Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Defending from the front with a narrow front 3

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Johnathan Caswell, Adult Member

Profile Summary

Name:	Johnathan Caswell
City:	NP23 5BG
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

Function: Defending in a 4-1-1

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Set Up

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Set Up (5 mins)

Organisation

Half Pitch area. Marked in 5 yards from each touchline. Target Area for the Red team just over the halfway line, which is the width and depth of half the centre circle.

Split players into two teams - red 9 players; blue 6 players

Reds play 1-4-2-1. GK, Back Four, Two Centre Mids and a Target player in the area.

Blues play 4-1-1. Midfield Four (7, 8, 6, 11), Withdrawn Striker (10) and Lone Striker (9)

Working with: Blue Team

Aim

Red Target player plays a long pass to the GK who plays out to either Centre Back. The Red team are trying to make a minimum of 3 passes and then get the ball to their Target Player. The Target Player then plays a long pass to the GK and play starts again.

The Blue team are trying to prevent the Reds from reaching the target player, by pressing and winning the ball back. If they do win it back, they have 8 seconds to try and score a goal.

Play starts again from the Red Target Player.

Allow Players for 2 minutes so players get an understanding of the rules, their positions and the pitch geography.

Coaching Position

The Blue team is being coached on Defending, therefore the ideal Coaching Position is from near the Red Target player, behind the Blue team. This will allow the coach to see how the Blue team move as a defensive unit. However wandering from side to side at times is also ok. Also, when coaching blue 9 & 10, the coaching position will be altered to a position higher up the pitch.

9 Plays high splitting the CBs

11 and 7 tuck in (narrow) to entice the CB to have the ball

8, 10 and 6 pick up their respective MF

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): GK passes to centre back

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GK passes to centre back (5 mins)

STOP PLAY WHEN BALL IS PLAYED TO CENTRE BACK AND RUN THROUGH TRIGGERS:

Trigger:

GK plays ball out to Centre Back

Movements:

9 - Arcing Run towards Centre Back to cut off option across the back to the other centre back and threaten the option of a pass back to GK. Forces play forward/wide.

7 - Presses the CB forcing him inside

8 - Moves out to FB to cut the option off

10 - moves in to Red 6

11 - Squeezes inside to press Red 8

6 - Sweeps behind Red 6

11, 10 and 8 try to get ball side of their men to pinch any balls that are played in field.

In a larger game defensive units are on alert for long ball down the line

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Centre Back passes to full back

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Centre Back passes to full back (5 mins)

WHEN THE BALL IS PLAYED INTO THE FULL BACK STOP PLAY AND GO THROUGH THE SECONDARY TRIGGER AND THE MOVEMENTS THAT FOLLOW:

Trigger:

Ball played into Full Back

Movements:

7 - Arcing Run towards the Full Back to cut off a pass down the line and to force the full back to use their weaker foot, using his body position to show the Red 3 inside, where we are strong in numbers

8 - Stays Ball Side of the opposition centre midfielder threatening a pass inside and potentially screening a pass forwards

6 - Shuffles over slightly to still screen a pass into the Target Player

11 - Stays on the outside shoulder of the opposition centre midfielder Red 8, threatening the pass to them, but also threatening the switch of play which is more likely to the opposite full back Red 2.

10 - Moves over slightly to keep cutting the pitch in half, screening a pass into the furthest centre midfielder Red 8 and threatening the switch of play to Red 2.

9 - stays near the Centre back, threatening the pass back and threatening the pass to the GK.

If FB beats 7 then 8 mirrors the movement

11 shifts over to 6 and 10 covers any movement by 8

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): What If Switch is Made to furthest centre back?

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What If Switch is Made to furthest centre back? (5 mins)

WHAT IF SWITCH OF PLAY HAPPENS?

If the Red 3 Full Back is brave enough to play a long cross-field pass to Red 5 Centre Back, then our movements are mirrored on the opposite side of the pitch, apart from the 9 and 10 who switch roles.

10 - Trigger for Blue 10 is as soon as the Red 3 looks as though he's going to play the ball wide. Arcing Run to cut off ball back across the back line to Red 4, and threaten any pass to GK, forcing play forwards

9 - Drops into the Number 10 position, cutting the pitch in half, threatening the ball into the furthest centre midfielder Red 6 and threatening the nearest Centre Midfielder Red 8 from the front if the ball is played in to them

11 - Shuffles across to the Red 2 Full Back, forcing the play to stay inside where we have numbers coming across

6 - Moves out of the deep position to mark ball side of the nearest centre midfielder Red 8 - ASAP

8 - Drops back to become the deepest payer, screening the forward pass - ASAP

7 - Moves across to mark furthest side of the centre midfielder, threatening the pass and threatening the switch of play.

MUST WORK ON THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN 9+10 AND THE TWO CENTRE MIDFIELDERS - 6+8.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): What if switch is made to opposite full back?

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What if switch is made to opposite full back? (5 mins)

What if the switch of play is made to Red 2?

Can Blue 11 close down immediately? Should be show outside or inside? Inside - where we have numbers of players. Can we force the Red 2 to play back to Red 5?

To do so, need to reduce Red2 passing options quickly - Blue 6 will take over the cover ball side on Red 8; Blue 8 will provide deep cover in place or Blue 6; Blue 7 will drop in to cover goal side of Red 6; Blue 10 will arc his run as before, to close down Red5, with Blue 9 adopting a similar run to close down passsing options tpo Red 3 or Red 4.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): What if GK plays ball out to MF Player?

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What if GK plays ball out to MF Player?

What if GK plays out to Red 8?

Who should close Red 8 down? Blue 6 to close Red 8 down as first defender - better starting position than any other blue player? Can cut out pass to Target player at same time. Blue 8 to provide support as second defender to Blue 6. Blue 10 to retreat to try to cut out pass to Red 6; Blue 7 moves forwards at a slight angle to support blue 10 if red 6 is forced to play outside and also to try to cut out any pass by Red 8 or Red 6 to Red 3 - also being in a position to cover Red 3 if the pass is made - positioning himself to keep Red 3 in sight; Blue 11 moves forward to provide cover to blue 6 if Red 8 is forced to play outside, as well as being in a position to threaten any pass out to Red 2, or provide cover of Red 2 if a pass is made to Red 2.