Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): SSG practice Game Principles- Creating Width with the ball (30 minutes)

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SSG practice Game Principles- Creating Width with the ball (30 minutes) 

* Within this SSG practice it will be focused on creating width with the ball to create attacking opportunities. This section to the practice will involve 3x 10 minute blocks including interventions and adaptions. this session is planned for 16 players (8v8 including gks) 

objectives of the practice: 

- for all players to gain understanding of the importance of creating width when attacking with the ball

- for most players to understand the movements they can make in their positions that can help create width 

- for some players to demonstrate effectiveness once creating the width, using this to gain goal scoring opportunities e.g. crosses into the box. 

1st block: 

- The first block of the SSG will involve the pitch layout as demonstrated with red cones dividing the pitch into 2 halves. The first adaption to the game will be each team when they have the ball must switch the play at least 2 times before they can score. This adaption will help players gain the understanding to start of prioritising moving the ball horizontally instead of thinking can we go forward with the ball. This will help players understand the effectiveness of shifting the ball across the pitch and the joy they can get from moving the ball from high pressure to low pressure. Once they have shifted the Ball across the two zones, this is when they can try to score. 

 Intervention considerations: 

- Are playing still moving the ball with tempo to gain the effectiveness of switching the play 

- what movements can players make to make to aid the success and temp of the switch e.g. defenders dropping deeper to create easier pass then switch, midfielders creating a false fullback to cause confusion from opposition and create space in the middle to play. 

- progression: must switch the ball 3 times before scoring. 

- regression: only 4 players max can be in one side of the pitch at one time to create more space. 

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3rd block :

- The 3rd block will now focus on taking out constraints of the practice and allowing free flowing play to take place. This will be to see if players can see for themselves the advantages they can create when creating width through their positioning and ball speed playing across the pitch instead of always forward.

intervention considerations:

- if practice looses it focus, to redirect this look to reward play that shows creating width on the football pitch. for example if shifting the ball from the left side of the pitch to the right (rise versa) and scoring, this will be worth 2 goals. if teams can make 10 passes between them that involves the ball crossing from each side off the pitch this will be worth 1 goal.

- progression: can only score from a cross in wide areas.

- regressions: only need to make 5 passes switching the play to create width to score.