Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Breaking/Defending the Lines

FAW Coach Ed

Richard Owen

Profile Summary

Name:	Richard Owen
City:	Llangollen
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

Objective of practice

To encourage players to break opposition lines when in possession
To encourage players to use the width and depth of the pitch when in possession
To encourage players to play through and around opposition defences

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Breaking the lines

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Breaking the lines

Practice layout

42x30
7 v 7
The half-way line is marked out with disc markers
Pitch size and playing numbers to be adapted to numbers available.

Conditions

The conditions are designed to make the attacking team think about the risks of committing players forward

The game is played as follows:

3 defenders and 3 attackers start in each half of the pitch
When a player passes across the half-way line they can move into the other half to support an attack
Attackers not permitted to move back to defend once they've passed the half-way line

Timings

4 x 2 minute sets with 4 x 30 second breaks in total
Set 1: Defenders asked to stay close together (narrow) and attackers asked to play around
Set 2: Defenders asked to use the space and attackers asked to play through
Defenders and attackers swop roles and repeat for Sets 3 and 4

Challenges

When in possession can players:

Pass the ball across the half-way line?
Follow the ball into the opposition half?
Move to wide positions to pass and receive the ball?
Pass the ball between and through the opposition to create a split pass?
Pass the ball around the blue players to a wide receiving player

Targets:

1 point for every pass across the half-way line
2 points for a pass directly from the keeper to the attacker
2 points for a split pass anywhere on the pitch
3 points for a goal from a broken line

Coaching points

The main principle of play is breaking the lines (with players asked to play through and play around to keep the ball on the floor)

Progressions:

Can the red team in possession move the ball more quickly?

Regressions:

If the attacking team is struggling to break the forward line:
Can they pass the ball backwards to retain possession?
Can they use the GK to recycle the ball and start again?
Can they move the ball across the pitch to create space?

Coaching practice review and reflections

Clearly explain the purpose of the practice and why you are doing it - i.e. to play around or play through (in a SSG)
The play was allowed to run continuously for 10 minutes. At least one break should be built in, to allow players to rest and to provide general coaching advice
Coaching points made concurrently to the team and individuals, so there was very high ball rolling time
The GK was restricted to rolling the ball out which limited him throwing the ball
Don't allocate defensive and attacking roles to individuals, just place them in one half or another
Going forward the neutral player should be rotated every 2 minutes to give other players an opportunity to fulfill the role of playmaker
If the ball goes out for a corner, return possession to the in possession team and start again from the GK. This allows a continuation of opportunities to break the lines

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Defending the lines

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Defending the lines

SSG - DEFENDING THE LINES (Anne-Marie)

Welsh way principles - Breaking lines

The aim of the session is to prevent the team in possession to break the lines. The session aims will include the defensive principles of the Welsh way which will include stating narrow and compact and as well as forcing the change of direction of play, stopping split passes.

Organisation and Practice layout

42x30 yards, with the corners taken out
7 v 7
3 sets of four minutes with 90 second rest
Designated ball behind each goal for increased ball rolling time

Conditions

The pitch has been made in to a hexagon, to force the in-possession team to play inside, putting focus on the out of possession principles and providing a higher rep ad success rate with the aims of the drill.

Key points

Make decisions in moments of transition
Attack quickly when trying to regain possession
When the forward is pressing (making a curved run) what does the next player do to support.

The game

In possession:

GK starts with the ball, and plays out from the back. Greens (In-possession team) are to be encouraged to play the ball quickly and to be creative in movement to provide challenge to defending team. To add challenge to defending team with movement across the pitch, Red team to be challenged to play into at least one common player before scoring.

Out of possession:

The out-of-possession team try to defend the opposition breaking the lines. Reds to take their shape as quick as possible, staying narrow and compact. The player furthest forward to act as first press / screen, the three midfielders to close gaps and work as a line, and defender to prevent ball into striker and to lead the communication of the defensive movement of players in front. Reds to keep gaps closed and to force away from the centre.

Targets

Where could you position yourself for an oncoming attack?
If you win it back, can you pass or run forward?

Key points

Out of possession

1. Defend narrow

2. Force out wide

3. Protect the middle

4. Prevent split passes

5. Make the pitch small

6. Leave the furthest opposition, but protect the space behind

7. Press the ball as a team

In possession

1. Make the pitch big (Width and Depth)

2. Try to play through, around and over

3. Can they move the ball quicker

4. Try to split players with a pass

5. Look to play forward

Interventions

Coaching process
Concurrent
Walk through
Terminal

Adaptations (Progressions & Regressions):

Regression; make the pitch square, allowing the in-possession team to play wide.
Progression; I wouldn't progress this drill any further. I believe it would add too much and take away from the key points of the session.

Future coaching points/lessons learned

The team looked a better shape when defending due to the hexagon shaped pitch
2 sets of 4 minutes are probably sufficient in a 10 minute SSG
Players stopped and listened to the coaching feedback in the 90 second breaks between the 3 sets
Pitch layout of 42x30 was about right for 13 players
More points targets could incentivise players to stop goals