Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): In Possession General Practice Drill - Decision Making When Breaking Lines

Description

Organisation 

20x20 outer square with a 10x10 inner square

7 players in total - 1 on each of the outer corners & 3 inside the inner square

2 footballs required

Principles of Play 

Breaking Lines

Session Objectives 

• Know to play through as the primary option
• Understand when to play around the opposition
• Be able to identify when to play over

Description

Play starts with 2 of the outer players having possession of a football. Players on the outer square have the option to and must decide whether to play through (into a player in the inner square) or play around (to a player on their left or right on the outer square. (The option to play over through a diagonal pass into the player across from them in the outer square will become a future progression in the session).

If a player on the outer square decides to play around to a player either side, the player passing the ball is hold their position and stay ready to receive a future a pass. However if the player on the outer square decides to play through and into a player in the inner square, the player passing the ball is to then follow their pass by moving into the inner square.

If a player receives a pass inside the inner square, they must play a pass to a player in the outer square. As there are 2 footballs in play, the player in possession should always be aware of where the spare players are. After completing a pass to an outer player, the inner play that played the pass must then fill the space vacated by the outer player that had passed to them.

As a future progression, if an outer player does not have a viable option to either play through into an inner player or play around to an outer player to their side, they can opt to play over by playing a diagonal pass to the outer player on the opposite corner.

Conditions 

• Outer players must play off 2 touches
• When in the inner square, players have a maximum of 3 touches

Progressions

• Allow players to play over - outer players can play a diagonal pass to opposite corner
• Limit touches for players on the inside - 2 touches or can they check their shoulders, no-touch turn and then play off 1 touch