Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending switch of play (Start Time: 2026-03-30 17:00:00)

FAW Coach Ed

Huw Stedman

Profile Summary

Name:	Huw Stedman
City:	newport
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

Interface Language

Share this Session

Link Session

Build 3D sessions in seconds

Access to 1000’s of sessions

Professionalise and modernise your coaching

Used by the world’s best coaches

US$

per year

Join today

Description

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Specific Practice

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

Save Image:

Create Video:

Learning Objectives

	Technical Use of defensive skills such as pressing, tackling, intercepting, and blocking passing lanes to limit central switches. Adopting the correct body shape when pressing to guide play away from central areas and into wider spaces. Ability to deal effectively with long passes, switches of play, and crosses, as well as managing first contacts when the ball is moved across the pitch. Maintaining control and quality when regaining possession to support transition.
	Tactical Ensuring the team remains compact to protect central areas and minimise gaps between units. Encouraging play into wide areas by making the opposition’s options predictable, including leaving the furthest player. Identifying key moments to press, delay, or shift across the pitch together. Working collectively to prevent central switches and reacting quickly when the opposition attempts to play through midfield or the striker. Maintaining effective positioning to screen passes and retain defensive structure.
	Physical Performing repeated high-intensity movements, particularly shifting laterally as a unit across the pitch. Combining pressing actions with recovery runs and the ability to sustain repeated efforts. Using speed and agility to close down space and react quickly to switches of play. Physical capability to compete in duels, deal with aerial balls, and maintain intensity throughout the practice.
	Psychological Maintaining focus and awareness to recognise potential switches of play early. Showing discipline to hold shape and avoid being pulled out of position. Making effective decisions on when to press, hold, or delay play. Demonstrating confidence in defensive actions and resilience to respond positively when the opposition breaks through or successfully switches play.
	Social Clear and consistent communication to support team organisation during pressing and defensive movements. Developing strong understanding between players to maintain shape and balance across the team. Supporting teammates through cooperation and leadership, ensuring collective responsibility in preventing the opposition from exploiting space.

Specific Practice (20 mins)

Defending switch of play:

Objectives: Force wide, pressure on the ball and leave furthest player.

Equipment: Goals, mini goals, bibs and balls

Half pitch with 15 players.

Coached Team (Blue): Set up in a 1-4-4-2 formation with a back 4 and 2 central players

Opposition team (Red): Set up as a 1-4-3-3 with 2 wide players and a striker

Description: The session begins with the ball server playing the ball into the red team. The red team attacks the full-sized goal, while the blue team's objective is to defend it and works to stop the switch of play. If the blue team wins the ball, they should try and score into one of the three mini goals.

Key coaching points:

- Encourage players to force play out into wide areas.

- Ensure the play remains predictable for easier defensive shifts

- Apply pressure on the ball quickly

- Force wide

- Leave the furthest player

Coaching interventions:

- concurrent: provide feedback as the session is moving to individuals

- coaching process: stopping the session as needed to deliver key principles

Objectives:

- The blue team aims to make the red team play harder areas of the pitch.

- The blue team works to stop the central switch of play.

Problem 1: the red team is attempting to switch the ball through the midfielders.

Solutions:

- The blue player should pressure the red player into wide areas to force the error of play backwards.

- The closest blue CM moves to mark the opposition full back

- Other CMs should cut off passing lanes to central players, protecting the middle.

- Leave the furthest player, but be ready to sprint and shift if the switch is attempted.

Problem 2:

- Prevent the central switch from the opposition striker

Solution:

- When the ball is switched through the ST, the closest Blue CM pressures the Red FB.

- CBs can track runs of the striker if they drop deeper

- If they play out to the winger, the 4 applies pressure immediately and cuts passing lanes to the 6 & 7.

Challenges, conditions and targets

- Blue defender should occupy 2 of 3 defensive zones when defending.

- If the blue team wins possession, they have 10 seconds to score in a mini goal.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG

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

Save Image:

Create Video:

SSG

Blue team (Defending team)

- 7 outfield players + GK

- Formation : 1-4-4-2

Focus: Defending the compact, preventing central switches and regaining possession.

Red team (attacking team)
- 8 outfield players

- Formation: 1-4-3-3

- Focus: attacking, switching play and creating goal-scoring opportunities

Set up:
- half pitch

- 15 outfield players + GK

- Area design replicate realistic match conditions

Type: opposed

Objectives:

- Prevent central switch of play

- Maintain compactness and protect central areas

- Force play wide and regain possession

- Attack quickly upon winning the ball

Small-Sided Game:

- play starts with the red team's CB and progresses as a normal game.

- The red team aims to build and switch play centrally, wide or via the striker.

- Blue team defends compactly, prevents switches and tries to regain possession

- Upon winning possession, the blue team looks to attack quickly and create goal-scoring opportunities.

Challenge 1:

- How can the defending team prevent switches through the midfield?

Challenge 2:

- How can the defending team deal with switches to either the 9 or wide players?

Conditions:

- If the blue team wins possession and scores = 2 points

- If the red team switches centrally and scores 2 points

Problem:

- Red team is able to switch play centrally through midfielders or via the striker, breaking defensive structure.

Solution:

- Central defenders and midfielders apply pressure and block passing lanes.

- CBs track the striker if they drop deep

- FBs press wide players

- Forces play wide to force the error

Managed opposition:

- Red team aims to build up from deep, using quick combinations and bounce passes to switch play centrally or directly.

- Encouraged to increase tempo and challenge the defensive shape.

Key coaching points:

- Maintain compact shape

- Protect central areas

- Press aggressively when required

- Block passing lanes

- Force play out wide

- Shuffle across as a unit

- Communication and organisation

Types of interventions:

Terminal – Reinforce shape and principles.

Concurrent – In play guidance – pressing, compactness and shifting

Walkthrough – Demonstrate positioning and outcomes

Coaching process – Correct errors and reinforce solutions

Regressions and progressions:

Limit time players can have on the ball or limit touches.