Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): syfa session 25/8/2023

alternating press warm up (15 mins)

SET UP

6 PLAYERS

GRID 10 X 10

6 CONES

1 BALL

6 BIBS

PLAYERS 1 & 2 START THE DRILL FROM INSIDE THE GRID PASSING ALONG THE HIGH END OF THE GRID EXCHANGING APPROXIAMETELY SIX PASSES.

PLAYERS 5 & 6 MUST WORK TOGETHER TO PRESS HIGH ON THEIR ADJACENT OPPONENT PLAYER 5 PRESSING ON TO PLAYER 1 AND PLAYER 6 PRESSING ON TO PLAYER 2. THIS MUST BE DONE WITH EXPLOSIVE MOVEMENT WHILST THE OTHER DEFENDING PLAYER DROPS OFF TO GIVE BALANCE AND COVER.

ON THE 6TH PASS PLAYER 2 PASSES THE BALL TO PLAYERS 4, PLAYERS 5 AND 6 TAKE THE POSITIONS OF PLAYERS 1&2 . PLAYER 1&2 THEN REPEAT THE DRILL AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED AND AGAIN AFTER THE 6TH PASS PLAYERS 3&4 TAKE UP THE PRESSING ROLE WITHIN THE DRILL .

COACHING POINTS.

THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PRESSING PLAYERS MUST BE LOUD AND CLEAR . THIS TRIGGERS THE MOVEMENT OF THE PRESSING PLAYER AS THE GAME NEEDS TO BE IN FRONT OF THEM. THE FIRST PRESS REQUIRES TO BE GOOD TO ENSURE THE BALL CANNOT BE PLAYED FORWARD.PLAYERS MUST ALSO CONSIDER THEIR ANGLE OF APPROACH , BODY SHAPE AND DISTANCE FROM THE BALL AND EACH OTHER WHEN PRESSING .

PROGRESSION OF DRILL CAN BECOME A 4 V 2 SCENARIO WITH THE BALL NOW BEING ABLE TO BE PLAYED DIAGONALLY TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE GRID.

FURTHER PROGRESSION OUTSIDE PLAYERS CANNOT AUTOMATICALLY RETURN THE BALL FROM THE PASSING PLAYER .

FURTHER PROGRESSION ADDING A 3RD DEFENSIVE PLAYER.

Mid third Press/Defending SSG (30 mins)

Middle Third Defending Pressing Triggers (Mid Block) (sesion can be adapted in numbers by remaval of two wide blue palyers in mid zone and one red and blue player in the end zone)this is dependent on numbers

Organisation

Area is 40 x 20, divided into 4 zones as shown. The red team are set in shape to simulate the 3-3 ST/MF in a 4-3-3 formation.The 3 central blue players can move anywhere in the middle 2 zones.

How to Play

Coach plays a ball into the 2 blue players in the shaded end zone. They must try to work the ball to the opposite end, via the 3 blue central players. When the ball goes into the middle zones the blue players must attempt to combine at least three passes and work the ball into the front 2 blue players in the end zone. The middle five players must recognise the triggers of when to press or drop off in the mid zone to stop the ball moving forward.

Once the ball reaches the far end the red player in the end zone retreats in to the mid zone and one red player moves into to the area occupied by the opposite 2 blue players If the reds win the ball in mid zone the paly it to the coach.

Progression

As ball is played in to 2 blues initally 1 red player can press in the end zone (triggers the 2 red players to automatically pick up wide blue players and one red player replacing the pressing player in behind to cut a long pass into the end zone or 2nd mid zone).

Coaching Points

Challenging and Intercepting

Preventing forward passes by cutting the line

Prevent forward passes

Communication by players to Press or Drop off (body shape & forcing play in one direction)

Challenging technique (tackling and "nicking the ball")

Tracking runners

Game related play (20 mins)

As in technical practice we now take the the scenario into game related practice in a 9R v 11B set

All coaching points as previous within session

SESSION CONCLUSION

PLAYING A HIGH PRESS MEANS WE MUST MOVE TOGETHER HIGH UP THE PITCH TO POTENTIALY WIN THE BALL BACK AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN AFTER LOSING IT. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT WE AS THE PRESSING TEAM HAVE A HIGH LINE OF DEFENCE. THERFORE, TO AVOID THE RISK OF THE OPPOSING PLAYER WHO HAS JUST WON THE BALL PLAYING A LONG BALL OR EXPLOITING THE SPACE BEHIND OUR BACKLINE WE MUST APPLY IMMEDIATE PRESSURE TO THE PLAYER AND THE BALL IN A GROUP (GEGGEN PRESSING). THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT HE MAY STILL BE CONTROLLING THE BALL OR HAS JUST WON THE CHALLENGE AND THERFORE DOESN'T APPRECIATE THE POSITION OF HIS TEAM MATES AND THE OPPOSING PRESSING PLAYERS. THE SECOND PRINCIPLE OR VARIATION OF THIS HIGH PRESS IS THAT IF ONE OR OUR PLAYERS IS MOVING FORWARD TO PRESS THE BALL WE REQUIRE SUPPORTING PLAYERS TO PREVENT THE BALL BEING PASSED INTO SPACE OR THE OPPOSITIONS FEET (AS SHOWN IN THE SLIDES) WHICH OPENS UP AS A RESULT OF THE INITAL PRESSING PLAYER. THERFORE WE NEED 2 PLAYERS EITHER SIDE OF THE PRESSING PLAYER (SCENARIO IN THE DRILL INTRODUCING A THIRD DEFENDING PLAYER) .THE QUESTION IS WHY DO WE PRESS IN CERTAIN AREAS AND WHAT ARE THE BENFITS TO A HIGH PRESS AND A MID BLOCK . THE HIGHER WE PRESS AND WIN THE BALL THE SHORTER THE DISTANCE TO THE OPPOSITIONS GOAL AND THE OPPURTUNITY TO COUNTER ATTACK STRAIGHT AWAY. HOWEVER WE MUST CONSIDER THAT IF OUR PLAYERS ARE COVERED IN EACH AREA WE MUST THEN MAINTAIN POSSESSION OF THE BALL AND CONTROL THE GAME.

WE MUST ALSO DECIDE OUR TACTICS AND PRICIPLES PRIOR TO THE GAME SO WE CAN APPLY THE APPROPRIATE PRESS IN A GAME SCENARIO.

OUR CORE LEARNING OBJECTIVES MUST BE IN REGARD TO THE BALL, THE GAME ITSELF , HOW WE USE OUR BODY AND MIND TO ACHIEVE THE ADVANTAGE IN A GAME SCENARIO.