Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): SAC Premier Blue 06 Boys vs Pipeline North- March 26, 2022 - EDP Div 3

1st Half Start

1st Half - 15min

Brandon - Ryan B

Ben W - Cole

Dylan - Ashwin

1st half - 30min

Joaquin - Nolan

Dylan - Ben W

Barbad - David (Ben F to #3, Barbad to #7)

DEFENSIVE PHASE - REGULAR

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES: ZONAL PRESS - DISCIPLINED BUT AGGRESSIVE

OVERALL TACTICAL THEME: THE AWARENESS AND QUALITY OF OUR PRESS. PRESSING IN THE RIGHT MOMENTS, IN THE RIGHT AREAS OF THE FIELD. THE GOAL IS TO CUT OFF PASSING LANES FROM OPPOSITION HALF INTO OUR OWN HALF, TO FORCE MISTAKES OR LONG BALLS.

CUT OFF SPACE/POCKETS IN FRONT OF OUR BACKLINE (MARKED RED)

**OUR SHAPE WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE BALL IS BASICALLY A 1-4-3-3 (ESPECIALLY IF THEY PLAY OUT FROM THE BACK)

TOP PRIORITIES:

1) RECOGNIZE THE TRIGGERS FOR THE PRESS!

*CUES TO PRESS OR APPLY PRESSURE FROM THE FRONT

bad touch, opponent going back to their own goal, bad pass, ball in the air, player with their back turned to you, player trapped by the sideline with no room to maneuver

If the #9 makes a decision to press hard from the front, all the attackers and midfielders must match the intensity to take away passing lanes and try to win the ball high up the field.

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2) SMALL GROUP DEFENDING - WORK TOGETHER WITH GOOD COMMUNICATION AND COMPACTNESS TO MINIMIZE BEING STRETCHED OUT. WHEN PRESS IS BROKEN, OUR DEFENSIVE SHAPE IS CRITICAL

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DEFENDERS

**-Be PATIENT when defending in wide areas in 1v1 battles. Goal is to DELAY as long as possible

* DO NOT allow any balls through the back line centrally....make everything go wide! (Zone 14 - REMEMBER). READ THE FLIGHT OF THE BALL AND DECIDE WHEN TO LET BALL RUN THROUGH

WHEN MAKING CLEARANCES, FOCUS ON GOOD CONTACT ON THE BALL NOT ON SMASHING THE BALL UP THE FIELD 

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 MIDFIELDERS

**When ball is lost, how quickly do we mentally and physically transition into a defensive mindset and position? CLICK MOMENTS!

- Get the right team shape across the middle of the pitch (compact) and maintain the shape as we transition from side to side and front to back (4-3-3). FORCE THEM TO GO LONG WITH THE BALL WHEN WE CAN!

*Critical that we are looking for midfielders that are set up in passing lanes ahead of us and get early pressure on them as the front three press hard from the front.

#6, #10 & #10 - Look for passing lanes to cut off into the center midfield areas.STAY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER. DEFEND EARLIER!!

DON'T TRY TO BE TOO FANCY WHEN WE WIN THE BALL BACK BUT CAN WE PLAY IMPACTFUL BALLS FORWARD? (NOT LONG JUST FORWARD)

OUR FIRST 2-3 PASSES AFTER WINNING POSSESSION ARE CRITICAL AND DETERMINE IF WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE GAME! 

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ATTACKERS

#7, #11 & #9 -RESPONSIBILITY TO CONNECT TO PREVENT OPPONENT HAVING TIME ON THE BALL AND EASY PATHS INTO MIDFIELD. STAY CONNECTED

*Attackers must be switched on to recognize the triggers to press and stay narrower and compact to make an effective press.

*Show patience in waiting for the moment to press. Don't press the GK unless in the midst of press the ball is passed back to GK.

*if playing out from the back wait for the GK to make his decision and who he passes to then we press to force them down one side or the other.

*on first pass to wide areas #9 works to cut off half the field with primary goal of cutting off forward passes or passes to midfield (not necessarily the GK)

ATTACKING PHASE

IN POSSESSION IN THE ATTACKING HALF OF THE FIELD

PRIORITY: FORWARD MOVEMENTS TO CREATE PRESSURE ON THE DEFENSIVE BACK LINE

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TRIGGERS/AWARENESS:

*DO OUR MIDFIELDERS HAVE TIME AND SPACE ON THE BALL? LOOK TO MAKE THE INTELLIGENT RUNS AHEAD OF THEM (#2, #3, #7, #11, #9)

*DO WE HAVE A 2V1 TO CREATE A COMBINATION TO PENETRATE (GET BEHIND THE DEFENDER OR DEFENSIVE LINE)

*ALWAYS BE LOOKING TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BACK LINE BY CREATING PENETRATING RUNS FORWARD

*HAS THE BALL BEEN PLAYED HORIZONTAL/SIDEWAYS? MAKE A FORWARD RUN OFF THAT PASS.

1. QUICK MOVEMENT

     -What comes first? the run or the pass?THE RUN gives visual cues to our teammates

     -How do we make sure our teammates are aware of our movement?(the speed/intention of the movement & communication)

      - What kind of movement is most likely to unbalance the defenders and create space behind the defense (angled runs at speed). Angled runs/straight passes or straight runs/angled passes.

      -When you make a pass horizontal, find a new opening vertically or away from the ball (rotation of other players into the space)

      - combination passes when we recognize 2v1 numerical advantage situations to create penetration.

ATTACKERS - WHEN WE WIN THE BALL HIGH UP THE FIELD, BE ATTACK MINDED AND GO TO GOAL.  

**DON'T BE AFRAID TO SHOOT! ** - HAVE YOUR HEAD UP AND BE AWARE OF SHOOTING OPPORTUNITIES EARLY 

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MIDFIELDERS

QUICK PASSING - GET THE BALL OUT OF YOUR FEET MUCH EARLIER

Look for the cues to make the right pass:

*Attackers ahead of you making good runs

*How much space is in front or behind the back line (space behind, then put the ball over the back line)

*opposition center backs leaving large gaps between them.

*Opposition GK is way back on their goal line. 

NO PRESSURE ON THE BALL? THIS IS OUR MAGIC MOMENT TO PUT PRESSURE ON THEIR BACK LINE

If the defensive team is not applying hard pressure to the ball, get your head up and can you find an attacker making penetrating runs beyond the back line? Force the defensive unit to back up 

DO YOU HAVE PRESSURE ON THE BALL? 

Look to maintain possession - balls out to wide areas, backwards if necessary

** The QUALITY & DIRECTION of your first touch really sets the stage for maintaining possession.

  2. THE QUALITY OF OUR PASSING?

      - How accurate is our passing? do we play the ball to the correct foot of the receiving player?

       - Is the weight of the pass correct to either lead them into space or give them the best chance to get a quality first touch when receiving?

        - can we manage the balance between short accurate passing and longer range passing to switch the point of attack? 

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DEFENDERS

1. BE CALM, BE COMPOSED, BE ACCURATE, BE MOBILE

Set the foundation for our attacking play by making smart decisions while playing out from the back.

*When ball goes back to GK, he should ALWAYS have two passing options to his left and to his right. A third option in #6 dropping in between both CBs is also an option.

*Identify when the pressure is coming from (do we have a front 3 attackers or just a front 2)

*If the clear, clean pass is not available while playing out from the back, don't be afraid to go longer with the ball to relieve some pressure. That applies to both GK and to CBs.