Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Pressing and counter-pressing - practice

Description

This session is designed to help develop a players and teams (unit) ability to press and counter-press as soon as possession is lost. A secondary focus of the practice is to develop an understanding of individual roles and responsabilities when out of possession (OOP)

Organisation (Practice Layout & Transition)

• 14 players, divided in two teams of seven (A and B)
• Playing area of 25 by 40m split into two halves
• Aim of the game is to complete 25 passes to win
• All seven players of team A play in one half and only three defenders from team B are allowed to press them in their half
• The defenders are trying to win the ball back through high intensity pressing and if they succeed in doing so they should look to transfer to their team and join their own half, becoming the in possession team and asking team A to become defenders and send three players to press
• Practice time is split into 4 blocks of 3 minutes each, with a total practice time of 12 minutes. This can be increased or decreased. 

• Players should look to pass at speed, using a low number of touches to avoid the pressure from the defending team
• Players should be encouraged to scan before receiving and have a mental image of the pitch geography so they can take quick decisions once in possession
• Players should produce good quality passing paying attention to the receiver's signals (to feet or into space)
• The pressing team should communicate at all times, to organise themselves into a press that forces mistakes
• If possession is lost, players should react quickly and apply fast pressure to regain as quickly as possible