Sesión de Fútbol (Difícil): Switching Play

Skill Introduction: A (15 mins)

Purpose

Lots of interference, but the idea is to for the boys to recognise that when receiving it;we need to be looking, finding that bit of space in the area, we need to know what we're doing with our first touch and then we're moving it on with a second touch if we can.

Explanation

How we have set up the warm-up area is really to introduce you to the idea of switching play - I'm receiving from here, I want to get it over there. If you can see your team mate clearly...punch it into him (quick, early and simple). The quality of the pass is vital and the quality of what you do with your first touch to get it to open up that way is equally as important. Once you play that pass, get through to the next zone, but as you're moving, watch the footballs that are flying past you. 15 players = 3 teams of 5 (3 balls in play, one going clockwise, the other going anti-clockwise).

Progression

1. Introduce 3 players into the middle area - players now have the option of a little link-up with the middle area players.

Coaching Points

+ Keep checking over your shoulder.

+ That last little look will tell you where you can go with your first touch; the picture in here is constantly changing. As it's travelling, steal one last look before you go.

+ Try to work off 2 or 3 touches if you can. 4 touches in a game, opposition have adjusted and we've lost the chance to off-balance them.

+ If we're switching play, it's a little combination and we move it on OR don't need the combination, now we've opened up and we're moving it on.

+ Let's not be predictable all the time - vary the service, vary the first touch and vary the combinations.

Skill Training (20 mins)

Purpose

Switching the point of attack will allow us to stretch our opponents and get into better goal-scoring positions. We're looking at different ways we can switch play quickly and effectively.

Explanation

Now, what we're going to do in our 4's is control the ball as we work down the pitch. When we get to the other end, it's going to be a quick pass and finish (1st or 2nd touch). First combination - play to a winger who has a quick dribble up the line; now, he can't play forward so he checks back and plays to the CM who then sprays it out wide to our other winger and we proceed from there. It's about controlling the tempo of the ball as we move along the length of the pitch. Once all teams have had a few trials at switching play unopposed - designate one team DEF's and place them at the orange cones either side of the GK; ATT's must now play 4v2 opposed; they are tasked with switching play to create goal-scoring opportunities. If DEF's win the ball, they can score by RWB across the half way line.

Progression

1. New combination to switch play; e.g. it goes wide, comes in to the striker, who bounces it back and the CM switches play.

2. Challenge the boys to experiment with underlaps and overlaps to play FWD and switch it. Positioning is vital because it creates space for team mates to drive into. Come inside and give CM space to get round you (overlaps) OR stay wide, body shape to play forward, give space for CM to drive through. (underlap).

Coaching Points

+ Players get comfortable supporting, receiving, switching it and varying the ways that we can actually do that.

+ In the final third, whoever receives it wide, have a little dribble and see if you can cross it in for one of your team mates supporting in the middle.

+ CM positioning is vital; if you get sucked in to close to your wingers, by the time he plays that ball back to you (especially if he's being marked tightly) - you're going to get nailed and sent straight to hospital. Sit deep enough to create plenty of space, but close enough that you're supporting play going FWD

+ It's the quality of that ball from mid to wide; the ability to drill it when it's on, the ability to loft it and take players out of the game.

+ We're trying to off-balance the opposition; push and pull them around.

+ It's the positioning of our team-mates that tells us what the best option is i.e overlaps, underlaps, set backs to play FWD etc.

+ It's starts with getting the ball out to the wide area, but it becomes very quickly about getting movement out there to create opportunities to play FWD.