Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Defending with a Withdrawn Striker, Lone Striker and MF4

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Daniel Burrows

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Name:	Daniel Burrows
City:	Derby
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Function

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Function

Blue 1 - CM

Blue 2 - CM

Blue 3 - CAM

Blue 4 - ST

Red 1 - GK

Red 2 - CB

Red 3 - CB

Red 4 - CM

Red 5 - CM

Function starts with the red GK, playing the ball out to one of his defenders, and then the red trying to score in one of the mini goals on the halfway line for a point.

The blues have to work as a unit to try and pres the reds, pressure them into winning the ball back, and then score past the GK for a point.

As the ball is played from the GK to one of the red CB's, red 2 for example, blue 4 would start to close him down.

The starting position from the blue 4 makes the pass out from the back for the reds possible as he drops so much that the short pass seems too tempting to resist for the reds.

This is tactical for the blues, as they want the reds to keep the ball up near their own box so that the blues can win the ball back high up the pitch, and have more chance of getting a shot away on goal, as they don't have many players to beat.

If the blue 4's starting position is too high, then the red GK will be more inclined to kick the ball long, meaning the blues have got a longer way to go to have a shot on goal when they win the ball back.

As red 2 receives the ball from the GK, the blue 4 will start to close him down to try and win the ball, and blue 3 will move into a postion to try and stop any forward passes being made between the red 2 and red 4.

Blue 1 will get close to red 4, just incase red 4 were to receive the ball, blue 1 is to make sure that red 4 cannot turn with the ball, and force him to play backwards.

Blue 2 will move across, and get ready to intercept any advancing pass that might be made from red 2 to red 5.

This will mean that the only clear pass available for red 2 is to pass to red 3. If this happens, either the blues can stick with their pressing marking tactic, so the blue 4 will now turn to close down red 3, blue 3 will move to cut off the passing line between red 3 and red 5, blue 2 will move to mark red 5 to stop him turning if he receives the ball and blue 1 would move to anticipate and intercept any pass from red 3 to red 4, or blue 3 and blue 4 can change their postions, so that as the ball is in transition between red 2 and red 3, blue 3 makes the movement to close down red 3, and blue 4 will drop back into the space left by blue 3 to cut off any passing lines between red 3 and red 5.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG

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SSG

Now the blues have wingers to help close down the opposition in wide areas, and they have have CB's for added protection, just incase the reds are able to break through, and the reds now have full backs and wingers.

Just as the blues' lone striker and withdrawn striker were respencible for closing down the opposition CB's, the blue wingers are responsible for closing down the opposition full backs, and traking the wingers.

If the ball was passed out from the red GK to the red RB for example, the blue LM would start to close him down, trying to stop the full back from being able to pass forward to the red RM.

If it was the wiger who had the ball, the angle of closing down would be slightly different in that you would allow the winger to progress down the pitch, as it takes passing options away from him, as eventually he arrives at the end line, and can only pass the ball clearly 1 way, which is backwards, whereas if he was allowed to pass the ball infield, there would be 4 ways he could pass the ball, forwards, backwards and to both sides.

As in this case it is the full back who has the ball, letting him pass sideways is the best option, as it keeps the ball from being passes into advanced attacking areas, and keeps the ball in the red defensive third, so if the blues can win the ball back, they are not far away from the goal they are trying to score in.

As the red RB receives the ball, the blue ST will start to close down the nearest red CB, anticipating any pass from the red RB to the CB, and making sure he is in the right position to intercept the pass.

The blue LCM will do the same for the red CM who is nearest the red RB.

The blue LCB will start to move across towards to red RM, but not too close. If the ball does get played from the red RB to the red RM, then the blue LCB will move in closer, and stop the red RM from playing the ball inside, for the reasons given above.

The other blue players will move across, to minimise any passing gaps that have appeared as a result of other blue players moving across.

If the red RB were to then switch the play by passing the ball either directly to the red LB, or to the GK who plays it to the red LB, then the blue would all move across to the other side of the pitch, creating a mirror image of the diagram shown above.

The reds are trying to score in one of the 3 mini goals near the half way line.

If the blues win the ball, they have 10 seconds to try and score past the GK in the big goal. They only have 10 seconds as this is a defensive topic, and for that the reds need the ball.