Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): UEFA B - Coach Task 6

General - Speed

Set Up

• 4v4+4 

• Central (Yellow) team aims to defend the breaking lines from passes between blue & red teams.
  
• Once first pass is played, yellow must sprint out to press team in possession - another yellow must sprint to tuck in and fill the gap left behind.
• When ball is played in to opposite end team, a different yellow sprints out to press and yellow just pressing has to tuck back in to their unit.
• Target = Yellow steals ball in press - 1pt, Blue/Red breaks yellow line - 2pts (Coach keeps score)

Challenges

• Can end teams play on 3 touch max, can yellows steal before 3 blue passes +1 pt

Conditions

• Every blue player must touch ball before playing into reds, end teams must play through or round if not on

Physical attribute training

• This session puts emphasis on the importance of speed and dynamic movements in pressing as well as fast reactions in tight spaces (e.g. in a 4v1 in end zone)
• Coach needs to reward high effort & intensity to reinforce importance of sprints & speed
• Importance of recovery sprints as well as pressing

Technical & Tactical returns

• Technical - Small spaces between players, curving runs to block passing lanes while pressing
• Tactical - Communication & responsibility for pressing players and "shuffling" to prevent gaps in line

General - Anaerobic

Set Up

• Multi-directional 3v3 game
• Blue & Red team "A" - play side to side
• Blue & Red team "B" - play top to bottom
• Principle = Breaking lines
• Area = 36 x 36
• Timings = 20 mins - split into 11x 1.5m blocks

Anaerobic

• Small area size and multi-directional games require constant movement and lots of sprints
• Short time blocks to maximise intensity
• Format forces players to constantly move and adapt to pitch
• Small team sizes mean greater individual responsibility to both attack and defend

Technical

• Scanning, receiving between the lines, turning away from trouble, dribbling through/round the lines, passing between the lines, weight of pass, etc

Tactical

• Rotations in a midfield three, maximising central space, third man runs

Specific - Anaerobic

Set Up

• Format = GK+3v3
• Area = 25x25
• Principle = Final 3rd
• Timing = 25m - split into 10x 2m

Drill

• 3 Blue defenders stay on for the entire time block
• 3 Reds enter the pitch to attack goal, once attack ends, next 3 reds attack goal (In waves)
• Target = Blues - fewest goals conceded wins, each team keeps score of their goals conceded // Reds - Attack big goal o score - 1pt
• Conditions = Once blues end attack, attacking team clears pitch & 3 new attackers go, reds have 10 second countdown clock, reds only shoot past 18yrd line
• Challenges = Can reds finish in different position than they started (e.g. if you enter pitch on the right, can you make an overlap for the LW), can reds play on fewer than 4 touches, can reds score in 5 seconds, can reds score one touch finish?

Anaerobic

• Lots of running, high intensity football for short periods with recovery runs to be ready for next attack
• Small team sizes mean more player engagement and individual responsibility for runs & creating space
• High intensity to clear pitch quickly and run back ready for next attack
• Short time blocks encourage lots of anaerobic play as breaks are frequent - but short to maintain intensity

Technical

• Shooting - picking corners, using defenders as screens against GK, courage to shoot 
• Dribbling - engaging defenders in 1v1 situations, changing direction and speed when openings arise

Technical

• Overlaps, underlaps and 3rd man runs to cut open back 3
• Wingers knowing when to use width and when to attack central areas