Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Pressing and Counter Attacking

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Ciaran Carmichael

Profile Summary

Name:	Ciaran Carmichael
City:	Glasgow
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

This is a defensive session focused on pressing and counter attacking. It is based off a 16 player session however practices can be adjusted to suit numbers.

The goal is to get our players to understand the principles of pressing and counter attacking - In fast, slow down, assess touch, jockey or try to win ball back, break quickly

All parts of the session (Warm up/technical practice - Tactical practice - Match) will have a focus on pressing and counter attacking to ensure players are working on these principles and implementing them

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Warm Up/Technical - 1v1 pressing game with counter attack

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Warm Up/Technical - 1v1 pressing game with counter attack (10 mins)

Method:

Split players into 2 teams with 2 neutrals on the side
Ball starts with red team who try to beat blue in a 1v1 and dribble into goal
Blue must defend 1v1 and try to win the ball back
If ball is won by blue they can use neutrals on outside to quickly counter attack + dribble into opposite goal
Play until ball is dead
Switch neutrals every 2/3 rounds

Objective: 

Work on press technique
Work on quick counter attacking, when ball is won, look up and immediately look to play forward (T2A)
Get players warmed up for session ahead

Coaching Points:

Proper press technique: In fast, slow down, side on, on toes, assess touch, jockey, force away from goal, win ball
Look for trigger: Look for pressing trigger (player facing own goal, player at touch line, poor touch) to determine when to go for tackle and win ball
Break quickly: When ball is won players should immediately look up and find neutral players for quick T2A
T2D: When ball is lost can player who lost ball delay the counter attack and get back into position?

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Tactical 1 - 4 zone counter attack game

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Tactical 1 - 4 zone counter attack game (30 mins)

Method:

Divide pitch into 4 equal zones, size decided by coach, with 6 goals on the outside
Split players into 2 groups of 6, red and blue, with 4 neutral players
Put 3 red in zone 1 and 3 and 3 blue in zone 2 and 4
Red team start in zone 1 and try to keep possession and switch ball to zone 3 (1 point for every switch)
If the blue team intercept they immediately look up and try to play into 1 of 4 neutral players on the outside who look to score in mini goals (1 point)
To start, team who loses ball must stay in the zone and can't go outside to tackle neutrals
To progress, allow them to try win ball back from neutral players and play back into their zone or allow defending team to send 1 player to press in another zone
Swap zones and allow each team to be attacking and defending team

Objective

Work on defensive unit, making sure defending team are working together in order to prevent line breaking passes
Work on quick transition to attack when ball is won back. Get forward as quickly as possible and try to score
Although a defensive session, can attacking team move ball quickly and draw defending team out of shape to create a problem

Coaching Points:

Opposition (Reds)
In Attack: Move ball quickly, draw blues out of position to create passing lanes, play forward when chance arises
In Defence: If using progression, when ball is intercepted, can red team quickly get into position to prevent forward ball to neutral players or press to win ball back

Defenders (Blue)
In Defence: Shuffle together as ball moves, stay compact, prevent forward passes, if pressing nearest man presses, other players cover and balance
In Attack: When ball is won back, look up and play forward quickly, be direct as possible, wide players be alert and ready for transition, look for ball quickly

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Tactical 2 - 9v5 + 2 Counter Attack

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Tactical 2 - 9v5 + 2 Counter Attack (30 mins)

Method:

Split players into 2 teams for a 9v5 - 9 reds in a 1-4-1-2-1 vs blues in a 2-1-1-1 , with 2 neutral wingers
Red striker and 2 blue defenders must stay in half (2) at all times, 2 reds from half (1) can enter half (2) to press if needed
Ball starts with blue defenders and blues try to keep possession, build up, score in red goal
Blues can use wingers to keep possession, they only have 3 touches but cannot be tackled
Reds defend as a team and when ball is won they try to T2A and break quickly and score on GK
Reds can also use neutral wingers to break quickly, same rules, 3 touch but can't be tackled

Objective:

Encourage players to work together as a defensive unit, stay compact, press and win ball when opportunity comes
Work on quick T2A, can reds win ball, look up, play forward immediately, exploit space, and try to score on the transition
Work on T2D, if blues lose the ball can they press and win ball straight away or drop back into their shape to delay or prevent the attack

Coaching Points:

Opposition (Blues):
In Attack: Move ball quickly, keep possession, draw defenders out of their shape, make it hard for reds to win the ball back
In Defence: Nearest man press ball when lost, surrounding players react and push up on nearest man or cut off passing players, if unable to win ball back drop into defensive shape (2-1-2), delay and prevent the counter attack

Defenders (Red):
In Defence: Striker presses from the front and tries to prevent forward balls, #8 and #10 react to strikers press, push up with him to close gaps, back 4 + #6 shuffle together to prevent gaps + keep even distance between units, GK commands defenders, tells them where to go. As ball moves whole team moves together + nearest man presses
In Attack: When ball is won, player who has won ball looks up and looks to play forward quickly, players around the ball look to run forward to exploit space + look for ball in behind, players off the ball push up to narrow gaps + be ready in case ball is turned over again

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Match

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Match (20 mins)

Method:

8v8 match to end the session, with focus on counter attacking
Normal match rules but goals from direct counter attacks count for 2 goals
Keep intensity high, if ball goes out coach can drop ball and play restarts from there
Keep supply of footballs in goal and on sidelines to encourage quick restarts

Coaching Points:

Focus on session goals: Narrow, compact defending, when ball is won, look up, play forward quickly
Make sure transitions are quick: Players T2A quickly when ball is won. Team that lost ball get back into shape to prevent counter attack
Positioning: Make sure players are sticking to positions and working as a team

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