Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending as a team - Tactical

SSG (35 mins)

Focus + Session design

• Conditioned SSG
• 9v9 (+1)
• Emphasis of team training session design is keeping the ball one side, moving across as a team and picking players up between the lines
• Practice area set up as seen in image, marked off with the 5 vertical lanes as a reference
• 7min blocks - 2 min rest (x4)
• Coaching methods of guided discovery through session design, individualised concurrent feedback and coaching process

Progressions/Regressions

• Game 1 - Free-play. Allow players opportunity to show understanding through restrictions
• Game 2 - If you can pass or dribble through a central gate, additional point(s) for your team - encourages defending team to narrow off
• Game 3 - If you can dribble through wide gate, additional points(s)
• Game 4 - If you can switch from one wide channel to far channel through middle zone and dribble through wide channel, additional point (s)

Coaching detail

• Main aim of session design is focusing on defensive principles as a team, keeping compact, moving together, leaving the furthest players and picking up players between the line. 

• Awareness of opposition players, concentration is vital. Where's the ball, where's my man, where's the danger? 
• Defending 1v1, be aggressive, make contact on a trigger to engage. 
• Covering defenders, where's the next pass? Suffocate space around the ball.