Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Position to see your immediate opponent and the ball when defending

Passing Practice/Warm Up

Rules

Coach sets up 3 or 4 grids, depending on numbers, 10m long by 5m wide.

Two blue and two red players in each grid with two players competing against each other on the inside and two players passing the ball in and acting as neutral bouncers on the end lines.

If play restarts from either side, bouncer who restarts play passes to his own colour to begin. When opponent wins the ball or forces opponent to kick ball out of play, they get possession next.

A goal is scored each time a player transitions the ball from one bouncer to the other without their opponent winning possession of the ball.

Each set runs for 45 seconds of high intensity 1v1 play, before outside players switch and become active players inside.

Progressions

- Players cannot bounce back to the player they received the ball from. (Step Down)

- Change size of grid to suit ability of players.

- Bouncer can step in and make the game a 2 v 1 with their teammate until the ball crosses half way. (Step Up)

Progressions

- Players change grids to compete against different opponent.

- Touch restriction to prevent players overplaying in 1v1 situation.

Encourage/Influence

- When defending can you position yourself where you can see your immediate opponent and the ball.

- When getting tight to the player in possession, can you see the ball?

- Don't allow your immediate opponent to turn and play forward.

- Look for a poor touch or slow pass to intercept and win possession of the ball.

Game Training

Rules

Blue Team shape 2-3-1, defending two small goals on half way, red team GK-2-3.

Pitch shape is box-width and half length, with static offside line on 18 yard box and line of cones 15m from half way.

Ball starts with blue centre backs, who shift ball looking for an option to play past the 15m line.

Once blue has received beyond 15m line, red receive 0.5 points if they can force blue midfielders to play ball back over line to CBs. Red has 15 seconds to score once they take possession of the ball. If they score they get 1 point.

Blue get 0.5 points if they win ball back off reds inside 15 seconds.

Blue gets one point for each goal scored past red goalkeeper.

3 sets of 8 minutes with 2 min rests.

Team task: (Red) When the ball is about to be played into the midfielders, can you position yourself to see both your opponent and the ball.

(Blue) When you lose possession of the ball can you win it back as soon as possible by getting goal side of your immediate opponent so you can see your immediate opponent and the ball.

Player Tasks: 

-  If your immediate opponent runs beyond you into a more dangerous area can you pass them on to a deeper defender or run back to get goalside?

- When the ball is played to your immediate opponent can you get touch tight and goalside to force them to play back to the centre backs.

- When the ball is played to the centre backs, can our defenders tuck in to cover and get more compact, to prevent a through-ball to the 9.

- When the ball is passed to a midfielder on either the right or left, can the central midfielder and nearest centre back move to a position covering the first defender.

- If that happens can the centre back and midfielder furthest from the ball come central and deep to keep compactness and protect against a change in the point of the attack.

- (blue team) If your team loses the ball, can you quickly get goal side of your immediate opponent, and if your immediate opponent is the ball carrier can you defend close with an angled body shape to prevent them playing forward?

Progressions

- A CB can step in to create an overload in the midfield.

- Red have more or less time to score once they get possession of the ball.

- Ball can start from goalkeeper as well.

- Remove 15m line to enable players to go anywhere on the pitch, challenging them to maintain compactness.