Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Pressing v 442

Warm Up Passing (5 mins)

- 2 players in the middle each with a ball

- they pass to an outside player and play a one two

- the new player takes over and looks to make a pass to another play, the other player takes their place

Activity 2 

- 2 defenders within the middle plus one attacking player 

- reds look to maintain the ball, defenders look to win back 

- if the red player in the middle can receive and turn to play to the other side or the two defenders get split with a pass then they remain in for another turn

- defenders get out should they win possesion through a tackles or intercept from the players on the outside in which case the player passing plus the player to their right become defenders and the defenders come out

coaching point is simply that the two players defending work together in a pressure /cover model and look to force play one way...therefore taking slight angles in their approach to outside players

Timing

Activity One - 90 seconds

Activity Two - 3.5 min 

Phase of Play (30 mins)

Aim

To work on pressing within the final third and in particular forcing the ball into the fullbacks to press and win high. Secondary learning about attacking within the transition. 

Rules

- One blue attacker must stay high the other can drop into midfield defensivley if they wish

- Out of possession the blues must be within one vertical grid of the ball - will be outlined by flat markers

Start /Restarts

- ball starts with the coach playing into either the GK or one of the blue defenders to start at which point the practice becomes live

- within the first time block if the ball goes out of play then we restart from the coach in subsequent time blocks normal football rules apply should the ball go out behind the mini goals then the red team start with the ball and attack 

Scoring

- Blue score 1 goal for a mini goal

- Blue direct pass through pole gates from the grey area

- Red tiered scoring - if they win the ball back within the grey area and score then worth 3 if they win back and score within the red area then worth two outside of that worth 1  

Timing

Session worked in 3 x 6 min time blocks. Different objectives as follows:

- Block 1 - introduction... focus on the pressing trigger, pressing CM and attacker movements

- Block 2 - more game focused with coaching on the run to refine the pressing shape and start working on what happens when we've won the ball

- Block 3 - focus on movements after the ball is won back or in build up... draw across and then switch the play

90 second break between blocks

Pressing Trigger

Ball played from CB into fullback triggers the following

- CM press the fullback

- non ballside CF moves to block off the pass to the CM

- Other CM orientate to the ballside (half field)

- Wingback closes on winger

- Back three slide to the ballside (half field)

Coaching Points - Blue

session is not based upon them but want to keep installing principles of play therefore keep reitterating the following during breaks

- work ball into wide areas

- attacking two have short /long counter movements

- midfield receive on the half turn

Coaching Points - Red

Team Task - (Main) Can you win the ball back in areas that are advanategeous to us to allow attacking opportunties (Secondary) if building up slowly can you facilitate a switch of play

Block 1- facilitate pressing trigger

- CF block passes forward and operate within a pressure /cover model to deny diag passes

- CM orientate towards the ballside fullback - therefore defending on the shoulder of that player 

- CDM provide cover should 

Block 2 - Refine and BPO to BP moments

Win in Grey Area

- CM facing forward can WB overlap

- CF passing option 

- CM / CDM provide cover centrally and numbers around the ball should their be a gegenpress 

General

- CFs occupy 2 CB when we have possession - togetherness

Block 3 - Build Up

- CB and CDM maintaining a 3:1 diamond structure to play through 

- Wingbacks long and short with the short outside and level shoudl the outside WB have the ball

- Non ballside WB maintaining width

- Midfield structure - at least one midfield beyond their two and the others not being on the same line

- Attackers - short and long movements when ball with wide CB - ballside come short