Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Speed and endurance fitness specific to attacking and defending

Corner counter pressing tag game (15 mins)

Overview

Set up as many areas as needed to cater for number in group. 2 separate 1v1 go at the same time. The runner has to try and get through either coned gate without being tagged (1 point). The tagger must come out of the corner and be aggressive to try and tag the runner. As soon as the runner either gets through a gate or is tagged, he instantly becomes the tagger and the next runner starts from the opposite corner.  Sprinting down the shaded area as an extra feature- racing another successful player. Dependent on the cone dictataes whether the player has too shoot or to sprint.  Coaches can dictate for defensive and attacking players

Coaching Points

Positive running

The attacker must be positive with their movement and run as quickly as possible to try and evade the defender. They must try to deceive the defender by changing direction quickly in an attempt to make the defender lose balance. The tagger must get low and keep his eyes on the runner. He needs to change direction quickly and try to mirror the runner's movements.

Decision making

The attacker needs to decide quickly which gate to run through and this can be dictated by the quality of transition he has after being a runner himself. If there is space to run in a straight line because the tagger is out of position, then the runner should do this at maximal speed.

Defensive transition

As soon as the player becomes a defender, they must try to get central as early and as quickly as possible to be in a position to tag the next runner. The mindset should change immediately from attacking to defending.

Body shape

The defender needs to get low, with bent knees enabling them to be able to change direction quickly and have fast footwork to close the attacker down. They need to keep their eyes on the attacker and try not to be deceived by any disguised movement. Having a split stance when changing to become the defender allows them to push off their back foot and accelerate towards the runner to close the space down.

Progressions

Include a ball for the attacker to dribble

Space the coned gates further apart so that the defenders have further to run when making the transition to become the tagger,

Regressions

Space the coned gates closer together so it is more simple for the defender to tag the runner after the transition

Reduce the size of the area

1.Individuality

Use specific practices / fitnessprinciples to focus on individual needs based on positional and current fitnessstrengths and weaknesses.- concentrating on decision making when fatigued and body position when defending or closing down an opponent

Number of Repetitions: 1 repetitionallows us to break up exercise into manageable components and allow rest andrecovery to keep quality repeat 5x then provide jog recovery

Number of Sets: repetitions make upsets such as 2-3 repetitions might make up 1 set after this number ofrepetitions a period of rest of at least 3-5 minutes will be needed beforerepeating this allows time for energy to be replenished.