Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Passing and counter attacking

Warm up 1

Objective:

Increase muscle and body temperature

Organisation:

3 teams of 5 (or other number depending on number of players on the team). Players pass and move around the designated area to their teammates.

Variation:

On single whistle (or coach calls opposite) players must start to play the ball to and receive from opposite colour. On double whistle (or coach calls team) players once again have to play with their own team only

Variation 2:

Players can only receive the ball inside one of the end zones, and are not allowed to enter before the ball arrives. The ball must then be returned into the middle zone and played for a minimum of 3 passes before the end zone can be entered again.

Coaching Points:

Passing Options - Long pass; Short pass; One - two pass; One touch football

On the Ball - Awareness (know what is going on around you); Look at receiving players body language and positioning before playing them the ball

Off the Ball - Read the game to create space for yourself and teammates; Communication by body language and eye contact; Strength of the passer (left of right foot?); Dictate and demand the pace of the pass; Body position open to the field so you are aware of your next option

Defending and Counter-Attacking

Two-way practice - Defending & Counter-Attack Play

Practice Organisation

-Full pitch, restricted in length with appropriate size goal at one end & 4 small goals across pitch, as illustrated.

-21 Players (incl. GK), arrange 11v10 in teams structured 4-3-3 (Counter-attacking team) &

4-4-2 (Team attacking 4 goals), as shown.

-Practice starts with: GK rolls ball-out to Attacking team.

-A’s look to build-up play & sore in any of the 4 goals.

-D’s are looking to gain possession & quickly counter-attack to single goal with GK.

-After conclusion of an attack; practice restarts from GK

-Roles of teams can be reversed after a defined period of play or number or restarts.

Detail:

-D’s work ethic getting back behind ball to defend.

-D’s to defend realistically at all times, tracking runs & challenging.

-Quick reaction to adjust position & depth of defensive line in relation to ball movement.

-Engaging player on ball swiftly to delay & deny forward passing.

-Sliding across as a unit, remaining compact & leaving furthest attacker away from ball.

-Ensure a quicker tempo in passing & movement from team in possession

-Encourage creative & clever play in advance areas

-Emphasis on individual techniques & precise execution of passing, receiving dribbling & running with the ball skills.

-Simple progression for this practice are:

- Replace 4 goals with one & GK, to develop full game.

- Teams to develop own counter-attacking style in 4-4-2 & 40303 formations

Key coaching points

-Players ahead of ball to recover at pace to establish defensive block behind ball.

-Once goal-side; adjust from pressing to cover & balance in relation to ball & defensive line.

-Coordination for pressing & spoiling effort from D’s

-Engage player on ball (if possible) on recovery run.

-Early recognition of supporting strikers to “show” for ball on regains of possession.

-Quick reaction to movement of players to initiate counter-attack.

-Quick change of defending to attacking attitude from players (& vice versa).

-Looking for timely runs & well-placed passes to quickly penetrate oppositions on counter-attack

-Concentration & assessment of build-up play in advance positions to receive break-out passes from MF & counter-attack areas of the pitch.

U12 – The players should be able to complete the Transition

Learning outcomes in 2 v 2 functional practices.

U13 – The players should be able to complete the Transition Learning outcomes during 4 v 4 functional practice games.

U14 – The players should be able to complete the Transition Learning outcomes during Small Sided Games.

U15/16 – The players should be able to complete the TransitionLearning outcomes during 11 v 11 games.