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Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): UEFA C Session Plan- Switching Play

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FAW Coach Ed

Mark Cadwallader

Profile Summary

Mark Cadwallader
Name: Mark Cadwallader
City: Chester
Country: United Kingdom
Membership: Adult Member
Sport: Football/Soccer
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Description

Organization (Practice Layout & Transition)

Field Size: 40x35 yards

Today's focus is on switching play through a central zone. 

Goals: getting players recognize when an area is blocked or crowded. When they recognize that can they make the decision to attack elsewhere. 

Getting players without the ball communicating with their teammates. Players on the ball listening to the communication by turning or playing the ball back based off the information relayed.

Getting players to recognize space in the middle of the field and using it to switch the point of attack. Are players being patient to create clear goalscoring opportunities or are they forcing the play and losing the ball?

Welsh Way Principles:

Switching Play- Make the pitch big, maintain width, decision making when to switch, who can switch, exploit the space, ball speed

Turning

Confidence on the Ball

Clear Decision making to play through, around, over

Move the ball quickly- find the spare player

Create and exploit scoring opportunities.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Technical Warm Up

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Technical Warm Up
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Technical Warm Up (15 mins)

Adaptations (Progressions & Regressions):

The blue team will check from the middle to the yellow players on the outside. They will check their shoulders and turn side on to receive the ball. The yellow player will yell "turn" as he passes the ball. The blue player will receive the ball on their back foot and turn. They will dribble the ball into the center square, scan, find a yellow player without the ball, and pass them the ball. Once that is done the blue player will go back to the square, scan, find a player with a ball, and explode out of the square asking for the ball. 

After 1 minute the blue and yellow players switch. This block will be 1 minute x4. Both groups will have 2 opportunities to go. 

Progression 1: Man on!

The blue players in the middle will check to a yellow player, scan, and turn side on. As the yellow player passes they will say "man on". The blue player will receive the ball on their front foot, protect the ball (unopposed), and pass it back. Tehn they will return to the square and find another player. 

This block will again be 1 minute x4. 

Progression 2: Turn and Man on

This time when the blue player checks in the yellow player can yell either "turn" or "man on". If the player yells "turn", the blue player will turn and find an open player to pass to. If the player yells "man on", the blue player will shield the ball (unopposed), and then pass it back. Then go find another pass. 

This block will be 1 minute x4. 

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

Are players scanning multiple times before getting the ball?

Are players turning side on?

Are players receiving on their back foot to turn?

Are players on the outside communicating early enough?

Once the players go through the middle square, can they explode with speed into a new area?

Challenge players to receive and turn with both feet. Can they use their non-dominant foot?

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Drill

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Drill
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Drill (30 mins)

Adaptations (Progressions & Regressions):

3 Teams: Blue, Yellow, Green

Neutral: Red

Two teams will be in the field playing with the neutrals. The other team will be bouncers on the outside of the field. Before going to goal the team in possession must play the ball through the central zone. The ball can be a passed to a teammate in the zone, a pass through the zone or a dribble through the zone before scoring on a small goal. 

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

The defensive team is not allowed in the central zone.

Attacking players are not allowed to stand still in the zone. They must make a run into the zone. If the ball does not come to them they must leave and reenter or a teammates comes in. 

Players are not forced to play right away into the zone. Free play outside the zone.

Can players recognize when to switch the play? 

Can players find space in the middle to receive the ball?

Even if they already went through the middle, if a goal is blocked, can they switch through the middle to attack the other side?

Bouncers are only allowed two touches. Can move up and down their sideline to help the team in possession.

After 4 minutes the green team will switch with one of the sides in the middle and new neutrals will be selected. 

Progression 1: one defensive player can go into the area to defend. Two offensive players can enter and work together. 

Can players communicate with the players in the middle to "turn" or "man on"?

Progression 2: remove the box. 

Even without the box are players finding space in the middle to switch the play?

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG
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SSG (40 mins)

Adaptations (Progressions & Regressions):

No bouncers, just two neutrals to give advantage to the attacking team. 6v6 +2 neutrals.

Before scoring in the goal, the team in possession must switch the ball through the central area. 

Progression 1: players must combine inside the area as well as switch the play.

Progression 2: up the number the times the ball must go through the central area before scoring. 

Progression 3: take away the cones marking the center zone to make it more game realistic. 

Progression 4: free play.

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

Can players recognize when to switch the play?

Can players find space in the middle to receive the ball?

Even if they already went through the middle, if a goal is blocked, can they switch through the middle to attack the other side?

Can player combine within the central area, as two central mids playing together?

Without the central zone, can they still recognize space in the middle to switch the play when one side is blocked?

When it's free play, can the players continue to switch the play when needed and recognize where the open space is? 

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