Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Match prep 2

Block 1 (5 mins)

MATCH PREP:

Defending in a 4-4-2 vs a 4-3-3,

Block 1 - Green press against a 1-4-3-3

Block 2 - Red press against a 1-4-3-3

Block 3 - Defending central areas in our own half nearer to the box.

Numbers: 22

Dimensions: Full pitch. 

Principle: Defending high

Key points: Identifying when to press and when to hold the middle

Key coaching points:

Leaving furthest lanes open

Intensity of runs while pressing

Movement of non pressing players to cover central areas

Pressing triggers

Block one: 

Green press

From our 1-4-4-2 shape we need to merge into a 4-3-3 to counter act them having easy play out options form the gk in open play and goal kicks. We will look to split the front two on the front line to be in line with both cbs from the opposition team, while pulling one up from the middle four to hold the space in the middle to not allow each passes through. 

Triggers: 

1. Once the ball is player to a cb, which ever side it moves to I want the middle player to make a move on and the striker to move out towards the full back. Once the pass is made to full back then the striker is to go full press on the full back with the middle player locking on to the cb not allowing for passes back to him. The opposite striker is to move with the first pass inside knowing that they then need to cover the top of the diamond once the ten presses the cb. 

The full back on the ball side is to come aggressive on the full back not allowing them to turn, while they jump I want the ball side cm from the diamond to shuffle over and try to block the passing lane down the full back, pulling the hold 6 to his man and the non ball side middle man to cover the 6. The freeman is the non ball side cm which our full back can make a play on. 

What ifs?

If the cb plays back across to the other cb we just shuffle over and play the same way. 

If the cb decides to go long and over the top of us the ten is drop back in and the diamond becomes flat again and we narrow into a 4-4-2.

Block 3 (5 mins)

MATCH PREP:

Defending in a 4-4-2 vs a 4-3-3,

Block 1 - Green press against a 1-4-3-3

Block 2 - Red press against a 1-4-3-3

Block 3 - Defending central areas in our own half nearer to the box.

Numbers: 22

Dimensions: Full pitch.

Principle: Defending high

Key points: Identifying when to press and when to hold the middle

Key coaching points:

Leaving furthest lanes open

Intensity of runs while pressing

Movement of non pressing players to cover central areas

Pressing triggers

Block three:

Defending the box

Triggers:We want to force one way, so we angle the strikers to force one way out to full back where we jump the wide cm of the four onto him, following the steps from red press. Every chance we have to step up we step up. Have cbs direct us to where we need to be in relation to the ball. We then need to go man for man in the middle of the park following all runners. 

If they were to get passed us one the strikers drops in to make us a 4-4-1-1 to cover central areas. 

Go back over previous points in a red press.