Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): 2006 Hendersonville Positioning in Channels

Speed & Agility (10 mins)

Focus on the movements/muscle groups most heavily utilized in the session

4v4 Positioning (20 mins)

4v4/3v3 + neutral. Look to add a neutral in order to always have numbers up for the attacking team.

Divide the field into 3 horizontal channels and 4 vertical channels. No more than 2 players in each channel.

What happens when you move into a new channel?

When the attacker moves into a deeper channel?

Why can't we have more than 2 players in each channel?

When does the defending player move into a higher channel?

Another player must move into the vacated channel to provide balance. If target player drops deep wide player must look to get higher in order to provide space and keep team from being locked into own half

If more than 2 players in horizontal channel passing options become limited and ability to get forward becomes blocked. If vertical, team becomes unbalanced and the team shape is stretched. In both situations if the ball is lost the team shape is not set up to defend (shape is either flat or stretched) thus enhancing oposition counter attack.

Success: Players are looking for the free channels and are moving off the ball to find them.

Team is maintaining a good team shape. Despite the movement of team into new channels the base shape is still present.

Game is being played at a high tempo

8v8 Positioning (25 mins)

Build off of postioning ideas from lesson. Have 5 vertical channels for reference,

Note:

Attackers: 3-4-3 Formation template for 8v8

Defenders: 4-2-3-1