Football/Soccer Session (Advanced): Zone 2 and 3 press on the flanks...emphasis on the Outside midfielders

Screen 1

THEME:  Delay,Depth and Cover, Balancing, compactness, Control and restraint.

MOMENTOF THE GAME: Opponents in possession

PHASEOF THE GAME: Defending

TOPIC: Midfield defending in zones 2 and 3

LEGEND:

WARMUP (15Minutes):

Playerswill go through club pre-activity with captains leading (in this case Iwould use the Foothills FC method).

Playerswill select two teammates to lead them through the FIFA 11warm up.

Keepersuse their own custom warm up after pre-activity.

ACTIVITYINSTRUCTIONS: 

Organization: 

18players broken into 2 groups of 9. Each group has 6 attacking playersalong the lines of a 20 foot equidistant hexagon, and 3 defendingplayers inside the play area.  

Conditions:  

Attackingplayers can pass left, right, or through the hexagon, but must stay ontheir assigned side. Any attacker on the outside can start thesequence. The 3 defensive players in the hexagon attempt to utilizeall the defending principles. As one defender delays, then anotherprovides cover by anticipating the next pass, and the last defenderprovides support as needed. After the pass is made, the defenderclosest to where the ball went becomes responsible for delay, and theothers move into cover and support positions.. If the ball isintercepted by the defenders, or an errant pass is made, one defenderswitches with the attacker who made the last pass and the sequencestarts again. The coach will supervise one hexagon, and assistantcoach will supervise the second.

Variations:   

Oneattacker drops out, and becomes a sub, so that the attackers can movein and out of empty side spaces.

KEYFACTORS: 

Whois the primary player closing down in first contact? Whois secondarily covering, who is in tertiary support?

Towhich area should play be confined to?

Howdo we use delay to block defend and defend against the quick attack?

Whydo we want to organize to reinforce depth and cover?

EQUIPMENT:

12 discmarkers, 12 red and 6 blue pinnies, balls located around each playarea

Screen 3

PART 

**This session can be used for both the Left and Right Outside Midfielders, all that needs to happen is for this activity to be set up with emphasis on the right side of the field.**

THEME:  Delay,Depth and Cover, Balancing, compactness, Control and restraint.

MOMENTOF THE GAME: Out of possession, regaining possession

PHASEOF THE GAME: Defending, defensive transition

TOPIC: Midfield defending in zones 2 and 3

LEGEND:

CH=left central channel + 1/2 right central channel

Z2=zone 2

Z3=zone 3

1=Left outside mid

2=left wingback

3=left central defender

4=left inside holding mid

5=right attacking mid

6/7=keepers

INSTRUCTIONS:

Organization: 

1/2 field is divided into zones 2 and 3 with a left flank and a full left central channel and 1/2 right central channel marked out with cones and discs.   The end lines are at the bottom of zone 2, and the top of zone 3.  There is one full size net centrally placed at the zone 2 end line. and there are two small nets on the zone 3 touch line at the touch line and end line, and at right end of the central channel end line. The defensive team has 5  players in red, and 1 keeper in play, the attacking team has 4 players in blue.  There are 4 additional subs and a keeper for the defending team, and 3 subs for the attacking team.

Goal:     

Creating a situation where the left outside midfielder high presses the opposition attacker, attempts to shut down that player and progresses the ball to attacking midfielder once possession is gained.  

Conditions:  

Play begins when an off field blue attacking player passes the ball to an on field attacking player in zone 3 who tries to dribble into zone 2, or make a pass to another offensive player in zone 3 that will also try to dribble through. Attacking players can pass to each other at will in zone 3, but can only dribble through on the left flank when progressing into zone two.  Once zone 2 is gained by the attackers, they may pass/dribble/shoot freely in the whole play area. There should be immediate pressure from the outside left mid on the left flank, with cover from the left wingback, secondary support from the left central defender and left inside holding mid, and tertiary support from the right inside attacking mid. Play continues until a goal is scored by the offense, or if the defense scores into one of the small nets.  There are no offsides in this activity.

Variables:    

Adding another attacker to the play.   

KEY FACTORS:

High zone 3 press by the outside midfielder, and support by the remaining defensive group on the left side of the field.  

Tight blocking and pass anticipation.

Movement and decision making based on ball and attacker positioning.

Win the ball with confidence, slow down and force the attackers, possess and progress the ball.

EQUIPMENT:

1 full size net, 2 small nets, 11 red cones, 3 disc markers, 12 balls, 9 red pinnies, 7 blue pinnies, 1 green pinnie and one yellow pinnie for the keepers.