Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Combination Play in the Attack

Early Arrivals_Heading game (5 mins)

Early Arrivals - Heading Game: 

Setup as displayed above: Two poles or large cones. Two small squares. Two teams, one ball server (S) on each team. One Goal Keeper.

One team starts the play, the server must throw to a player from his team who will try to score a header from inside their respective square. Once he has headed the ball, he then becomes the server, and the play switches to the other team who repeat the same steps. First to 10 wins! 

KEY POINTS:

FUN!!!

-Head with the forehead

-Neck movements

-Winning mentality

Technical_Combination Play (15 mins)

Combination Play - Receiving to Play Forward:

• Setup as shown above:  4 squares. Two teams. Reds play with Reds, Yellows play with yellows. One ball  2 central players and 2 target players on each team. 
• Play starts with yellow outside player, makes a passing to the closest inside yellow. Once ball is played inside, the two yellow players must combine via a diagonal pass, and then end with a pass to the second outside yellow, who then passes to the outside red directly who is besides him. Now the reds look to play through with same combination play rules.  

PROGRESSIONS:

• Team that does not have possession of the ball - two central players should look to get in the way of the pass to promote awareness and sharp movement off the ball. 
• Add defenders in certain zones to apply pressure. Each defender has to stay in there respective zone (horizontal channel). If the defending team wins the ball and can pass the ball to any of their teammates on the outside (either end) they score. Team with possession of the ball score if they can get the ball from end player to the other end player with diagonal passing thru the middle.   

KEY MESSAGES/POINTS:

• Movement off the ball to create passing lane
• Look to receive to play forward 
• Quality first touch
• Awareness - find your target players 

SSG - Combination Play (20 mins)

SSG - Combination Play:

• Setup as shown above:  2 Mini Goals. 2 end zones (shaded areas) 2 teams      

• We play a 5v5 in the middle area. The team with possession of the ball looks to complete 3 passes before they can send one player into the shaded area. We look to combine and complete at least 3 passes before passing the ball into the attacking player look to combine in the middle of  are not allowed to enter the shaded area where he looks to receive the ball and hold up play until a second teammate joins in to combine and score. One recovering defender can go back into the shaded are to try to win the ball back creating a 2v1. Same applies when the ball is played the opposite direction     

PROGRESSIONS:

• Add a second recovering defender.  

KEY MESSAGES/POINTS:

• Look to receive to play forwards
• Look to combine - width and depth and then look to score. 
• Attacking team, look to stretch the pitch