Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending the Switch of Play

Defending the Switch of play (10 mins)

Specific Practice:

Principles:

In possession - Make the pitch big / who can switch play / speed of switch

Out of possession - Force the direction of play / defend narrow / leave the furthest player / keep play predictable

Organisation:

Area size: 45x45yds (Mark 3 zones as shown)

Attacking team set up 1-4-2-1 broken down from a 1-4-2-3-1 without LM and RM

Defending team set up 1-3-3 broken down from 1-4-3-3 without Defenders

90 secs Framing, 3 blocks in all, 1st two blocks of 2 mins and last block of 2.5 mins with breaks and interventions

Explanation:

Objective is to Manage the ATT team (Red) and Coach the DEF team (Yellow).

When the ball is out of play, the GK from the Red team restarts play after waiting for players to reset.

ATT team need to stay wide and use the depth to score in the opp goal.

ATT team have to try move the ball into all 3 zones before scoring.

DEF team need to stay narrow and compact and try to force play wide and stop the switch.

When the DEF team win the ball they have 7 secs to score.

Blocks:

1) GK has to play the ball to the CBs, DEF team press high show wide stop switch

2) GK can play through, around or over, DEF team stay compact, show opp to go wide and win the ball.

3) DEF team stay in a low block in their own half and stop switch.

Target:

ATT team to score in the opp goal by moving the ball through different channels.

DEF team to stop the switch and win the ball back and score.

Condition:

DEF team has 10 secs to score a goal, if they do it in 5 they get 2 points.

ATT team CBs allowed only till the half way line.

All balls start from the ATT (Red) team GK 

Challenge:

DEF team get extra point if they can win the ball back and score within 5 secs.

ATT team get an extra point if they move the ball in all 3 zones before scoring.

Extra point if ATT team can switch play directly in the 2 end zones and score.

Coaching Points:

In possession:

• Make the pitch big (Width and Depth)
• Use limited touches and move the ball quickly
• Receive the ball on the back foot
• Ball speed

Out of possession:

• Defend Narrow
• Force Direction of Play
• Protect Middle
• Leave furthest player free
• Force Wide
• Triggers to press
• Angled run to block passing lane
• Communication

Interventions:

• Concurrent
• Terminal
• Walk Through
• Coaching Process

Block 2

GK can play through, around or over, DEF team stay compact, show opp to go wide and win the ball.

Principles:

In possession - Make the pitch big / who can switch play / speed of switch

Out of possession - Force the direction of play / defend narrow / leave the furthest player / keep play predictable

Organisation:

Area size: 45x45yds (Tappered defensive side) (Mark 3 zones as shown)

Attacking team set up 1-4-2-1 broken down from a 1-4-2-3-1 without ST, LM and RM

Defending team set up 3-3 broken down from 1-4-3-3 without  DFs

2 mins with breaks and interventions

Explanation:

Red team GK can play through around or over.

The person closest to the ball closes down and shows wide.

Rest of the Yellow team move accordingly as shown to stop the switch.

Once the Yellow team are is good position can they try to win the ball and score in 5 secs.

Coaching Points:

In possession:

• Make the pitch big (Width and Depth)
• Use limited touches and move the ball quickly
• Receive the ball on the back foot
• Ball speed

Out of possession:

• Defend Narrow
• Force Direction of Play
• Protect Middle
• Leave furthest player free
• Force Wide
• Triggers to press
• Angled run to block passing lane
• Communication

Interventions:

• Concurrent
• Terminal
• Walk Through
• Coaching Process

SSG (15 mins)

Principles:

In possession - Make the pitch big / who can switch play / speed of switch

Out of possession - Force the direction of play / defend narrow / leave the furthest player / keep play predictable

Organisation:

Area size: 54x45yds  (Mark 3 zones as shown)

Attacking team set up 1-4-2-1-1 broken down from a 1-4-2-3-1 without LM and RM

Defending team set up 1-2-3-3 broken down from 1-4-3-3 without FBs

90 secs Framing, 4 blocks of 2.5 mins each with breaks and interventions

Explanation:

Objective is to Manage the ATT team (Red) and Coach the DEF team (Yellow).

When the ball is out of play, the GKs will start the play unless instructed by the coach.

ATT team need to stay wide and use the depth to score in the opp goals.

ATT team have to try move the ball into all 3 zones before scoring.

DEF team need to stay narrow and compact and try to force play wide and stop the switch.

When the DEF team win the ball they have 10 secs to score.

Blocks:

1) GK has to play the ball to the CBs, DEF team press high show wide stop switch

2) GK can play through, around or over, DEF team stay compact, show opp to go wide and win the ball.

3) DEF team now stay in a low block in their own half and try to stop switch.

4) Open play with throw ins and freekicks to create new game realistic situations.

Target:

ATT team to score in the opp goal by moving the ball through different zones.

DEF team to stop the switch and win the ball back and score.

Condition:

DEF team has 10 secs to score a goal, if they do it in 5 they get 2 points.

ATT team CBs have to stay within the 18 yard box (own half in actual game situations) to create realistic situations.

ATT team have to move the ball atleast in 2 channels to score.

Challenge:

DEF team get extra point if they can win the ball back at the full back and score within 5 secs

ATT team get an extra point if they move the ball in all 3 zones before scoring.

Extra point if ATT team can switch play directly in the 2 end zones and score.

Coaching Points:

In possession:

• Make the pitch big (Width and Depth)
• Use limited touches and move the ball quickly
• Receive the ball on the back foot
• Ball speed

Out of possession:

• Defend Narrow
• Force Direction of Play
• Protect Middle
• Leave furthest player free
• Triggers to press
  
• Angled run to block passing lane
• Communication

Interventions:

• Concurrent
• Terminal
• Walk Through
• Coaching Process

2)What if?

The screen (number 6) of the red team is able to get on the ball.

Explanation: (in this case)

The (yellow) CAM closest to the player on the ball closes him down and shows him wide. During this time the front 3 have to make thier way back and get behind the ball while trying to make sure he is not able to pass the ball back to the (red) CBs. The whole (yellow) team shuffles and forces the ball to go wide and stop switch).