Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Team Training Practice: Defending in a mid block against switching play to create

Example Block 1 (20 mins)

Team Training – Defending in a Mid-Block against a team switching play to attack

Area Size: Full width of the pitch x Box to Box

Thursday Matchday -3 (endurance)

Blocks 3x6 minutes (2 mins rest)

Out of Possession Team (10 players) – 4-2-3-1 (mid-block shape)

• Goalkeeper

• Back four: RB, CB, LB (only one CB)

• Midfield three: 6, 8, 10 (double pivot)

• Front three: 7, 9, 11

In-Possession Team (10 players) – 5-3-2

• Goalkeeper

• Back 5: RWB, CB, CB, CB, LWB

• Midfield two: 6, 8

• No No.10

• Two forwards

Setup

• Practice begins with the assistant coach playing into one of the in possession players who are positioned behind the line of engagement (white line)

• Line of engagement positioned to allow the 9 to arc/angle runs on the central defender.

• Once the ball is played, the in possession team works to progress play, but is allowed to circulate the ball behind the line of engagement.

• The out of possession team must remain behind the line of engagement and defend as a mid-block for 4 seconds.

• Objective for the out of possession team is to:

  • Stay compact as a unit

  • Deny the other team progressing into the final third.

  • defend the lines

  • Regain and play forward when possible

  • Stop the switch of play by reading triggers to press

  • Angle of press to stop the switch

• If the out of possession team wins the ball, they can counter attack into the three mini goals

Coaching Focus – Out of Possession Team (Mid Block)

Back 3:

• Protect the space in behind.

• Defends compactly and uses full-backs positioning to help control space

• Scan wide movements/overloads 

Midfield Three (6, 8, 10):

• 6/8 screens forward passes into the forwards

• 10 jump CM's if the ball enters

• Avoid disconnecting from the back line - remain compact vertically as well as horizontally.

Front Three (7, 9, 11):

• Set pressing traps

• Show play into wide areas or back to CBs

• Stop the switch of play through angles of the press.

• 9/10 lead the mid block organisation, ensuring triggers are recognised to trap the play wide and stop the switch.

In Possession Team Aims (to set the problem of switching )

• Who Switches play

  • deep switch using CB's

  • Switch using pivots

  • Create overloads out wide to assist the switch

• 10 or 8 to make central runs beyond the line to exploit space in behind following a switch

Challenges/Conditions/Targets

• Try to remain compact vertically and horizontally to defend the lines and prevent central progression, but, time the press to stop the switch of play.
• Understand roles when/how to deal with rotations and overloads being created, and protect the space in behind.
• Out of possession team have to stay behind the line of engagement for 4 seconds - this does not reset as a timer.
• Out of possession team must score within 10 seconds of winning the ball. 
• In possession team score 1 goal if they score, but 2 if they can perform a lane 1-5 switch once before scoring

• Remove the line of engagement to assess learning (block 2 onwards)

• Balls in from assistant
• Throw ins

• Coaching process
• Walkthroughs
• Individual
• Concurrent
• Terminal