Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Draft Fall Session '22: Improving Shifting/Pressing Midfield back line

Warm Up

Organization

Follow the diagram

Description:

At the start the player will zig zag to the cones and jog to the ball. As this is happening the player inside the small square will touch all 4 sides and defend the incoming player (body stance and shift).

Coaching Point:

warm players up for the upcoming defending session

anticipation

acceleration 

body positioning

SSG (20 mins)

Organization:

Now in a 20×20-yard area, we set up 3v3 plus a target player at each end.

Description:

Each team of three must stay in its own area and attempt to pass through to the target man. On receiving a pass the target player feeds into the previous defending unit.

Here, we’re looking for defending teams to slide across with the path of the ball, with defensive stances showing players are able to react quickly to an attempted pass. The nearest defender must press the ball as closely as possible (whilst remaining in his half), with defenders monitoring distances and angles between each other as well as checking the position of the target man behind.

Variation: Allow 1 midfielder to enter the opposite zone to recover the ball. Allow 1 player to take on a defender to make the pass or dribble beyond line for a point

Coaching Points:

Press when the ball enters your zone

communicate effectively to shift in the right spaces 

awareness of space behind (moving target)

Game (10 mins)

Observe all defending moments that involve the defending and midfield line.