Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): UEFA C General Practice - Breaking Lines

Breaking Lines (20 mins)

Set up:

- 2 Teams of 7 (1 Goalkeeper & 6 outfield players for both teams).

- Pitch is zonal, split into 3rd's (Defensive, Central & Final)

Instructions:

Players are initially locked into specific zones. Each team will have 2 players in the defensive third, 3 in the central third, and 1 in the final third. 

The objective of this small sided games is to play through the thirds, with focus on breaking lines. The ball must be passed through the thirds. Games starts with blue in attack, plays pass to defender and game become live.

In Possession:

- Can we play through, around or over?

- Make the pitch big, create width & depth. Make defenders commit. 

- Movements of the support players to create an angle to pass. Find the spare player.

- Support players should be asking - can they see my feet for me to receive the pass?

- Passing - weight of pass / speed of the ball / passing temp - observe technique of the pass. Take risks, be brave to break the lines.

- Finishing. 

- Remain narrow & compact. Recognise oppositions movement. 

- Defensive stance / body position - can we force wide / force errors?

- Press quickly - nearest defender to close down the space. Cut out passing channels, stop split passes. 

- Protect the space behind. 

- Defend the final third - one defender to protect the middle at all times. Can we prevent the shot? 

Adaptations (Progressions & Regressions):

- Once the ball goes from one zone to another, 1 player from the team in possession team can also travel to that zone, meaning when the ball goes from the defensive third to the central third, a player from the defensive third can also travel to the central third creating a 4v3 overload. If a team loses possession, players must immediately return to their original zone. 

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

- Depending on the ability of the group, we can introduce 2 touch in the central zone.

- Could look to limit passes in a zone before the ball must go forward i.e 2/3 passes in defensive third, 4/5 passes in the central third.

- Put time restriction on striker to shoot / score - 5 seconds on receiving the ball. Or limit to 2 touches, encouraging them to be in space to receive the ball to allow the first touch to set themselves, and 2nd touch to shoot.

Interventions:

- Freeze - Where required, stop the game to give instructions on positioning to both in possession and out of possession teams. 

- Demonstrations my be require around defensive stance when defending 1v1, 1v2 (Final 3rd)