Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Specific Practice into SSG / Defending the switch of play in a 4-3-3

Club Logo

FAW Coach Ed

Simone Grippo

Profile Summary

Simone Grippo
Name: Simone Grippo
City: Basel
Country: Switzerland
Membership: Adult Member
Sport: Football/Soccer
Build 3D sessions in seconds
Access to 1000’s of sessions
Professionalise and modernise your coaching
Used by the world’s best coaches
US$
75
per year
Join today

Description

Organisation Specific Practice

  • Half pitch.
  • The large goal is in its normal position.
  • Extend the box to the halfway line, creating a lateral zone as shown shaded in the image.
  • Place a mini-goal at each end of this zone on the halfway line.
Specific Practice (9mins total)
  • Walkthrough= 1min
  • Block 1, high pressing= 3mins
  • Rest with terminal feedback 2mins
  • Block 2, low/mid block 3mins

 

Organisation SSG and transition into SSG (2mins total)  

  • Remove the mini-goals and mark the lines that the blue team must cross after a switch of play in order to score (indicated by red lines in the second image)
  •  Add the two Fullbacks for the red team

SSG (13mins total)
  • Block 1 high pressing by red= 3min
  • Rest with terminal feedback= 2min
  • Block2 low/mid pressing by red= 3min
  • Rest with terminal feedback= 2min
  • Block 3 free pressing/players decicions= 3min
Terminal reflection with players (1min total)

 

 

 


Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Specific Practice / 9v6 (6 reds out of possession)

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Specific Practice / 9v6 (6 reds out of possession)
Save Image: Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Specific Practice / 9v6 (6 reds out of possession) Create Video:

Specific Practice / 9v6 (6 reds out of possession)

The Welsh Way Principles of play / Defending the switch of play: 

  • Force wide
  • Keep play predictable
  • Pressure on the ball
  • Leave the furthest players
How it works: 
  • It’s a 9v6 game, with the red team (coached) (4-3-3 formation in 11 a side) defending in numerical inferiority against the blue team (8+GK) (3-4-3 formation in 11 a side). The red team is consistently working to defend the blue team’s switches of play and aims to prevent goals in the two mini-goals, focusing on the principles of defending switch of play.
  • Reds the whole back four have been taken out and blue
  • Play will always start with the blue team trying to play from the back starting with the GK.
  • The blue team cannot score in the mini-goal on the side that is initially played to. This means they must attempt to switch play and score in the mini-goal on the opposite side.
  • If play is switched multiple times, it no longer matters which mini-goal the blue team attempts to score in.
  • If red recovers the possession they try to score in the regular goal.

 

Coaching content (Red coached team): 

  • Understand when to stop the switch of play. For example when you press high and keep the play predictable.
  • Understand when to screen as a team, allowing the switch of Play and keep the play predictable.
  • Keeping narrow the unit itself and all units together. Depending on the pressure applied putting pressure on the ball.
  • Assist and show them which players to leave free (in this practice inferiority)

Coaching interventions: 

  • Walk through (quick because quiet simple)
  • Concurrent
  • Terminal
  • Coaching process
Challenges, Conditions, Targets:
  • Block 1: Challenge 1=  Overload in the middle with a 4v3 (not here, as the second attacking midfielder is absent) Solution 1= The striker presses the ball-side center-back, and the winger presses the ball-side wing-back. The red No. 8 on the ball side presses the ball-side central midfielder. The holding midfielder moves toward the ball side, where a potential blue attacking midfielder might be, while the other No. 8 pushes into the area, creating an ‘L’ shape in midfield. The farther blue central midfielder is covered by the retracted winger from the opposite side, who also anticipates a possible switch to the other center-back. Challenge 2= The 3-4-3 system ensures an overload on one side. Solution 2= In the high press, the striker and team need to identify which side would be more dangerous for them (where they are outnumbered) and direct their press to force the opponent to play to the opposite side. Challenge 3= What happens in a high pressing situation if blue is still able to switch play? Solution 3= Diagonal shifting of the entire midfield block. The goal is to slow down the blue team’s attack to allow teammates to provide support. Often, the No. 8 who has dropped into a double holding midfield will be the next to help. It’s important to be cohesive and support each other.
  • Block 2: Challenge= In a low block, the opponent may pass the ball around frequently and switch play multiple times. Solution=  It’s important to maintain compactness and communicate effectively. Even in a deep block, allow the furthest player to remain free while shifting quickly. Avoid losing too much ground to prevent being overwhelmed. A low block does not mean relaxing; rather, it requires hard work within the designated zone.
  • Conditions: Blue team cannot score in the mini-goal on the side that is initially played to. Dismantled after multiple switches.
  • Target: Reds (coached) = No goals in the mini-goals after a switch of play. After gaining possession scoring in the regular goal.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG
Save Image: Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG Create Video:

SSG

Formations:  

  • 8 reds (originally playing in a 4-3-3), 2 FB, 1 holding midfielder, 2 no. 8, 2 wingers and one Center forward.
  • 9 blues (originally playing in a 3-4-3), 1 GK, 3 CB, 2 WB, 2 CM and one OM.
  • Working back from 11v11, no CB for Red and no second OM and CF for blue

 

Coaching content (Red coached team):
  • During block 1, concurrent coaching reinforce and implement the concepts practiced above for effective high pressing and not letting them switch the play and score by conducting the ball over the red line.
  • During block 2, same concurrent coaching as mentioned above for mid/low pressing
  • During rest between block 2 and 3, provide terminal coaching and review the different concepts to stop the switch of play. Emphasize that they now have the responsibility to decide which type of pressing to apply in each situation. Encourage strong communication among players to ensure cohesion and effectiveness.
Conditions:
  • Blue scores by dribbling or passing and receiving over the indicated red line
  • Blue team cannot score  on the side that is initially played to. Dismantled after multiple switches.

Build 3D sessions in seconds
Access to 1000’s of sessions
Professionalise and modernise your coaching
Used by the world’s best coaches
US$
75
per year
Join today

Animation Controls (PCs, Macs, Laptops):

Play animation
Play step-by-step
Repeat (toggle)
Full Screen
Pause
Stop

Back/Forward: Drag timeline button