Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending Transitions / Becoming Compact (Start Time: 2025-09-04 18:00:00)
Premier Users' Club
Paul Braithwaite
Description
Organisation (Practice Layout & Transition)
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Set Up:
12 players divided into three groups of four and put into the thirds in bibs.
Area / Organisation:
35 x 24 yards
Explanation:
Players in red look to play the ball between themselves before transferring the football through (as the ball cannot go over) to those in the players in the other end third.
Challenges, Conditions & Targets:
Players must look to play with a tempo to shift the middle four (blues) then play through once a gap appears. Blues are to stay together and not get split. If successful in delaying the passing forcing an error and gaining possession a point is awarded. To progress this one or two players depending on ability can step into the final thirds to apply pressure on the player and football.
Key Points:
In Possession
- Keep the ball moving
- Be patient
- Play with tempo
- Scan for opportunities
- Clear passing lanes
- Weight of pass
- Which surface of the foot to receive the ball
- Communication
- Shuffle together
- Check area for spaces
- Communication
- Do not get split/Allow gaps to appear
- Arrive on the ball when transferred
- Body Shape
- Concurrent
- Coaching process
- Walk through
- Terminal
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Set Up:
12 players divided into two team with one team defending two wide goals and one team defending a central goal.
Area / Organisation:
35 x 24 yards with two small goals in wide areas and one slightly bigger goal in a central area.
Explanation:
Players in red look to defend the wide goals by forcing the blue into central areas and away while the blues do the opposite in forcing the reds away from the central area and into wide areas. Play for allotted time and switch roles at the half way point.
Challenges, Conditions & Targets:
Players must look to play with a tempo to shift their opposition those out of possession are to think about potential transitions and been able to deal with the resulting danger. Each team has allotted amount of passes or time in which to score if unsuccessful the ball switches over to the opposition to create tempo and transitions. If those out of possession win the football and scre two goals are awarded.
Key Points:
In Possession
- Keep the ball moving
- Be patient
- Play with tempo
- Scan for opportunities
- Clear passing lanes
- Weight of pass
- Which surface of the foot to receive the ball
- Communication
- Shuffle together
- Check area for spaces
- Communication
- Do not get split or overloaded
- Arrive on the ball when transferred
- Body Shape - Show away from goal
- Concurrent
- Coaching process
- Walk through
- Terminal
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Set Up:
All players in one box with an allotted number of footballs in this practice 4 footballs between 12 players.
Area / Organisation:
35 x 24 yards
Explanation:
All players on the move in the box. Players look to receive the football as often as possible by creating clear paths ways in which to ask for the football from the player in possession.
Challenges, Conditions & Targets:
The challenge for the players without the ball is to look to receive the football and create clear passing lanes in which to receive with a thought to how they receive the ball and where their first touch takes them. As the practices progresses players making the pass are asked to then press the ball once released and take away the space from the player receiving in an unopposed scenario before then being allowed to pinch the ball if the player receiving does not get the ball under control and allows the player pressing the opportunity to do so.
Key Points:
In Possession
- Keep the ball moving
- Be patient
- Have a demand on those out of possession
- Weight of pass
- Clear passing lanes
Out of Possession- Stay on the move
- Check area for spaces
- Clear passing lane to receive
- Which surface of the foot to receive the ball
Interventions: