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Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Final Third

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Craig Nelson

Profile Summary

Craig Nelson
Name: Craig Nelson
City: Kent
Country: United Kingdom
Membership: Adult Member
Sport: Football/Soccer
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Description

SESSION OBJECTIVES - FINAL THIRD

  • Developing a team’s ability to strategise to win the ball back
  • Developing players’ ability to attack quickly after winning the ball back
  • Improving decision-making on when to counter-attack and when to retain possession

PART 1: 1v1 WAVE GAME

  • This practice will give the players opportunities to work on individual actions associated with counter-attacking.
  • The players will be coached to move quickly with possession and take big touches, in order to eliminate the defender from the game and not give them an opportunity to recover.
  • The defensive team should remain narrow and compact and limit opportunities for the attacking team to score

PART 2: TRANSITION GAME

  • This game works on a team’s ability to break lines into the final third to score or either secure possession on transition, or counter-attack quickly.
  • The players decisions will be based on the pictures that they are seeing.
  • On transition, players are encouraged to counter-attack quickly, or regain composure to move the ball away from pressure.
PART 3: 9v9 GAME
  • In this 9v9 / 11v11 (including goalkeepers) practice, the teams are encouraged to counter-attack from deep, due to scoring system. They earn two points if they are able to win the ball back in their own half and score within four passes.
  • This game will also allow players to work on their game management. They must decide how to approach transitions depending on the game state.
  • If they are winning, they may be more conservative in their approach to transitions, securing the ball to reduce the risk of losing possession and being counter-pressed
  • It will also test the in possession team to make the right decisions to enter the final third

Mechanics: Shooting

  • Identify target
  • Body position in relation to ball
  • Arms out for balance
  • Non-kicking foot beside the ball
  • Head over the ball
  • Select surface & strike: e.g. laces
  • Follow through towards target
Mechanics: Defending
  • Get in line with the ball
  • Pressure on the ball
  • Deceleration
  • Body position
  • Stay on toes
  • Be patient
  • Decision to win the ball

Mechanics: Passing

  • Look at target
  • Eye on ball
  • Angle of approach
  • Non-kicking foot alongside ball in a comfortable position
  • Strike centre of ball with inside/ outside of foot (Identified area of ball)
  • Firm ankle
  • Follow through towards targe
Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Wave Game - Final Third

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Wave Game - Final Third
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Wave Game - Final Third

Topic: Final Third

Pillar: Physical

Time: 20 Minutes 

Players: 10 + 2 GKs

Pitch Size:  30 x 30 (Orange grid 25x25)

How it Works:

  • The pitch is set out in a 30x30 with 2 final thirds and 2 wide zones
  • Both teams will have 5 players and 2 goals keepers as shown in the Diagram.
  • The play will start with the Blue team player dribbling out across half way line to create a 1 v 1 against the Red Teams Goalkeeper. The Blue team player is to take a shot against the GK.
  • The Red team will create a 2 v 1 against the Blue Team until they score or the ball goes out of play.
  • The Blue team will then create a 3v2 against the Red team until they score or the ball goes out of play.
  • The Red team will create a 4v3 against the Blue team until they score or the ball goes out of play.
  • The game will then restart with a 1v GK.
  • If the defending team win the ball they can score in the opposing goal.
  • Any goal scored over the half way line is worth 2 points and other area is 1 point.
Interventions
  • Terminal
  • Concurrent
  • Walk throughs / Demonstration
  • Coaching Process

Coaching Process

  • Demo

  • Recreate
  • Live from player recreation
Challenges and Support
  • The attacking team should try and cross the half way line before shooting
  • Correcting technique (if needed)
  • Individual +1 feedback
  • Time limits to score
  • More points for crossing the half way line
  • Increase the pitch size
  • 4v3 ask attackers to occupy all 3 areas
  • Technical detail around body positioning and movement/areas to receive to increase chances to shot
  • Defending team to win the ball back - 1 point

Observations 

  • Looking for clean striking of the ball
  • Making the right decision - when to pass and shoot
  • Technique when shooting
  • Angle of support to create shooting opportunity
  • Defensive body shape
  • Speed of pressure
  • Deceleration 
  • Making 1v1, 2v2 situations when overloaded
  • Defending in 2 of the 3 zones, protecting central areas and force play wide
Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Final Third - Passing

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Final Third - Passing
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Final Third - Passing

Topic: Final Third

Pillar: Physical

Time: 20 Minutes (5x 4 min blocks)

Players: 10 + 2 Mannequins 

Pitch Size:  30 x 30 (white) - 10m final third 

How it Works:

  • This is a multi directional game consisting of a 5v5, played within a 40x40 area.
  • There are two goals either end of the pitch
  • The game starts from the coaches playing a ball into the in possession team.
  • Players are restricted within the central area of the pitch - 30x30 area (white dotted lines to orange)
  • Players must make 3 passes before being able to transfer the ball into the final third. 
  • Only 1 in possession player is allowed within the final third to score.
  • Teams will get one point for every goal scored within the final third.
Interventions
  • Terminal (after each block)
  • Concurrent
  • Walk throughs / Demonstration
  • Coaching Process

Coaching Process

  • Demo
  • Recreate
  • Live from player recreation
Challenges and Support
  • Allow more players to go into the final third to score
  • Remove passing limit
  • Allow a recovering defender into the final third.
  • Individual +1 feedback
  • Time limits to score when in the final third
  • Remove restrictions
  • Add in the channels to play in
  • Ask attackers to try and occupy all 3 areas when attacking
  • Ask defenders to show away from goal and protect central areas
  • Provide technical information around movement and creating overloads
  • If defending team to win the ball back and score in that transition - 2 points
  • Add Goal Keepers

Observations 

  • Looking for good passes
  • Players to be brave and confident on the ball - break lines
  • Good use of width and depth
  • Making the right decision - retaining possession when entry into the final third isn't possible
  • Angle of support to create shooting opportunity - overloads
  • Defensive body shape
  • Speed of pressure
  • Deceleration
  • Narrow and compact 
  • Making 1v1, 2v2 situations when overloaded
  • Defending in 2 of the 3 zones, protecting central areas and force play wide, leaving the further player away from the ball.
Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): 9v9 or 11v11

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): 9v9 or 11v11
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9v9 or 11v11

Topic: Final Third

Pillar: Physical

Time: 30 Minutes (2x 15 min blocks)

Players: 11v11 

Pitch Size:  50 x 60 (white)  

How it Works: 

  • This 9v9 or 11v11 (including goalkeepers) game is played box to box and across the full width of a full-sized pitch.
  • The halfway line acts as an offside line. The coaches are to watch for offsides. 
  • The game will always start with the in possession team at the halfway line.
  • Each team will have 5 attempts to score

  • Normal football rules otherwise apply. However, if the box area is breached this will be unopposed finish

  • One team should start in a 4-1-4-1 formation, and the other will be in a 3-box-3 formation.
  • If a team scores, they will maintain possession.
  • Teams are awarded two points if they are able to win the ball in their own half and transition to score within four passes.
Interventions
  • Terminal (after each block)
  • Concurrent
  • Walk throughs / Demonstration
  • Coaching Process

Coaching Process

  • Demo
  • Recreate
  • Live from player recreation
Challenges and Support
  • Allow more players to go into the final third to score
  • Allow a recovering defender into the final third.
  • Individual +1 feedback
  • Time limits to score when in the final third
  • Remove restrictions
  • Ask attackers to try and occupy all 3 areas when attacking
  • Ask defenders to show away from goal and protect central areas (width of the box)
  • If defending team to win the ball back and score in that transition - 2 points

Observations

  • Players to be brave and confident on the ball - break lines
  • Good use of width and depth
  • Making the right decision - retaining possession when entry into the final third isn't possible
  • Angle of support to create shooting opportunity - overloads
  • Defensive body shape
  • Speed of pressure
  • Deceleration
  • Narrow and compact
  • Making 1v1, 2v2 situations when overloaded
  • Defending in 2 of the 3 zones, protecting central areas and force play wide, leaving the further player away from the ball.

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Used by the world’s best coaches
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75
per year
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