Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending as a unit (Start Time: 2015-04-04 17:30:00)

warm up

Warm up Set up:

2 players per box. Complete 1 mintue per station before rotating

clockwise. Allow full rest between each station. Complete 4

stations 3 times. To benefit, players must perform to their maximum with

full recovery between.

Box 1 : Player must half volley ball back to partner - partner serves

away from player to make receiving player move and co-ordinate

limbs.

Box 2: Receiving player balances on one leg and volleys left and

right foot - 5 per foot before changing feet;

Box 3: Serving player varies service to receiving player - short, long,

high pass - receiving player must react quickly to return in

minimum touches;

Box 4: Players pass to each other back and forth; after a minimum

of 5 passes, players race to the end line end and repeat.

SSG (20 mins)

Set Up:

Half a pitch, one goal and one GK, players split between attackers and defenders (9v9).

Supply of balls in goal on halfway line.

Set up blues as 4-2-1

Whites set up as a 2-4-2

Rotation:

On coaches instruction, White GK will pass the ball out to a CB

White: Working with widemen, strikers and central midfielders, looking to create a chance on goal.

Blue: Four defenders and two central midfielders work as a unit to close down the widemen and the strikers.

Looking for the defenders to work as a unit, be patient and close early.

If defenders win possession, they have 8 seconds to score

Coaching Points:

Discuss when to pressure, how to pressure and where to pressure ball - Immediate pressure on the ball and ensuring the first defender is making the play predictable by forcing the player with the ball into DEAD space (towards their cover defenders).

Players in covering positions should be at about a 30-45 degree angle from first defender, communicating to them about which way they should be forcing the person with the ball, etc.

Player(s) in a balancing position(s) should be behind ball, in a position to see both ball and 3rd attackers and to transition to attack if the ball is won.

Defensive shape is a key to successfully winning the ball back. – Flat, connected and compact,

forcing the ball to where the defensive numbers are.