Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Controlling Possession (to secure the ball and draw out opponent) 3 (Start Time: 2026-03-24 19:30:00)

3v1 Rondo10 mins

Setup:

8x8 grid.

Groups of 6.

Extra balls around field.

Activity:

Rules:

MUST receive ball with foot that is farthest from passer (open body position).

MUST create angle by sliding to nearest cone.

MUST play 2 touch.

MUST say name of who you are passing to.

Progression:

+ 3v1 inside grid

Coaching Points:

+ Pace of pass --> we need to get used to hard passes in tight situations

+ Drawing defender in to open up space for others

+ Support angle is more important than distance (GET TO CONE)

3 Team, 4 Grid Transition Rondo (3v1)15 mins

Phase: 2

Organisation:

3 blues are in the middle coned area, they are the pressing team. 1 blue presses against 3 reds to make it 3v1 in one of the boxes. The 3 reds are looking to make 4 passes and switch it to a yellow. As it gets switched the other 2 yellows must get quickly into the box with the ball, to make a 3v1 against a different blue player. The first blue presser recovers back into the middle square..

Scoring System- 

4 passes and a successful transfer is 1 goal, each team keeping their own score. The pressing team are counting the number of regains they get in 90 seconds'

Timings-

90 seconds

Focus Area:

Immediate impulse to win the ball back

Competitiveness & aggression

Nearest man presses the ball

Key Factors:

Inside of foot- ‘punched pass’

•Plantstanding foot by the side of the ball and slightly behind in the direction youwant the ball to travel
•Openthe kicking foot and lock your ankle
•‘Punch’ through the centre of the ball with theinside of the foot (largest surface area of the foot to increase accuracy)
•Followthrough towards target

Inside of foot- ‘rolled pass’

•Plantstanding foot by the side of the ball and slightly behind in thedirection you want the ball to travel
•Openthe kicking foot and lock your ankle
•‘SoftlyCaress’ theball with the inside of the foot (like making a putt in golf).
•Followthrough towards target

Support players 

Scanning - when, where, how often.

Create angles to receive the ball.

5v5 (+5) to Goal with Central Area20 mins

Teams play 5v5 (5 plus keeper) in diagonal field (make it a square, unlike rectangle as pictured).

Players must play a teammate in the central "shaded" zone (use cones to cone off), before they are able to go to goal. 

*** However, they DO NOT have to play through the central area if they are able to PRESS and win the ball above the RED LINE (in the attacking 3rd). This incentivizes pressing triggers and gives us coachable moments to build out through and break the press.

Players cannot stand in the central area, they must rotate in and out. Encourage the communication, vision and awareness required for the rotation and how we can maintain a balance for possession on the field while getting the timing right when we check central to get on the ball. 

Encourage movement off the ball to 1. open the field 2. split/break a line by playing forward and 3. movement to set up the final pass. Highlight movement and angled runs to assure that players enter the area at the right moment without sacrificing the numbers needed for possession. Demand Technical efficiency, body position, quality of pass, tempo of play. Play 3 x 5 min games.

If numbers are uneven, add a neutral (N) in the middle as an extra player. 

Progression - remove the Central Zone and see if players can maintain the same behaviour.