Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): UEFA B Final third in possession

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Key factors

Welsh way principles playing in the final third. In Possession. Principles that come into play are switching play, breaking lines and creating and exploiting overloads.

Organisation

Final third practice - 9v9. Ball always starts with the goalkeeper. Reds set up as if in a 1-3-5-2 but without the 4 and the 6 while the blues set up as if in a 1-4-4-1-1 without the 7 and 11. Reds looks to combine and create goal scoring chances in the final third. Blues look to deny the reds chances and on regaining the ball look to attack the other end. 

How

Can the red team look to use positive, quick passes and movement to dis-organise the blues to try and create goalscoring opportunities. When receiving the ball, can the no4 look to link up with the players ahead of him whilst always maintaining a position to play under the ball should the ball need to be played backwards or in case the blues win the ball back and look to counter attack.

Are the other players offering width and depth to stretch the blues. Are they playing between lines and on the shoulders of defenders.

Challenges, conditions and targets

Challenges - Reds get an extra goal if they score from a cross.

Blue team must run the ball into the channel coned area within 7 seconds (recreates a counter attack).

Conditions - Reduce length of pitch so that the reds can build up closer to the final third and create more chances. Add offside line to promote realism. ..

Key Points

In Possession -

Angles and distances of support, in between and in behind, combinations to play forward into the final third, timing of runs into the final third, composure and decision making in the final third, width and depth.

Out of Possession -

Keep narrow, protect central areas, force wide, stop the cross, delay, deny and deflect.