Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Session Plan 16 & Reflections: Defending the Switch in midthird (Out of possession Specific to SSG)

SSG

SSG:

Blue team: 1-3-3-1 (8 players) Working from the back 11V11 1-44-2 I have removed 1 defender 1 midfielder and a striker.  

Red team: 1-2-4-1 (8 players) Working from the back 11V11 1-4-4-2 I have removed 2 defenders & a striker and added the goalkeeper for the SSG.

Total number of players: 16 players  

Length of the practice session: 15 minute small sided game.  

Pitch size: Half pitch  

Conditions, Challenges & Targets: Red team target is to still switch play and score on goal. Blue team objective is to to prevent and defend the switch by forcing the red team wide, by forcing pressure on the midfield third, the ball with triggers giving good pressure, cover & balance. The closest player to the ball will start the defending triggers and we leave the furthest player to defend the predictable play to achieve the game principles. Even though during the specific practice blues were conditioned to their zones with no authority to interchange positions zonally, during this small sided game those conditions will be removed for more realism and both teams can score on big goals as a target for realism but blues will be challenged to score in 10 seconds so that we can let the reds start off again to keep the focus of the session alive as they can try switching in the middle third where they have 4 midfielders while we blues defend the switch of play in the middle third by applying quick press and forcing the reds wide. 

Problem 1: CM getting too much time on the ball.  

Solution: Double on him, close him down early, force him wide and away from ball and goal. 

Problem 2: Reds with better ability make the initial switch.  

Solution: Predict the play early and block or prevent the double switch from happening in the middle third by quick press and forcing them wide blocking them centrally and defending by leaving the furthest player.

Reflections:

Blues predicted the middle third play well and applied good united pressure on the ball and forced the reds wide. The triggers by the central midfielder closest to the ball pressing on the ball and the whole team leaving the furthest player and closing down on the ball was a key highlight of the session that enabled to achieve the principle of defending the switch focused on the middle third of the pitch. I learned the importance of exercising the game principles on different thirds of the pitch with this session. The timings, triggers are quite different at different zones of play as it has to be predictable to the game play. I believe my walk through at the start helped the session focus to be achieved. My coaching position could have been better and the details of the pressing on the ball triggers could have been better explained into details with the what ifs and timings. My action plan for next time would be to try the session on full pitch and observe how our boys apply the principles in more realism. I would also take a stand view to clearly identify the game play in the middle third for further revision. I would also expand the duration of the session to see how fatigue of players impact the principles of play which will be a factor for realism.