Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Penetrating a high defensive line (Start Time: 2024-02-15 16:35:00)

Pro-Club: FAW Coach Ed

Kevin Miller

Profile Summary

Name:	Kevin Miller
City:	Newton Abbot
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

Main Moment: We need to show patience to manoeuvre the ball and disorganise the BPO high defensive line to create spaces to penetrate.

Key attacking principle: Penetration - Create goalscoring opportunities.

Football Problem (using the 5W’s):

What: We are struggling to penetrate against a motivated and organised defensive line when in the attacking third.

Who: Primarily #6, #8, #9, #7, #11 & support play from GK, #3 and #4

When: We have controlled possession inside the attacking half.

Where: The final 3rd of the pitch.

Why: Our decision making is poor, we seem unsure of how, where and when to look to penetrate this high defensive line. We are choosing to play backwards too often when a forward pass or dribble is available. This has minimised the impact we can have as an attacking threat.

Football Problem: My team is struggling to penetrate in the final third due to poor decision making on and off the ball from our players.

Reflections : I should have organised the players in their correct position so they could pick the pass at the right time.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Passing Practice

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Passing Practice (10 mins)

Main Moment: BP - Penetrating a high defensive line

The team is struggling to penetrate in the final third due to poor decision making making runs and playing balls in behind the opposition defence. (using the 5W’s):

What: We are struggling to create good combinations in the attacking third.

Who: #8,#10,#6 & support play from forwards #9,#11,#7- dribble to next marker the pass to next gird

When: When inside the opposition half of the pitch.

Where: Final third of the pitch.

Why: Decision making is poor when playing a pass in the final third to penetrate the high defensive line.

Session Objective: Improve decision making when trying to penetrate in the final third.

Organisation :

Number of players: 16 players, 2 grids working at once.

#6 to pass to #8, then to #11, onto #10 before finishing with #9. That player dribbles to the next marker to join the next grid as the #6.

Progression 1 - passing options through the passing lanes - different combinations

Progression 2- introduce passive defender

Progression 3 - still passive defending ,but can our defenders be more aggressive - shutdown the player receiving the ball quickly, or drop off blocking a passing lane without directly tackling. Create a barrier, male the ball carrier make a decision.

Coaches Cues (no direct coaching, only influence behaviours):

Movement off the ball in areas to receive the ball facing forward

Back to the side-line to open your body up.

Scan before you receive.

Create a passing lane.

Reflections: start with less players and build up once the players completely understand the session.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Positioning Game

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Positioning Game (20 mins)

Football Problem:

The team is struggling to penetrate in the final third due to poor decision making with our runs off the ball and passes.

Session Objective:

In this session I aim to improve the decision making of our attacking minded players when trying to penetrate in the final third.

Organisation:

-width of the 15 m x 20 m ,

Explanation:

-Teams play a 5 v 3 + 5 v 3

-The Red (BP) team starts from the 6, aiming to get to the 9 through their winger, 8 and 10. Once the ball is with the 9 can they combine with another player to execute successive passes and score in the mini goal as shown above for a point. The Blue team (BPO) press high and try to win the ball and play the ball back to their number 6 who can score in the mini goal also, scoring 3 points for a goal.

-Rotate the teams periodically if fatigue sets in for BPO team.

Progression:

-Limit touches on the ball but continue to emphasise patience as BP team in order to utilise the overload.

Team Tasks:

BP team - In the final 3rd, can you be patient in possession and penetrate the high defensive line with a penetrative pass

BPO team - Can you maintain a high defensive line to limit time and space for the BP team.

Player Tasks

7/11, can you identify when a forward run is beneficial to the move and when a deep wide option is the better choice.

6 and 8 can you be in a position to face forwards and identify when a forward pass is needed? If the 9 is marked tightly, is it the right pass still? Consider rotating positions in order to move BPO team around and create more gaps and passing lanes.

9 can you show as a target option at all times and be comfortable playing with your back to goal in order to draw the BPO 6 in to mark you, leaving space for forward runners. If the opportunity presents can you also keep the defender honest by spinning occasionally to present a through ball option if the play is delayed and the initla pass into feet doesn't arrive.

Coaches Cues:

-Movement off the ball in areas to receive the ball facing forward and combine with the number to score a goal. What defensive player might influence your decision in a wide area (look deeper into this in Game Training).

- BP 8/10 driving into space if it is afforded. Doesn't have to only be a penetrative pass.

- BP 9 dropping off the BPO 6 for a quick 1/2 or spin.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Game Training

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Game Training (25 mins)

Organisation:

8v8 - with GK's who will rotate.

BP play with a 1-2-2-3 formation, BPO keep a high 1-4-2-1, emphasis being on the high defensive discipline needed for this session.

Playing Area - 60x40 (full width)

Session Objective

- Improve the decision making of our attacking minded players when trying to penetrate in the final third.

Team Task

BP team -

In the final 3rd, can you be patient in possession and beat the high defensive line with a penetrative pass.

BPO team -

Can you maintain a high defensive line to limit time and space for the BP team.

Player Tasks:

-#11 & #7 - When the #6,#8 or #10 are looking to play forwards, can you make an angled run inside or outside of the BPO #2 or #5. What factors may influence your decision making of where and when to run? (Full back's positioning is the cue).

BP #10 can you make a run across the last line of defence to test their discipline. If the line follows your run, space is afforded for the wide players or #8. If the defensive line holds you may be in a 1v1 situation on goal.

#7 and #11 can you make the field as big as possible when we have the ball in order to move the back four across the pitch and again offer passing lanes and spaces for penetrative passes to be made.

#10, and #8 look to rotate positions if required to create spaces and passing lanes. Always look to face forwards as this will be a cue for attacking teammates to make their runs of they see your head up while in possession of the ball.

#9 can you keep central and receive the ball in front of the defender. If pressure is there and the timing of the pass is not right, can you also check off your marker to create an option to receive the ball in between the lines.

-Split the defenders by getting your body side on to receive the ball on your back foot

-Look to bounce pass and angle a run in between defenders to get in behind the opponent.

#6 & #8 - create 3rd man runs when our wide players drive forward with the ball.

-Either #6 or #8 push higher to split the opposition midfielders.

-Limit touches and move the ball quickly

#10 - When the option presents itself can we play a lofted ball behind the lines for #7 or #11

-Look to create passing option between #6,#8 and #9.

-overload the defensive line by creating 2v2.

- If defending team wins the ball you have 8 seconds to score in the wide goals .

Check off your marker to create an option to receive the ball in between the lines

-Look to combine with #10,#8,#6

Coaches cues

-drive the ball to the space .

-can we receive the ball facing forward

- can our attackers move the defenders away to open the space

- quick movement or speed of the ball ( wall pass)

-Look to combine with #6/#8 creating 3v2 , 2v2, 2v1

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Training Game

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Training Game (15 mins)

Organisation:

-Two teams of 8v8 including GK's. 60x40 pitch (full width)

- Using the Game Training elements, now introduce an 8v8 game, as much realism as possible and minimal stoppages to allow the players to put into practice what has been developed during the session.

- Focus on how the deeper BP players combine with the forwards to exploit spaces afforded by the BPO team.

Coaches cues

- Drive the ball to the space.

- Players facing forward and being ready to receive a pass, even in tight spaces.

- Are the attackers making the defenders move enough?

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