Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending in Defending 1/3

Passing and Receiving (20 mins)

Organisation

Set up enough triangles (Approx 10 yards between cones) to avoid queues, minimum 4 players per area.

Black lines indicate initial passing sequence.

Red arrows indicate player movement.

Progressions

Opposite direction.

Any passing combinations that work for your players.

Pressing and Transition (20 mins)

Organisation

An area large enough to accommodate your players but small enough to challenge them.

Divided as shown with a coned area in the middle for the defending team.

Split team into 3 groups.

How to Play

Black team try to win the ball.

Grey team must make 5 passes before they can pass to one of the White team.

When the ball is passed to a White player, the other Whites must get to that area and a different Black player tries to win the ball.

The Grey team will then disperse to the spare boxes.

Possible Coaching Points

In Possession (not the session focus) - passing, receiving and movement. Quick transitions.

Out of Possession - angles of approach, speed of movement, use the lines as a defender, self-sacrifice!

Progressions

Reduce the number of passes required.

Add a second defender to win the ball back.

Defending team play to a target (goal or coach) on the outside if they win the ball cleanly.

Cool Down (10 mins)