Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): U16 Technical Session: Defensive Skills -Part 1 (Start Time: 2017-02-20 19:15:00)

One v One Prevent Turning (15 mins)

Purpose

Players practice the art of marking, preventing their opponent turning and also when to screen a forward pass and when to mark tightly

Organisation

Create a square 20x20 yards.

Split players into 6 red, 3 yellow and 3 white.

Place red players on the outside of the square - inside the square players work in pairs - 1 Blue attacker and 1 white defender. Defenders mark 1v1.

3 Reds start play with a ball each.

Instructions

Outside Red player looks to play ball into white attacker.

White attacker attempts to get the ball to a free Red player on the other side of the square. (A/B)

Yellow defender tries to stop his opponent turning and shooting.

TRANSISTION - when the yellow gets the ball he tries to play the ball to a spare Red player.

Attackers score by getting the ball from one red to the opposite one. Defenders counter and score by winning the ball and finding a free red to pass to.

Change defenders, attackers and outside players periodically.

No red player can be in possession of more than one ball at a time.

Progressions

1. White attackers can lend the ball to a free Red on the adjacent side C or D and Yellow defender must track the ball a) to stop the attacker receiving the ball back or b) to stop him scoring.

2. Red players can now pass directly from one side of the square to the other side (C/D). Defenders must position themselves to screen/intercept this pass, as it is a priority rather than tight marking. Once the pass goes back to the White attacker from C or D, he can then press and complete - stopping the attacker receiving the ball and stopping the attacker scoring by getting the ball to a red player on A or B.

Coaching Points

Can you stop the attacker turning?

Can you decide when to mark the attacker tightly or when to mark him loosely and travel as the ball travels?

Can you see the attacker and the ball most of the time?

Can you prioritise when to screen and intercept passes, and when to mark the attacker tightly?

When critically defending, can you tackle, block, slide or disturb the ball or attacker?

When you regain possession, be clinical by finding a free red player with your pass.

Defending in & Around the Box

Purpose

Defenders learn to defend critically when playing in and around the penalty area.

Organisation

Three White defenders and a Goalkeeper defend the big goal.

Three red attackers receive the ball from any yellow server and try to score.

Three smaller coned goals are positioned outside the box to allow the white defenders to counter attack.

Instructions

Players play 3v3 in the penalty area.

Each attack is started by one of the yellow servers playing a pass into the red attackers. Red players attempt to score.

TRANSITION if the white defenders intercept the ball, can they score in any of the three smaller goals? Yellow and red players must recover and defend against this.

Switch players regularly.

Attacking team scores in usual manner. White team score when counter att acking by scoiring in any mini goal. The goalkeeper can score with hands, or feet, should he have possession.

Progressions

1. The yellow server who feeds the attacking teaqm can now join the attack, creating an overload.

2. All three yellow servers can join the attack.

Coaching Points

Can the three defenders defend compact?

Can you zonally defend the goal as a proprity, rather than man marking?

Can you detect when a player is shaping up to shoot and press the ball accordingly?

Can defenders be alive to any rebounds that come from the goalkeeper?

When outnumbered, can players prioiritise defending the goal compactly, recognising when it is critical to press the ball?

Upon regaining possession, can the white defenders counter attack quickly?

Can the attacking team react quickly to defend from any counter attack?