Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): #3 UEFA B Attacking in my Mumbles Rangers 3-4-3 (Start Time: 2017-03-18 16:30:00)

Team shape (10 mins)

Background

I had been coaching this group of players for a number of years and we had typically played conventional 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 formations.

However, at Under-18 these formations were not working with the players I had. After a team discussion, we considered other options. Many teams we faced played with 5 in midfield (either 4-5-1, 4-2-3-1 or - rarely - 3-5-2). I felt using a solitary striker often left that player isolated and the only solution was to make the drastic (for me!) step of playing 3 at the back.

Having made this decision, the original plan was to play 3-5-2 but sometimes luck plays a part in decision-making!!

We were playing one of the weaker teams in the league and decided to experiment with an attacking 3-4-3.

It was a revelation and proved to be a perfect fit for the players I had.

Organisation

The ultimate shape we settled upon does not correspond with current thinking e.g. Antonio Conte's Chelsea.

(NB See next page for my visualisation of Chelsea's 3-4-3)

In our shape in open play:

No's 4,5 & 6 operated in Zone 1 and up as far as the halfway line.

No 8 acted as a screen and operated in Zones 1 & 2

The Wing-Backs offered width but only operated in Zones 1 & 2

No 10 was an old-fashioned "box to box" player who covered all zones but mainly 2 & 3

Attacking width came from 7 & 11 who operated in zones 2 & 3 servicing a central striker and the late-arriving No 10.

If the wingers dropped into Zone 2, the WB's (2 & 3) could tuck in to defend.

Amazingly, this radical change of formation suited this team perfectly and led to a vast improvement in performance; a team that had lost 70% of its games in the first 4 months of the season lost only twice (less than 20%) in the second 3 months.

Function - Practising movement (10 mins)

Key Factors

To develop the idea of the attacking roles in this new shape.

Organisation

Teams line up as follows:

- Red Midfield 4 plus 3 attackers. Red movement is restricted as per Screen 1 "Team Shape"

- Blue Back 4 plus two CM's. Blue Back 4 are restricted to Zone 3 and midfield to Zone 2

Blue keeper starts the practice by kicking a ball to Red 2,3 or 8 and Reds try to score in large goals.

If Blue win possession, they can score in mini-goals (positioned in the corners to focus the mind of the WB's)

Progressions

- can remove the condition limiting the Blue midfield and alow them to help out their defence.

Atacking Coaching Points

- 7 & 11 keep width touchline-to-touchline and make back-post runs to support the striker when ball is on opposite wing.

- 9 operates "in the channels" (i.e. between CB's and between FB & CB) and looks to run behind the Back 4

- With the No 10 arriving late, this gives us excellent width & depth