Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Specific into SSG - Defending the Overload

Session Plan

Specific Session and Small Sided Game: 

 

Defending The Overload:

Welsh Way Principles: Recognise opponents movement/ press quickly/protect central areas/leave the furthest player.

 

Organisation:

Area Size - Half Pitch plus ten yards in length

17 players, 9 in blue, 7 in red and a goalkeeper for red (8v9)

2 Big goals (One for Specific / Two for SSG)

2 MINI goals for Specific. 

12 flat discs to outline tram lines for Specific Part of Session

 

 

Explanation: 

Ball always starts from Blue server player #1 who feeds the ball into a CM who peels off either left or right to receive the ball on the back foot and play forward at pace into a midfielder in the shaded area shown or out wide to the left or right winger #2 and #3.  

Reds must prevent the Blues from scoring and defend against the overloads centrally and wide. Back 4 defenders and keeper are to screen across with support from CM if and when ball plays wide and remembering to leave the furthest man to help defend the overload.

Aim for the blue team is to attack the reds in the final third and try to play overload combinations through shaded zone and create a goal scoring opportunity.

Both Player #2 and #3 on the blue team can stay wide outside the tram lines to create width and cause a problem for the defenders.

 

How:

The coach is to work on the out of possession principles to try and give understanding to all players in the defensive unit. Coaching position will be mostly in the central areas to zoom in to the unit work and problems caused by the attacking blue team. 

Assistant coach will cause problems by briefing the attacking players to follow for example switch play once to then play centrally through the defensive set up to create a chance.

Challenges/progression Blue Team:  

Extra goal for the Blues if they score by the ball going through shaded zone.

Blues have 5 seconds to finish once the ball enters the final third.

Challenge/progression Red Team: If the Reds win the ball back they will have 5-7 seconds to score a point playing the ball to the Red number 10 to make it realistic.( If this is successful the number ten then can finish in to one of the mini goals for an extra point.)

 

Time Constraints will allow for high amounts of ball rolling time which in turn allows for the defending team (The team we are working with) to maximise their chances to work on the outcomes we are trying to achieve.

Key Points:

Out Of Possession:

• Protect central areas
• leave the furthest man
• Recognise opponents movement
• Press Quickly
• Prevent split passes
• Force play backwards

In Possession:

• Switch play
• Forward passes to exploit space
• Create 2v1s
• Rotations

Interventions:

Terminal - At start of specific and also at the start of the SSG to set up rules of play and objective.

Concurrent 

 

Coaching Process

SSG

(Assistant coach to help with removal and movement of equipment not needed from specific part of session)

 

As with the Specific - the aim with the SSG is to take the same learnings into a managed game situation. 

Setup - remove the tramline cones and small goals.  Pitch dimensions remain the same but with a large goal replacing the small goals for the defending team, and also server #1 becoming a GK for the blue team.  All players are allowed to move to all areas of the pitch without constraint.

Objectives 

- the blue team have the same objective - can they penetrate the defence by moving the ball to create space down the middle or switching play to stretch the defensive unit and get balls into the box.

- the red team are to consolidate the Welsh Way principles in a more open game format from the specific but this time they have the goal of scoring if they take possession of the ball. In order to build repetition of the defensive learning, the Red team might have a time constraint if they are successful in winning the ball back.

From each passage of play, the ball restarts with the opposite GK.  Throw ins will be used but no corners to maximise ball rolling time and focus on the defensive lessons.

Coach will work with the defensive team and assistant coach will support by working with offensive team, briefing them with challenges that draw out the problems we need for the defence to fix similar to those from the Specifc.

 

Interventions -

Terminal - at the start of the SSG to quickly brief the players in the changes of conditions and playing set up

Concurrent feedback - during SSG to ensure defensive unit are building on learnings from Specific. May require WalkThrough / Coaching Process if opportunity/need arises.

Coaching points will mirror those from the Specific with particular attention on:

 

 

- Moving as a unit and leaving furthest player

- The decision and trigger for a quick press

- How to put pressure on the ball without leaving the centre open for exploitation