Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): VA Beach Tournament - Sunday Games (Basic plan) - March 20th, 2022

1st Half Start

DEFENSIVE PHASE - REGULAR

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES: ZONAL PRESS - DISCIPLINED BUT AGGRESSIVE

OVERALL TACTICAL THEME: HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET COMPACT AND STAY COMPACT. CAN WE DOMINATE THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD EVEN WITHOUT POSSESSION

**OUR SHAPE WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE BALL IS BASICALLY A 1-4-3-3 (ESPECIALLY IF THEY PLAY OUT FROM THE BACK)

TOP PRIORITIES:

1) RECOVERY TO DENY PENETRATION IN CENTRAL AREAS WHEN WE LOSE POSSESSION OF THE BALL

STOP THE ROUND THING GOING IN THE STRINGY THING! NO MORE, NO LESS.

*COMMUNICATION coming from all players (especially those behind that see the field a head)

*Close connectivity in all lines (def, mid, att)

* Good PCB principles (Pressure, Cover, Balance)

* Good 1v1 defending so we can delay the opposition, allowing us time/space to recover and be compact.

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2) SMALL GROUP DEFENDING - WORK TOGETHER WITH GOOD COMMUNICATION AND COMPACTNESS TO MINIMIZE BEING STRETCHED OUT. WHEN WE LOSE POSSESSION OUR DEFENSIVE SHAPE IS CRITICAL

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DEFENDERS

**-Be PATIENT when defending in wide areas in 1v1 battles. Goal is to DELAY as long as possible so we can get compact again. 

* DO NOT allow any balls through the back line centrally....make everything go wide! (Zone 14 - REMEMBER). READ THE FLIGHT OF THE BALL AND DECIDE WHEN TO LET BALL RUN THROUGH

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 MIDFIELDERS

**When ball is lost, how quickly do we mentally and physically transition into a defensive mindset and position? CLICK MOMENTS!

- Get the right team shape across the middle of the pitch (compact) and maintain the shape as we transition from side to side and front to back (4-3-3). FORCE THEM TO GO LONG WITH THE BALL WHEN WE CAN!

*Recovering so that we are able to take away all central penetration

DON'T TRY TO BE TOO FANCY WHEN WE WIN THE BALL BACK BUT CAN WE PLAY IMPACTFUL BALLS FORWARD? (NOT LONG JUST FORWARD)

OUR FIRST 2-3 PASSES AFTER WINNING POSSESSION ARE CRITICAL AND DETERMINE IF WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE GAME! 

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ATTACKERS

#7, #11 & #9 -WHEN OPPONENT HAS CLEAR POSSESSION (GOAL KICKS, BUILDING OUT FROM BACK, ETC) WE HAVE A LITTLE FREEDOM TO PRESS BUT WITH THE GOAL TO FUNNEL EVERYTHING CENTRAL INTO OUR COMPACT SHAPE CENTRALLY

*Attackers must be switched on to play inside to where our compact midfield should be

*if playing out from the back wait for the GK to make his decision and who he passes to then we press to force them down the middle into our trap (hopefully)

ATTACKING PHASE

IN POSSESSION IN THE ATTACKING HALF OF THE FIELD

PRIORITY: FORWARD MOVEMENTS TO CREATE PRESSURE ON THE DEFENSIVE BACK LINE

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TRIGGERS/AWARENESS:

*DO OUR MIDFIELDERS HAVE TIME AND SPACE ON THE BALL? LOOK TO MAKE THE INTELLIGENT RUNS AHEAD OF THEM (#2, #3, #7, #11, #9)

*DO WE HAVE A 2V1 TO CREATE A COMBINATION TO PENETRATE (GET BEHIND THE DEFENDER OR DEFENSIVE LINE)

*ALWAYS BE LOOKING TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BACK LINE BY CREATING PENETRATING RUNS FORWARD

*HAS THE BALL BEEN PLAYED HORIZONTAL/SIDEWAYS? MAKE A FORWARD RUN OFF THAT PASS.

1. QUICK MOVEMENT

     -What comes first? the run or the pass?THE RUN gives visual cues to our teammates

     -How do we make sure our teammates are aware of our movement?(the speed/intention of the movement & communication)

      - What kind of movement is most likely to unbalance the defenders and create space behind the defense (angled runs at speed). Angled runs/straight passes or straight runs/angled passes.

      -When you make a pass horizontal, find a new opening vertically or away from the ball (rotation of other players into the space)

      - combination passes when we recognize 2v1 numerical advantage situations to create penetration.

ATTACKERS - WHEN WE WIN THE BALL HIGH UP THE FIELD, BE ATTACK MINDED AND GO TO GOAL.  

**DON'T BE AFRAID TO SHOOT! ** - HAVE YOUR HEAD UP AND BE AWARE OF SHOOTING OPPORTUNITIES EARLY 

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MIDFIELDERS

QUICK PASSING - GET THE BALL OUT OF YOUR FEET MUCH EARLIER

Look for the cues to make the right pass:

*Attackers ahead of you making good runs

*How much space is in front or behind the back line (space behind, then put the ball over the back line)

*opposition center backs leaving large gaps between them.

*Opposition GK is way back on their goal line. 

NO PRESSURE ON THE BALL? THIS IS OUR MAGIC MOMENT TO PUT PRESSURE ON THEIR BACK LINE

If the defensive team is not applying hard pressure to the ball, get your head up and can you find an attacker making penetrating runs beyond the back line? Force the defensive unit to back up 

DO YOU HAVE PRESSURE ON THE BALL? 

Look to maintain possession - balls out to wide areas, backwards if necessary

** The QUALITY & DIRECTION of your first touch really sets the stage for maintaining possession.

  2. THE QUALITY OF OUR PASSING?

      - How accurate is our passing? do we play the ball to the correct foot of the receiving player?

       - Is the weight of the pass correct to either lead them into space or give them the best chance to get a quality first touch when receiving?

        - can we manage the balance between short accurate passing and longer range passing to switch the point of attack? 

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DEFENDERS

1. BE CALM, BE COMPOSED, BE ACCURATE, BE MOBILE

Set the foundation for our attacking play by making smart decisions while playing out from the back.

*When ball goes back to GK, he should ALWAYS have two passing options to his left and to his right. A third option in #6 dropping in between both CBs is also an option.

*Identify when the pressure is coming from (do we have a front 3 attackers or just a front 2)

*If the clear, clean pass is not available while playing out from the back, don't be afraid to go longer with the ball to relieve some pressure. That applies to both GK and to CBs.