Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Playing around the opposition (Start Time: 2025-12-11 19:00:00)

Rondos with emphasis on switching the play (25 mins)

Organisation:

- 6 players in each zone (plus GK). 2 bounce players (Wide players) on the outside.

- Play starts with a rondo in one of the end zones (blues start with the ball in the diagram above).

- Players must make at least 5 passes before switching the ball out to one of the wide players (in orange). 

- The wide player then opens up and switches it out to the other side (the reds)

- Two players from the middle zone (yellows) will go in and apply pressure.

- Once ball is transferred over, 2 yellows in the middle zone go in and press.

Conditions:
- Wide players can move freely up and down the line.

- Wide players cannot be tackled but can be intercepted if a poor pass is made.

Time: 

- 3 x 3 minute blocks with groups rotating at the end of each block.

- The two progressions will also be 3 x 3 minute blocks so 24 minutes in total.

Progressions: 

1) When the ball gets played out to the wide player, the wide player must then play a wall pass or recycle it back to the group it came from and they must then look to instantly switch it out to the other wide player who plays into the other side.
- Also - 3 defenders can now press.

2) The teams on the end zones can now look to play through the opposition but they are still encouraged to try and get the ball out wide if possible and get the switch done quickly.

- Defending team can now have the freedom to press however they want to. 

Coaching points:

Attackers:

- Keep the ball moving quickly

- Look for the third man run

- Body positioning

- Movement off the ball

Defenders:

- Body positioning

- Block passing lanes

- Lock onto the wide player

- Shuffle as a unit

Point scoring:

- Every time a switch of play/a line gets broken, the team that played the pass gets a point.

- If the ball goes out of play, the pressing team get a point.

- If the pressing team score in one of the mini goals, they get 3 points.

11v11 SSG (25 mins)

Organisation:

11v11. full width pitch, with wide zones to try and encourage our wide players to receive the ball in this zone to start an attack, 1/2 length. 

- 1 team will set up as a GK-4-3-3
- The other team will set up as a GK-4-4-2 diamond

Conditioned SSG focusing on building out from the GK and trying to get the ball out wide.

Conditions:

- Only condition to start is that if a wide player receives the ball out wide and the team scores from it, they get 2 goals.

- Finish on free play