Football/Soccer Session (Advanced): Playing Forward and Attacking in the Final 3rd

Arrival Activity

SET UP:

- Ball striking arrival activity.

- From set points, players must score with both left and right foot. The goal only counts if the ball hits the back of the net with no bounces.

- Once completed a stage, players will then move up to the next point (further distance).

KEY POINTS:

- WHAT PART OF THE FOOT? (INSIDE/OUTSIDE/LACES/TOE)

- PLANTED FOOT NEXT TO BALL

- BENT KNEE FOR ADDED STABILITY

- USE OF ARMS FOR BALANCE

- STRIKING THROUGH BALL

POTENTIAL PROGRESSIONS:

- Include GK.

1v1 Into 1v2

SET UP:

- 1v1 into 1v2.

- Attacker will start in the centre of the pitch, with the 2 defenders on outside by goals.

- 1 defender will pass ball into attacker and then they can start to attack at goal.

- Both defenders can then come onto pitch to pressure and stop defender. If they win ball back they can score in opposite goal.

KEY POINTS:

- BODY SHAPE/ANGLE/POSITION (CAN I RECEIVE TO PLAY FORWARD + PROTECT BALL FROM 2ND DEFENDER)

- CHANGE IN DIRECTION/SPEED/TOUCHES

- BALL CIRCULATION (HARDER FOR DEFENDERS IF BALL IS MOVING RATHER THAN STATIC)

- CAN WE PLAY/MOVE FORWARD/BE DIRECT TO ATTACK GOAL AND KEEP 1V1 RATHER THAN 1V2?

- PERCEPTUAL AWARENESS (WHERE IS THE PLAYABLE SPACE? WHERE IS THE DEFENDER IN FRONT? WHERE IS THE DEFENDER BEHIND?)

POTENTIAL PROGRESSIONS:

- 1v2 with different starting positions.

- 1v1 with time limit to become 1v2.

- Change of goal positions.

- 2v2.

Conditioned Game

SET UP:

- Conditioned game.

- Normal match rules, but pitch is tapered into goals (no corners).

- Focus on moving ball forward centrally, and how use of width can facilitate this.

KEY POINTS:

- CAN WE MOVE BEYOND THE BALL TO CREATE A VERTICAL PASSING OPTION?

- CAN I MOVE TO SUPPORT AND BE AN OPTION FOR THE PLAYER WITH THE BALL? (IN FRONT/TO THE SIDE/BEHIND THE BALL)

- MOVEMENT OFF THE BALL (TO CREATE SPACE FOR THE PLAYER WITH THE BALL/ TO CREATE SPACE FOR MYSELF TO RECEIVE/ TO CREATE SPACE FOR ANOTHER TEAMMATE TO RECEIVE.

- USE OF WIDTH AND DEPTH TO INCREASE PLAYABLE SPACE (BY STRETCHING THE OPPOSITION HORIZONTALLY, WE CAN CREATE MORE SPACE VERTICALLY TO PLAY THROUGH/PENETRATE)

- BALL CIRCULATION/SPEED OF PLAY (CAN WE MOVE THE BALL IN A WAY THAT MOVES OPPOSITION DEFENDERS OUT OF POSITION?)

- WHEN/WHERE TO PASS/DRIBBLE/SHOOT? (WHAT WILL INFORM THIS DECISION)

- 1/ CAN I MOVE THE BALL FORWARD VIA A DRIBBLE? 2/IF NO, CAN I MOVE THE BALL FORWARD VIA A DRIBBLE?

- IF I AM IN A GOOD POSITION, CAN I GET TAKE A SHOT AT GOAL? (IS THERE SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE IN A BETTER POSITION THAN ME TO SHOOT?)

- SHOT DISTANCE & LOCATION (HOW WILL THIS IMPACT HOW WE SHOOT? HOW WILL THIS IMPACT THE QUALITY OF SHOT? HOW WILL THIS IMPACT OUR CHANCES OF SCORING?)

- HOW DOES THE SHAPE OF THE PITCH AFFECT HOW WE PLAY? (CENTRAL FOCUS/ATTACKS DIRECT TOWARDS GOAL)

- USE OF WIDTH AND DEPTH (HOW WILL THE USE OF WIDTH HELP CREATE MORE SPACE IN THE CENTRE OF THE PITCH? HOW WILL THIS MAKE ATTACKS EASIER?)

POTENTIAL PROGRESSIONS:

- Change pitch shape.

- Different conditions for different teams.

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