ball speed and exploit gaps when open

Concurrent- When in wide channel first thought is 'can I play the switch?' second thought is who on my team is in enough space to play switch?

Terminal- Demonstrate how to set up for both chain switch and big switch once drawn to one side of field

-If win ball back in one wide channel, must play to target goal or other wide channel to score

Regression:

-Swap target goals for neutral players to help switch point of attack

OP General: Anticipating & Intercepting

Defending in the middle third

OP Focus: Intercepting passes/counter pressing

Physical load: MD-3

3x 3 minute blocks, 2 minute interventions
-High AC/DC/COD

Set up:

30x15 box

6+ players (Add work duration with more players) 

Organisation:

To start drill, first player passes ball towards goal (team mate) then counter presses 'intercepting player'

Coaching OP moments: Once approaching player has taken on 'counter pressing player', the 'intercepting player' will move to the near side of the goal, when ball is released they may move in front of the goal to intercept pass. The player who passed the ball now becomes the 'counter pressing player', moving towards 'intercepting player' to put passive pressure on them, forcing them to move around them. The sequence then starts again

Conditions, Targets, Challenges:

Co 1- Dribbling player must play pass before going past white dot (15 yds)

Co 2- Intercepting player cannot leave target goals 'shoulder' until pass is played

Ta 1- Can counter pressing player force intercepting player to change direction?

Ch- Can we complete 10 passes on goal on target in a row?

Aims OP

-As dribbling player is approaching with the ball, intercepting player moves to opponents (target goals) near side shoulder to create an angle to step towards the ball

-Counter pressing player moves to close off passing lane and directs opponent one way (passively) 

Aims IP

-As intercepting pass, drive forwards in opposite direction from pass to start counter attack

Technical outcomes:

Intercepting player

-First touch when intercepting is into space to allow player to continue to build speed

-Precision on pass, firm accurate passes

Counter pressing player

-Small fast deceleration steps as player approaches

-Hips & shoulders directing player one way in low defensive stance

Concurrent- Intensity of counter press, react quickly to 'mistake'

Terminal- Demonstrate realistic scenario where in possession team play to their advanced midfielder/striker and show how defenders angle of approach sets up the opportunity to intercept on defenders near shoulder

Allow counter pressing player to fully defend, turn into 1v1 drill

Regression:

Set up passing distance further away to give intercepting player more time to set up

OP MSG: Compactness

IP Specific: MSG

OP Focus: Staying compact, directing wide

40x44yd + 2 15x44yd end zones (Middle third- Use field dimensions)

2 teams: 6v6

Organisation:

Working with: OP team (Blue) Defending central area, direct Red's wide and deny passing opportunities into end zone

Managing: IP team (Red) Attacking through central channel, playing ball through to team mate in the end zone

Progression:

-Widen end zone to wide channels allowing lower amount of goals if they play there to force blue team into a bigger shape creating more gaps

Regression:

-Shorten field to one side of middle third

Physical load:

2-3 x 10 minute blocks

High Accelerations/Decelerations

Medium high speed running

Coaching points:

-Communicate with voice and body as to which way the first pressing player (often 9) is directing opponents

-Start in mid block, approach on triggers to press: Weak pass, bad touch, bouncing ball, back turned ect