Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): 1v1 Defending

Ball Mastery (15 mins)

Organisation:

-Area: approx. 20x20 (adjust for number of players)

-10-12 Players

-A ball for each player

-8-10 2m gates around the area

-Ball mastery warm-up - players getting touches on ball. Work on all surfaces of the foot (inside/outside/sole), toe-taps, inside touches. Juggling the ball.

-Players have to dribble through as many gates as possible in 1 min

Progressions:

-Add 'gate blockers' - they can stand in the gate for 5 secs - that gate cannot be used at that time

-Add 'defenders' - can tag the dribblers - they must stop, do 10 toe-taps before continuing

Tactical 1v3 - 3v3 (25 mins)

Organisation:

-10-12 players

-Area: full quarter of field

-3 mini-nets, 1 big net, bibs, supply of balls

-Attacking team have 3 attempts to score. Play starts with 1 attacker dribbling at the 3 defenders(1v3), once ball goes dead, attacker must get back into end zone and start new attack with 2 attackers (2v3), and then finally 3v3. Rotate defender after each sequence.

Progression/Variations:

-add time limit to score on goals

-add off-side

Coaching Points:

-good 1v1 defending skills (speed/angle approach, body shape, distance, etc)

-good covering defending (distance/angle of position, communication, switching roles)

-team shape (balance, when to press high, when to drop off low)