Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Midfielders Joining The Attack (Start Time: 2020-08-19 19:30:00)

Warm Up (15 mins)

Split players into two groups (A&B), put players at points 1,2 and 3 with the rest of the players queued at the beginning of their respective stations with a ball. The ball will be played from the first player into the player on point 1, who will make a run off the marker (mannequin) to receive the ball on their front foot, to keep distance between the ball and defender. Then on their second touch they will play the ball into feet at point 2 who will control the ball the same before playing an inviting pass for the player on point 3 to run onto, before dribbling past the mannequin with skill and purpose, and then through the end zone. After each player makes their pass they will sprint to the next point ready to receive the next pass. The player who dribbles through the end zone will then join the back of group B to continue to practice in a cycle.

Progression:

Add different movements to lose marker and angles of passing and receiving to make to pattern of play more complex and realistic to the game (one-two/reverse pass/peal away from defender etc).

Drill (15 mins)

A progression of the skills practice, bringing both groups together to have an opposition defending against us to create more realism within the practice. Reds will attack first, after the central defender steps in front of the opposing striker. The opposing strikers job is to make it diffiult for the defender to intercept the ball and then go live on the defenders first touch, to hurry the defender to to make the pass into the middle third, or risk being dispossessed in a dangerous area. It follows the same set up and pattern of play as in the skills practice. This time the midfield three are playing live against a midfield 2, forcing them to add intensity and creativity to their movement and rotation, and create that height, width and depth to get the better of the midfield two. Opposing right back is not allowed to tackle the wingers, in order to keep the flow of the session and allow for success, but jockey the attacker attampting to beat them, and the left back is to chase back to again put the right winger under pressure and add realism to the practice. Opposing central defenders and goalkeeper are to defend as normal. If opposing team win the ball back and have comfortable possession, the ball is dead and the drill will reset. Midfielders must use the awareness, team work and communication developed in the skills practice for this drill, to know if, when, who and how to make the forward runs to support the attack. The 2 goalkeepers alternate turns in goal for each attack.

Organisation:

Area:

At least one half of pitch for each group

Time:

22 minutes

Players:

16 players (14 outfield, 2 goalkeepers)

Equipment:

1 goal, 8 flat discs,3 poles/mannequins, 12 footballs, stopwatch, whistle

Physical Loading:

Duration:

Each full attack takes 20 seconds including reset, and so each set takes 1 minute.

Repetitions:

3 reps each set - one for each midfielder to receive the ball off the defender and one time for each to play the pass into the forwards.

Sets:

Each attacker performs a total of around 20 sets.

Work to Rest Ratio/s:

1:6 for midfielders - roughly 10 seconds working anaerboically during rep. Rest periods come while rotating midfield runner, resetting and during interventions.

Key Coaching Points:

Sharpness of movement and rotation

Create height, width and depth in midfield 3

Awareness to understand when to make runs from midfield.

Quality of pass into forwards

Speed and desire to join in the attack

Targets/Goals:

1.Beat the opposition team score during compeition.

2. Each team score at least 1 two-point goal.

Conditions:

Midfielders must stay in box during rotations.

Regressions:

1. Midfield 2 don't tackle, just apply pressure to player on the ball.

Progressions:

1. Midfield can now play into our number 9 instead of wingers and they can then create chances how they choose, in order to empower the players to find their own solutions.

2. Add competition vs defending team - opposing full backs now allowed to defend properly and opposing striker also goes live to win ball back after defenders first touch. 1 point for goal, 2 points if goal scored by midfielder who has made a forward run to join attack. Swap teams over after 5 minutes.

Conditions - Midfielders must not leave us underloaded (e.g. 1v2) in the middle zone when making runs to join the attack, or points are void for that attack.

Timeline

Warm up: (15 mins)

00:00-05:00 - Inrease heart rate and blood flow followed by dynamic stretching.

05:00-09:00 - Technical warm up - demonstrate movement pattern and let them play.

10:00-11:00 - Demonstrate progression with one-two and different movements off the poles/mannequins.

10:00-15:00 - let them play with progression.

Skills Practice: (30 mins)

15:00-18:00 - Water break and set up skills practice, followed by introduction on white board and then walk through the fixed initial pattern of play

18:00-23:00 - Let them play and discover the feel for the drill.

23:00-25:00 - Small group intervention about height width and depth of midfield, rotation and not being in fixed positions - how important that is when playing a midfield 3 and how that is what brings the advantage against a midfield 2, then demonstrate an example.

25:00-28:00 - Work on one example of the rotation for a couple of rounds.

28:00-29:00 - Whole group intervention - explain how this is what the final third looks like on a match day at the moment, particularly Runcorn Linnets game. Ask how we might imporve our chances of scoring a goal of these attacks (answer - more bodies forward into goalscoring positions).

29:00-30:00 - Small group intervention -Demonstrate midfielder playing the first pass into the winger has to go join in and get himself in the box - we are okay getting left 2v2 in midfield if it breaks down as we have a back 4 behind us.

30:00-37:00 - Play with 1 midfielder joining the attack.

37:00-39:00 - Q&A - if an opposing midfielder tracks first runner, what does that leave? (answer - 2v1 overload). What does that then allow us to do? (answer - commit an extra player forward into a goalscoring position). How do we decide who? (answer - communication).

39:00-45:00 - Practice with the second midfield runner who goes late to time his run to arrive on the edge of the box for a cutback from winger - 'lampard run'. - Give the winger the freedom to decide if to cross or cut back.

Drill: (22 mins)

45:00-47:00 - Water break Set up into drill

47:00-50:00 - Now opposing players have been introduced. Opposing full backs let wingers deliver ball into dangerous area, but provide an opposition for them to beat. Opposing midfield two, central defenders and goalkeeper, play live to defend and win the ball back. Midfield three using their awarness and communication as discussed in Skills Practice for if/when the second midfield runner can join attack. Introduce regression if needed.

50:00-52:00 - Progression: Midfield can now play into 9 as well as wingers, and attacking team become creative with how they finish, in order to empower the players in finding their own solutions.

52:00-57:00 - Competition vs defending team - opposing full backs now allowed to defend properly and opposing striker also goes live to win ball back after defenders first touch. 1 point for goal, 2 points if goal scored by midfielder who has made a forward run to join attack.

57:00-1:02:00 - Swap teams and repeat non-competitive part of the drill.

1:02:00-1:07:00 - Competition - see if 2nd attacking team can beat the 1st.

Small Sided Game: (23 mins)

1:07:00-1:10:00 - Add in wide player unopposed lanes while players have a water break. Introduce the rules and conditions for the game and walk through.

1:10:00-1:28:00 - Play. Add in points system from drill if needed to increase attention on main focus of the session.

1:28:00-1:30:00 - Debrief - run back through session aims and if we hit them all.