Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): U14 Futsal Session : Counter Attacking

Attacking 3v2 + recovering defender (20 mins)

Organisation

Create Futsal Pitch 30x20 yards

Split players into two equal teams - red & blue - rotate GK

Futsal Ball to be used.

Number players 1-4 (rotate GK throughout)

Instruction

Coach calls out number of red player to sprint around cone (see below)

Three blues attack two red players

Third red must sprint around cone before being able to assist other two red defenders.

Practice continues end to end

Coaching Points

Early, accurate throw from GK.

Attack quickly.

Once an opportunity to shoot arises, shoot!

Draw the defender and pass - then sprint forward and look for the return pass.

Free play match (20 mins)

Key Factors

Can you plan for counter attack?

Can you attack quickly?

End product

Organisation

Pitch 30x20 yards

Free flowing match

One point for normal goal scored

Three points if goal scored within five seconds of winning possession

Formation

When defending, as above.

For attacking formation, see overleaf.

Tactics

1. Open the pitch, wingers should play hugging the sidelines to provide maximum width.

2. The 3 second rule: players must be on the move all the time when they don’t have the ball. When your team is attacking you should never stay in the same place without the ball for more than 3 seconds. In a game of 40 minutes you play for 4 minutes with the ball and 36 without it.

3. To find space, occupy the space left free by a teammate.

4. The player with the ball moves closer to the defender (to be able to go past him and force him to turn around), the players without the ball move away from their defenders (to create space and passing options).

5. Help the player who has the ball. Sometimes this means getting closer; other times you need to move away. The aim, every time, is to create a clear passing line between you and your teammates.

6. Never lose sight of the ball nor the eyes of the teammate who has it – sometimes it doesn’t matter if you move if your teammate has not even seen you.

7. Pass and run – like the old motto: ‘pass and move’, but with an emphasis on the urgency of your movement.

8. Be generous with your passing. The game is won by the TEAM who scores more goals; not the player who scores more goals.

9. Separate where you look from where you pass. Do not make obvious passes. Use the element of disguise.

10. Futsal is a sport for “liars”. Good players make it more difficult for the opposition to read them by performing feints when they’re passing, and checking away from their markers before moving in the other direction and losing their marker.

11. Passes must be strong but not carelessly violent. A firm pass doesn’t give defenders any unnecessary time to intercept it, or to close the space on the player receiving it.

12. Be careful with passes from one wing to another when playing close to your own goal, near the “D”. If they’re intercepted they’ll lead to an easy chance for the opposition.

13. The rule of 5 passes. Patience is often needed in futsal. Where the opponents are set-up behind the ball in a defensive position, expect to pass the ball at least 5 times before shooting to disorganise them.

14. The goalkeeper must know how to deal with the tempo of the game. When their team is losing, goalkeepers should play as quick as possible, but in a winning position they should take their time with the restarts and their throws.

15. The backman or “fix” (or any player for that matter) never dribbles if he is the last man, because if he loses the ball it will be a 1 v 1 against the goalkeeper.

16. Finish the play with a strong shot to avoid a counterattack. A weakly struck shot ends up in the goalkeepers arms and can quickly put the opponents on the front foot.

Defending Tips

17. Aggressiveness: a ball is never given up; fight for every single one. Defending is more about attitude than technique. Players have to want to steal the ball with everything they’ve got and try to be the best defender in the team.

18. Strength in the tackle. Tackle the ball like you mean it but not violently.

19. Do not allow the player with the ball to think. Continuously annoy / disrupt the opponent but without trying to steal the ball, unless they lose control of it.

20. Never lose sight of the ball or the eyes of the player who has it. Exactly the same tip as no.6, but equally crucial in defense.

21. The wing (sideline) is one more defender. Direct the opposition player with the ball towards it.

22. There is no rest when defending and no player should adopt an upright position / stance, as the opposition will exploit the tiniest mistake to score.

23. All players must defend behind the ball. When you haven’t got the ball all players get back to defend, and all of them should be behind the ball, making it difficul