Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Switching Play

Intro Game

The players are split into 4 teams and play 3v3/4v4/4v4. The pitch has 3 channels and 3 thirds.

In this game we are encouraging the players to receive the ball facing forward as often as possible and looking for early opportunities to switch play, which in this instance is playing from back to front quickly.

Players cannot enter the final third until the ball is in there. If a goal is scored in 4 touches or less it counts as 3 goals instead of 1. This will encourage players to play the ball firmly and with accuracy when they feel the time is right to score a treble goal. If the pass is under hit the opponents can recover into the end zone once the ball is struck and would be able to recover in time.

This information has been given to the player as an example of setting up a counter attack by playing forward early to your striker (small goal).

Learning Objectives;

Receiving priorities, try to face forward as often as possible.

Scan to help form decisions of where to play next & aid receiving.

Decisions on whether to pass long or build play.

Technical selection of aerial or ground pass.

Player challenges;

Receive facing forward as often as possible

Play with minimal touches

Play forward as early as possible

Part Practice 2

The GKs are now introduced to the practice and the game introduces an attack at goal.

As with the last practice, the aim is to move the ball quickly from one Target Man to another. Once the ball has been played between both Target Players without interception from the other team they are able to attack the goal and have 6 seconds to get a shot on goal. If they exceed this time they must retain possession and repeat the process. The red midfielders are allowed to recover to aid their defender.