Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Defensive Principles- under review

FIFA 11 Warm-Up (10 mins)

Organization:

10x40 yard area (30 yards from first cone to last cone)

Instructions:

FIFA 11 Warm-Up

- Each exercise is ran 2x

- Jog back to the start line - use as recovery

- Try to have each pair be in sync/unison

- Next pair doesn't start until pair in front reaches first cones

1) Simple Jog down.

2) "Open the Gate": Drive knee straight up, then twist rotating out; Alternate legs.

3) "Close the Gate": Knee comes up but at a right angle to the body, then twist rotating inward; Alternate legs.

4) "Circle Partner": Pair runs to first cone, then still facing forward, side shuffle towards each other, going around one another in a tight circle, then shuffle back out to their side of the channel. Run forward to second cone and repeat.

5) "Jump with Shoulder contact": Pair runs to first cone, then still facing forward, side shuffle towards each other, and jump to bump shoulders, land softly and shuffle back out to their side of the channel. Run forward to the second cone and repeat.

6) Sprint to the second cone, decelerate to then backpedal to the first cone; sprint to the third cone, decelerate to then backpedal to the second cone, etc.

7) 75% pace sprint through the channel to opposite end.

8) "Bounding": Drive the knee up as you "jump/bound" across the channel; opposite arm should come up as your knee comes up; each "step" is a new bound (think long-jump strides).

9) "Plant & Cut": Pairs run across one another to the first cone and plant/cut to then go to cone two; zig-zag across one another through the length of the channel 

2v2 (15 mins)

Organization:

18x24yd grids - 4 players in pairs with one ball in each grid

Activity:

 Constant 2v2 - score in small goals, new players come on

10v9 Defensive Shape (30 mins)

Setup: Half pitch, extended 20 yards, with 3 counter goals on end, divided into 3 columns.

Organization: 10 attackers vs 10 defenders. Ball starts with server/target behind the counter goals, attackers aim is to score on goal, while the defenders try to win the ball and get the ball to their target through a counter goal for 3 points, or just through gate without hitting target for 1 point. Only stipulations are that the field is divided into three columns, and if the attacking team has possession in one of the wide areas, the defensive team needs to pinch in so that there are no defensive players in the weak wide area. Offensive team can make only 3 consecutive passes in a specific colum in order to encourage switching play. After spending time defending big goal, team switch to work on more of pressing phase in which they defend higher up the field. In this case, the ball starts with the goalie, or defensive line playing out from back.

Progressions: [1] Place another large goal and make it 10 v 10 normal game, [2] start ball from different areas on pitch, [3] add set play practice into game.

Focus: overall team defensive shape, pressing triggers, successful counter attacks, communication, squeezing, quick transitional moments.