Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Through ball and crossing

Crossing and scoring (90 mins)

Objective: Improve players' ability to maintain possession and create scoring opportunities in the final third through focused passing drills, positional play, and small-sided games.

Age Group: 18-20 years old

Competitiveness: College team (highly competitive)

Duration: 90 minutes

Equipment Needed:

• Soccer balls
• Cones
• Mini goals
• Bibs
• Full-size goal

Session Breakdown:

Warm-Up (15 minutes)

• Dynamic Stretching (5 minutes): Focus on leg muscles, agility ladders for quick feet.
• Rondos (10 minutes): Players form circles of 5-6; focus on quick passing and movement, emphasizing one-touch passing to encourage quick thinking and movement.

Technical Drills (20 minutes)

• Passing and Receiving Drill (10 minutes): Set up a grid with players in pairs, focusing on accurate passes and first-touch control aimed toward moving into space.
• Turning and Shooting Drill (10 minutes): Players receive the ball with their back to the goal at the edge of the 18-yard box, turn, and shoot. Coaches focus on the quick turn and immediate shot, simulating tight defensive pressure.

Tactical Play (25 minutes)

• Positional Play Exercise (15 minutes): Divide the field into thirds. In the final third, set up a 7 vs. 4 scenario where the 7 players aim to keep possession and create scoring opportunities against 4 defenders.
• Through Ball and Crossing Drill (10 minutes): Practice penetrating passes from midfield to attackers making diagonal runs. Include wingers crossing into the box for finishers.

Small-Sided Game (20 minutes)

• 7v7 Game (20 minutes): Play within a condensed version of the final third, using mini-goals. Emphasize maintaining possession under pressure, quick decision-making, and creating chances. Coaches should freeze play to discuss positioning and decision-making briefly.

Cool Down (10 minutes)

• Light Jog and Stretching (5 minutes): Focus on lower back, legs, and core.
• Debrief (5 minutes): Quick feedback session focusing on observations from the day’s training, emphasizing the positive impacts of maintaining possession and areas to improve.

Coaching Points:

• Encourage creativity: Allow players to try different methods of breaking down the defense without fear of making mistakes.
• Quick decision-making: Stress the importance of making quick decisions in the final third to exploit defensive weaknesses.
• Spatial awareness: Coach players to be aware of their surroundings, encouraging them to check their shoulder before receiving the ball to increase their options.
• Communication: Foster constant communication among players to coordinate movements and passes effectively.

This session plan is designed to challenge players technically and tactically while also encouraging teamwork and communication, key aspects of maintaining possession and being effective in the final third of the pitch.