Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Liverpool Feds B tactical report

Formation

Southport are in yellow

Liverpool Feds B are in red

Feds starting formation and out of possession shape in the previous games was GK-5-3-2 

When in their settled shape out of possession they could be really hard to break down as they limit the space.

Out of possession they are not very adventurous and rely on long balls thorugh or over the the defence for one of their pacey forwards to run onto. Their wing backs don't often join their highest line.

How do they build?

When playing out from the back they will try to play around our press as they can easily create wide overloads with their wing backs and three CMs. We must work hard to press them quickly while blocking the passing lane behind you to lock them into one side of the pitch and win the ball in the final third. We did this well in the last game and scored 2 goals from our pressing in the final third. When we win the ball back we must attack quickly to take advantage of them being out of shape.

Southport out of possession

Mid-block

• Our aim is to have a compact block that moves in a coordinated and synchronised way to reduce the opposition’s playing space and to prevent them from progressing while forcing them into lower-risk areas.

• It is vital that players get back into the mid block shape as quickly as possible when we lose possession. A mid block will only work if everyone is committed to getting into a compact shape. If we are too slow or walking back to position we will be played through and counter attacked quickly.
• Players must constantly think about protecting the central channel as a priority to prevent the opposition from advancing towards goal and force the opposition into wide areas to trap them and regain possession.

• When in a mid-block we must be patient in the defensive phase, allowing the opposition to pass the ball around in their defensive third, while defending on the front foot to prevent plays between the lines and in gaps.

• The central defenders and midfielders are responsible for the team’s defensive set-up as they can see the whole pitch. They have to use that information and communicate with their team-mates to help them with their positioning and to guide their decision making.

• The player closest to the ball must close down the player in possession to pressure them while their team-mates nearby cover them and the others move across as a unit to close down the area around the ball.

• If the opposition is in a central area we are looking to block the main central space. If the opposition moves the ball into a wide area we should shuffle across as a team and cover the wide area and the central area.
• When the opposition switch play we need to shuffle across as a team as fast as we can to protect the other wide area.