Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Defensive Pressing in Zone 4/3, on the Flanks, Using the FWs and CMs (D5)

Warm up - Continuos / Dynamic Movement (10 mins)

ORGANIZATION:

All 14 players are in the centre half circle (or equivalant size if circle not available for use)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Without Ball: Walk, light jog, skip, open gate, close gate, butt kix, high knees, shuffles, high fives, shoulder bumps, ..etc

OBJECTIVES:

Elevate heart rate

Warm up different parts of the body

Changing directions often

Tempo of movement

Awareness of whats around them

Warm Up - Technical (Barcelona Rondo) (10 mins)

Organization

4v4+3. Team in yellow defend the possession by the blues (plus the neutrals who are in orange) - when the yellows win the ball back the blue and yellow team will switch while the oranges stay as neutrals throughout.

Coachiing points

retaining possession

ability to change decision

protecting ball in difficult situations

not ball watching

breaking lines

Activity #1 - Defending Against a team playing out the back (15 mins)

ORGANIZATION:

Set up a playing area using half of a full sized field 7 Black bibs for the black team, 5 White bibs for the white team. One green bib for GK and Yellow bib for server. Hava an additional black bib ready for the introduction of the server as a player in the prograssion phase. One large goal in Zone 1; two small goals at midfield at the end of Zone 2. Have a supply of balls just outside the center circle, for easy access for re-starts by the server. Set up two teams using 14 players: 7 players on black team + GK to play a 1-2-3-2 vs. 5 players on white team to play in a 2-2-1. Add one server at the centre cirlce.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Play starts with the server playing the ball into the GK. GK will play the ball out to a black teammate. Black team will then look to build out from the back and try to score a goal by scoring into one of the two mini goals. White will look to defend the 2 mini goals and regain possession and attack the large goal. White must be encouraged to establish a line of confrontation in Zone 1, and good balance and compactness in Zone 2 as objectives to the activity.

COACHING POINTS:

Balance and Compactness for players away from the ball

Cover and Support for players close to the ball

Patience - dont dive in unless attacker takes a poor touch. Go after a winnable ball with front foot

Protect the goal - force the attacker away from the goal.

Decide to Pressure or Delay as you close space

Win ball with front foot if attacker takes a bad touch

Keep your eye on the ball, and defend an arms length away on the ball of your feet

Pressure as the ball travels - read player cues.

MID / FBs cut off space along the flank. MID block middle channels. ST prevents the switch.

Move as a group, move as the ball travels and communicate

Nearest defender / mid pressures the ball to prevent forward passes.

Second mid player tries to close off forward passing lane