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Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Breaking lines in possesion

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FAW Coach Ed

Nathan Manasco

Profile Summary

Nathan Manasco
Name: Nathan Manasco
City: Gibraltar
Country: Gibraltar
Membership: Adult Member
Sport: Football/Soccer
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Description

Organisation (Practice Layout & Transition)

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): breaking lines

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): breaking lines
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breaking lines

Breaking Lines – Attacking (6v6 + Neutral)

Session Objective:

Develop players’ ability to break opposition lines through intelligent ball movement, decision making, and effective use of support players.

???? Set Up

  • Area Dimensions: 45m x 40m

  • Zones: 3 horizontal zones – Defensive, Midfield, Attacking

  • Players: 6v6 + 1 Neutral (introduced in Block 2)

  • Equipment: Balls, cones, bibs, 4 target goals

  • Structure:

    • 5v5 in initial phases

    • Progresses to 6v6 + Neutral player

    • Neutral can float between zones in Block 2

???? Timings

  • 3 Blocks x 4 min 30 sec

  • Rest Between Blocks: 45 seconds

???? Principle of Play:

Breaking Lines in Possession
Successfully move the ball through the thirds/zones without interception.

Key Coaching Points

  • Movement of the Ball

    • Quick ball circulation to shift defenders

    • Use of third man runs and bounce passes

  • Decision Making

    • Recognizing when to pass, dribble, or recycle

    • Identifying space between lines

  • Transitions

    • Quick defensive reaction on loss of possession

    • Immediate support options when ball is won

???? Progression Blocks

Block 1: Line Breaking Through Zones

  • Rules:

    • Standard 5v5 game

    • Minimum 1 pass per zone before progressing to next

    • Players may pass or dribble into next zone

    • Score a point for every successful progression from Defensive to Attacking zone without interception

  • Focus:

    • Zone discipline, creating passing lanes, supporting behind and ahead of the ball

Block 2: Introduce Neutral Player

  • Rules:

    • Add 1 Neutral Player (floats across all zones)

    • Team in possession plays 6v5

    • A point is scored when:

      • Ball is worked into Attacking Zone

      • Neutral player is used

      • Neutral lays off to another player to finish

  • Focus:

    • Positional awareness of the neutral

    • Creating overloads and quick combinations in the final third

Block 3 (Optional Add-on or Repeat Block 2 with Adjustments)

  • You can increase difficulty:

    • Limit touches in the midfield zone

    • Add a time constraint for attacking phase

    • Allow defenders to press into next zone if triggered (e.g. after a backwards pass)

???? Coached Team: Blue

  • Focus on creating central overloads, breaking lines vertically and diagonally, and supporting transitions.

???? Opposition Team: Purple

  • Tasked with intercepting progression, forcing play wide, and pressing triggers.

✅ Outcomes

Players will improve:

  • Breaking compact defensive structures

  • Playing between and beyond lines

  • Reading transitional moments to counter quickly or recover shape
Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): breaking lines 2

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): breaking lines 2
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breaking lines 2

 

Block (3) – 4 minutes 30 seconds

⚽ Game Rule / Progression

  • When a team successfully breaks a line and enters the next zone, they may bring one additional player into that new zone.

  • Defenders can move freely between zones but must remain compact to prevent progression.

???? Challenges

  • Complete 5 consecutive passes in the attacking zones.

  • Find the neutral player in the attacking zone.

✅ Conditions

  • Players must make at least 1 pass in their zone before moving to the next.

  • The neutral player must lay the ball off to another player to score (i.e., no shooting directly after receiving).

???? Problems & Solutions

Problem 1:

The defending team is well organized and tracking direct lines of play.

Solution 1:
Use a third-man combination:

  • Player A passes to Player B.

  • Player B draws defenders and plays a layoff.

  • Player C runs into space and receives the final pass.
    This creates movement and confusion in the defensive structure, opening up passing lanes.

Problem 2:

A compact low block is denying through balls.

Solution 2:

  • Use attacking midfielders or forwards to position themselves between the defensive lines.

  • Combine with quick, short passes into space to destabilize the defensive block.

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