Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): OA2 Defending the Lines SSG Cori Busuttil

SSG

Session Overview• Type: Opposed Specific Practice• Principle of Play: Defending the lines • Focus: Positional Roles & Responsibilities, with emphasis on pitch geography and tactical information• Formation for attacking (Red team) team 4-3-3 Adapted into a1-2-3-3 (GK, X2 CB, DM, X2 CM, LW, RW, ST). • Formation for defending team (Blue team) 4-4-2 Adapted into a 1-4-2-2 (GK, RB, X2 CB, LB, X2 CM, X2 ST). 

Bibs will be set out in the teams formations.

Session Organisation

• Starting Point: Red Goalkeeper  • Scoring:• Reds: The red team scores by scoring in the big goal(1 point). The red team can earn them self more points (2 points) if they can score by playing through the blues defensive line.• Blues: The blue team scores by scoring in the other big goal (1 point). If the blue team avoid an attempt from the reds to break their defensive line and go onto score they will get points for that (2 points).

Session Details 

• Practice area: Half Pitch. • Timings: 3x4 Minutes Blocks/ 3x1 minute terminal breaks. •  Numbers: 16 outfield players and 2 goalkeepers.  • Principle: Defending the lines. • Key Points: For the defensive team (blue) to remain in their positions, to stay narrow and compact not giving the attacking team (red) space especially in central areas. Communicate so the team knows when to press when to shuffle over to a side of the pitch. Having that cover and balance for the defensive team if the nearest man goes to press the opposition. •Target Players: The defensive (blue) team.

Intervention Strategies

·      Walkthrough

·      Concurrent

·      Coaching Process

·      3 terminal breaks- tactics board X2 and reflective break.

The aim of the session is for the defensive team to fully understand their role and responsibilities to work as a team to stop the opposition team in breaking their defensive line. 

Learning outcomes-

Do players understand the Welsh- Way transition of defending the lines of fast pressure on the ball, protect the middle, stay narrow and compact, stop split passes and protect the space behind.

Can the defensive team work together as a unit to not allow the attacking team to break their defensive line.

Can the defensive team anticipate when the attacking team are going to try and break the defensive line.

Coaching Points

Blue team:

• Stay narrow and compact to block central passes and force the red team to go wide.

• Communicate as a team to keep their shape.

• Midfield should focus on cutting off passing lanes and supporting the defence in maintaining compactness.

Red team:

• To move the ball quickly to disrupt the blue teams shape.

• To create depth and width in their positioning to stretch the blues and open up spaces to break lines.

• Try and take advantage of that extra man in midfield and create overloads to help try and find that spare player to break lines.

Block 2

Block 2- Tactics Board

When i speak with the defending team (blues) i will select one captain for the attacking team (reds) to speak with his team about how it is going and what they can do better next.

Problem 2- Attacking team always looking to get in behind tosee if the attacking team can play around or over if they are fine itchallenging to break through central areas with the defensive team being narrowand compact.

Solution 2- To avoid being played in behind the defensiveteam will drop back into a mid-block whilst also being narrow and compact tostill not allow the attacking team to play through them centrally.

Challenges, conditions, or targets.

If the defensive team can stop the attempt of the attackingteam breaking the line and go onto score, they will receive 2 points.

If the attacking team can break the defensive line by gettingin behind and go onto score, they will receive 2 points.