Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Attacking Principles - Combination Play

Passing Practice

Set Up:

9 players in each square; 6v3

Instructions:

Play always starts by Red #2/4; Reds have to pass and move the ball around smartly in the area between the halfway line and the poles; Blues defend passively. Swap defenders after every minute.

Variation/Progression:

Blues in active mode; if they win the ball, they have to run the ball over the halfway line and stop. 

Reds combine to get the ball forward and play killer passes through the poles for any two players to bomb forward to receive in the space behind before scoring.

(Left square in animation depicts Passing Practice before progression & right square illustrates more combination play)

Coaching Behaviours to Introduce (Reds):

Can you draw/commit a defender and play wall passes to go past them?

Can you play quick 01/02 touch passes to combine to get the ball through the poles for someone to receive on the run?

Can you make sure you always have two players providing width?

Can the most advanced players spin away/around the pole to receive in space ahead?

Can you make an overlapping run to receive on the run?

Game Training

Set up:

18 players; Blues 1-4-4 Reds 3-3-3; half pitch, 02 pop up goals at one end.

Instructions:

Play starts when Coach feeds the ball to Red #3/2/5; Blues have 02 pop up goals to score in; no corners but offside and throw-ins apply. Blues back line to start where yellow cones are placed.

Opposition (Blues) BPO 

1-4-4; When Reds start, you need to hold two compact lines of defence shuffling together side to side and when the ball is in a wide area, the closest player will fly out from the line at an angle to press and force Reds to play backwards. Once they do, you then join the line and move as a unit.

If they play to #9/8/10 in central areas, get tight to these players and not let them turn to play forward; always force them to play backwards. 

Opposition (Blues) BP

1-2-1-3; When you win possession, #2,5,7,8,10 bomb forward with #6 following the action & you have only 05 seconds to score, else turn over.

Team Task (Reds)

Can you get the ball into the final third through combination play to create scoring chances?

Player Tasks (Reds)

#2,5,7,11 - can you provide width when your team has the ball?

#8,10 - can you pick the right moment to either operate between the two lines or drop towards your goal to receive in front of blues' first defensive line?

#7,11 - can you pick the right moment to drift towards the central areas when your team has possession?

#2,5 - can you combine with #7/11 in the wide areas?

#7,11 - can you combine with #2/5 or #8/10?

#8,10 - can you play through the back line?

Cues (Reds)

#2,5,7,11 - when your team has possession in central areas and the half spaces, can #7,11 go as wide as you can towards the touchline and in line with the opposition back line? Can #2,5 also go as wide as possible but in front of the first Blue line of defence?

#8,10 - when your team has possession, can you find spaces & passing lanes between the two lines whilst the opposition lines move as a unit? If you are unable to find spaces between the lines, can you then drop to receive in front of Blues' first defensive line and then drive forwards to draw a player out of position to create space behind to play into? 

#7,11 - if #8/10 drops in front of first defensive line to receive and draws a defender out of position, can you drift into the #8/10 position to keep their fullback engaged while our #2/5 can bomb forward once they get the ball from our #8/10? If opposition fullback flies out to press our advancing #2/5, then, can you receive/combine with #2/5 in the half spaces to play forward?

#2,5 - if #7/11 are in a 1v1 out wide and cannot progress forward, can you make an overlapping run to receive in the space behind their back line and then, cross the ball hard and low into the box?

#7,11 - when you're in a 1v1 and can't go forward, can you flick the ball into the space forward for the overlapping #2/5 to receive on the run? Or, can you combine with #8/10 in the half spaces to receive behind the back line and then cross it hard and low into the box?

#8,10 - when #7/11 are in a 1v1 out wide, can you find the good areas in the half spaces to play the wall pass/killer pass through the back line for them or #9 to receive in the box?