Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Switching the Play U17+

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Name:	Christopher Ruiz
City:	Lutz
Country:	United States of America
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

PRINCIPLES OF PLAY

• Guaranteeing width and depth

• Creating offensive overloads

• Forward diagonal passes

PART 1: 5V5+1 CONDITIONED GAME

• This 5v5+1 conditioned game looks at the concepts surrounding a switch in play.

• A group of eleven players are split into two teams of five players, with one neutral player.

PART 2: 8+GK V 8+GK+1 CONDITIONED GAME

• This practice builds on part one, applying the concepts to more match-like situations.

• A group of nineteen players are split into two teams of nine (including one goalkeeper each), plus one neutral player.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): 5v5 +1 conditioned

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5v5 +1 conditioned (20 mins)

FUNCTION

• This 5v5+1 conditioned game requires the two teams to attack and defend three small goals each.

• There are three vertical zones - Zone A is the central area and Zone B are the two areas out wide, as shown in the diagrams.

• Teams should attack in a 2-1-3 formation (with the neutral play giving them a numerical advantage) and defend in a 2-2-1.

• In order for a goal to be valid, it must be scored in the attacking half.

• Scoring rules are as follows: 1) a regular goal is worth 1 goal; 2) scoring within two touches after a pass from Zone B to Zone A is worth 2 goals. 3) scoring within two touches after a direct switch in play from Zone B to Zone B is worth 3 goals. **Note: Players cannot combine scoring rules**

• If the ball goes out of bounds, play restarts with a new ball with a team in their defensive half.

• If a goal is scored, the team who scored will restart with a new ball in their defensive half.

• The offside rule is in effect throughout.

COACHING DETAIL: IN POSSESSION

COLLECTIVE POSITIONING

• The two central defenders on the attacking team should remain close to each other, while the wingers provide maximum width and depth, on the touchline and as high up the pitch as the defenders.

• The striker alternates runs between going long and dropping in to receive a pass between the lines.

• The neutral player will be the link player, supporting the player in possession in order to be one of the main options to switch play.

BALL CIRCULATION AND ATTACKING OVERLOADS

• Use quick, short passes to draw the opposition defence towards the ball before quickly finding the free player - typically the neutral player or striker - between the lines. They can then switch play to the opposite winger.

• If nobody is available, rotate the ball through the second centre-back, who will look to send the ball out to the winger on the opposite side.

DIAGONAL PASSES

• Diagonal passes should be driven with pace towards the free winger, especially passes from Zone B to Zone B, so that the winger receives the ball with time and in space.

• If the second centre-back receives the ball rotation (as shown in diagram 1), they should look to bend a pass towards the winger’s back foot to allow the winger to receive on the run.

PENETRATING RUNS

• As the ball is travelling out to a winger, the striker must be aware of the gaps in the opposition’s defensive line. As the ball is travelling, one of the opposition’s central defenders will move towards the winger. The striker could quickly change pace to run behind that defender and look to get on the end of a pass to score.

COACHING DETAIL: OFFENSIVE TRANSITION

• When possession is recovered, quickly secure it with a pass to a teammate in space, and spread out to make the pitch as big as possible to help establish possession.

COACHING DETAIL: MANAGING THE OPPOSITION

• Defend as a group, in a 2-2-1 mid-block.

• Defending team should look to occupy two of the three vertical zones closest to the ball and remain compact with minimal space between players.

• When possession is lost, apply aggressive pressure to recover the ball quickly. If not recovered after three seconds, quickly recover into the mid-block.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): 8v8 +GK +1 Zones

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8v8 +GK +1 Zones (20 mins)

ATTACKING PLAY

• This 8+GK vs 8+GK + 1 game is a conditioned practice in which players are encouraged to switch play. • The horizontal line on the pitch is the halfway line.

• The offside rule is in effect, with the halfway line used as a reference.

• The attacking team will line up in a 1-3-1-4-1 formation, with the neutral player in the midfield line of four (as shown by Team A plus Player C in the diagram)

• The defending team will line up in a 1-3-3-2 formation with the three centre-backs pushing the defensive line up.

• There are three ways to score: 1) scoring a normal goal is worth one goal; 2) playing a pass/cross from Zone B to Zone A and scoring within 2 touches is worth two goals; 3) a direct switch in play from Zone B to Zone B followed by the receiver scoring within five seconds is worth three goals.

• All goals must be scored from inside the attacking half.

• If the ball goes out of bounds, a new ball will begin with the opposite team’s goalkeeper.

• After a goal, a new ball will begin with the goalkeeper from the team that scored.

COACHING DETAIL: IN POSSESSION

COLLECTIVE POSITIONING

• In the attacking team’s 1-3-1-4-1 formation, the wingers provide maximum width and depth. The three central defenders will remain central, and the the holding midfielder, two centre-midfielders and striker forming a diamond.

BALL CIRCULATION AND OFFENSIVE OVERLOADS

• Use quick, short passes to draw the opposition’s defence towards the ball, before looking for the free player (typically the holding midfielder or the two central midfielders) between the lines, and they can then switch play to the opposite winger.

• If they are not available, rotate the ball through second or third centre-back, and they should look to send the ball out to the winger on the opposite side.

PENETRATING RUNS

• As the ball is travelling out wide to one of the wingers, the striker and central midfielders must be aware of the gaps in the opposition’s defensive line. As one of the opposition’s defenders moves out to pressure the winger, an attacker should look to burst in behind the pressuring defender to receive a pass behind the defensive line. If the ball side central midfielder looks to run in behind, the striker must run in the opposite direction towards goal to create more space behind the pressuring defender.

1v1 SITUATIONS

• When the winger receives a direct switch in play from Zone B to Zone B, they must look to quickly attack diagonally towards goal. By doing this, the winger will create space both inside and outside of their opposing defender.

• Any shot should be low and hard towards the far post to increase the chance of rebounds for teammates.

• The winger should look to cross towards the back post if crossing from the touchline, cut the ball back if crossing from the byline, and drive crosses to the near post when close to the penalty area.