Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Team Training (Defending principles) Session 3

Drill: 1 v 1 (5 mins)

Drill

Organisation

Split players into two teams - blue and whites - 3 or 4 in each team.

Create an area 30 x 10 yards.

Play to commence from white players. Players take it in turns to take on the role of either attacker or defender and following their exercise, join the opposite team to play the role of the other player.

Aim

1) Defender passes ball into attacker

2) Defender then follows that pass quickly and applies pressure to the attacker within the coned area.

3) When attacker receives the ball he should aim to get past the defender and pass the ball to the waiting defenders. Attacker must remain in the area at all times. Defender can only dispossess the Attacker within the coned area. Defender succeeds if he dispossess Attacker or forces the Attacker outside the area.

Coaching Points

'Quick, Slow, Sideways, Low'.

Be quick to stop the attacker making ground, slow up once near the Attacker, side on, on toes, knees bent, feet apart (not too far), weight on back foot, arms length away from attacker, leaning slightly forward over toes.

SSG (20 mins)

SSG

Organisation

Split players into two teams - 8 blue v 9 white.

White team to be coached.

White to play in a 4-2-1 formation; Blue team to play in a 3-3-2 formation.

Create an area 70 x 50 yards.

Aim

Blue team are instructed to try to score. White team are conditioned that once they obtain possession they have 10 seconds in which time to try to score, failing which possession will revert to white GK.

Coaching Points

Communication is key. Who takes control? CB's? Move up the pitch as a unit when attacking, to reduce space and force attackers away from goal.

Don't stray too far from each other - try to remain compact, thus restricting opportunities for balls/runs to be played/made behind. Rough guide - defence to remain as compact as the 18 yard box is wide. No more than 6 yards between each other. Shuffle over as a unit as the play is switched from one side to the other.

Adopt the correct body position when defending one on one - try to dictate to the Attcaker which eway you want him to go - inside or outside?

White 6 & 8 need to work with the Defence to close down passing lines and watch runners. Or provide support in place of white 2 & 3 if they press a WMF - can they take White 2 & 3 place until White 2 or 3 is able to recover?

What if a Blue player in possession moves across the pitch? Defenders pass him on? A quasi zonal defence?

Don't forget to effect the white GK - GK can act as a sweeper when Whites are attacking. Can also provide instructions to White players when they are defending.