Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): FAW - Mentoring Day 3

SP- Split Pass is King

Key Factors:

Red Line - 8 yards

Blue line - 10 yards

6v4 red overload.

Rules;

Red team must make eight passes in zone one before trying to transfer the ball into zone three.

The ball may be transfer by either splitting the blues in zone two or by playing down the outside of the blues. One point for a pass down the outside or two points for splitting the line.

One red from zone three can drop in and become a bounce pass, they cannot play forward only backwards into zone one.

Progressions:

Second blue player can press whenever they want, (tactical corner) recognising triggers when to press. (Bad first touch, sideways pass, backwards pass.) Must identify when to press keeping balance in zone two.

Aims:

Zone One: 3v1 overload where the reds must make eight passes before they can transfer the ball into zone three. One blue player must engage the ball and try win the ball back or make it difficult for the reds to play.

Zone Two: Blues must slide and screen the ball, reacting to what is happening. Need to make it difficult to be split without giving too much of the outside channels to play in. Focus on distances between players, if the ball is intercepted. 4v2 overload in zone two, with the aim of making ten passes. Should they make the ten passes can they get the ball onto any of the end lines in zone one or three.

Zone Three: 3v1 overload where the reds must make eight passes before they can transfer the ball into zone three. One blue player must engage the ball and try win the ball back or make it difficult for the reds to play. When the reds are in possession, one player can drop into zone three and become a target-man to bounce passes onto.

Five Pillars:

Technical - Can the reds play under pressure, can the blues remember and perform the skills they've.

Tactical - Must decide who is in the best position to press without affecting the balance. Team in position can they form a diamond to maximise the space.

Physical - Players will have an active rest period whilst the ball is in the opposite zone, blues in the middle will have an active break sliding and screening.

Psychological - Players must decide who is going to press, when is the right time to drop in and become a target-man. Can the blues recognise triggers when to press and when to sit in and make it difficult.

Progressions:

Reds can carry the ball into zone two and play through the lines that way.

A second blue defender can decide when to engage and make it a 3v2