Futsal Session (Junior): BP: playing through the thirds

Game Situation (90 mins)

Frame

Supporting the attack | mid third > front third.

6v4 attacking rondo. A numbers up situation for team in BP with 5 balls to use, team in BP attempt to maintain possession and create opportunities to break lines by playing (i) in front of, (ii) around or (iii) through the opposition, to finish in the large goal against the GK.

Maintaining shape with central and wide rotation. To reinforce key concepts of rotation, movement and passing with an over-arching emphasis on team shape. Enable attackers to penetrate opposition lines by creating angled passing options and diamond/ triangle shapes.

Explanation

30x20 Area divided into 4 rectangle areas. 6v4 rondo; blue set up with 2 pivot players inside the area, 2 wide players and 2 end players. Pivot players must occupy different rectangles and can rotate. Outside players can move anywhere along their line / adjacent lines, and they are encouraged to move inside when and where possible. Rotation between outside players and pivot players is encouraged.

White set up with 4 defenders inside the area; only 1 white (defender) allowed in a rectangular area at any one time, although they can rotate. defenders are free to tackle all blue players.

Task

Blue: maintain possession with the intention of playing forward to the CF, rotating through central and wide areas. Create passing options (triangles and diamonds) in wide areas to penetrate and advance forward. Use rotation to create attacking overloads via overlaps / inverted runs.

White: if possession is won, play to GK on line 1 as quickly as possible - doing so twice triggers a role rotation for wide players and pivot players i.e. white become the attacking team.

NB: all blues can work together to press white players if a transition occurs.

Progression

1. More freedom for defenders - 2 in front half and 2 in back half. They can move freely between adjacent rectangles; two allowed to occupy the same rectangle at any time.

2. Neutral player - 5v4 (+1)

Coaching Points

+ shape and positioning - look to adopt positions which create diamond shapes to provide numerical advantage and positional superiority through angles and distance of passing.

+ vertical and horizontal lines.

+ width (creates space), depth (draws out opposition) and length (stretches opponents) - to create angles and distance of passing.

+ timing of movements and rotation (when to come off the line and inside) - cues/triggers.

+ quality, weight and decision of pass (in front, around or through). Timing is key.

+ understanding slow and quick play through areas - La Pausa.

+ Focus 1: shape to play out from the back; pivot to create triangle in 1st half - creating opportunity for the other pivot play to advance and exploit space on the weak side

+ Focus 2: shape to support the attack; with pivot in central possession, wide players may advance in-field to support play in a diamond passing shape