Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Random Activities

Skill Circle

Handball - End Players

Handball is always a fun activity to start with as it brings good intensity and requires movements similar to the game.

Rules:

Teams play 1 directional

Score by getting the ball to the end player on the side you are attacking

Receiver needs to stop asap after catching the ball, and then can't move from the spot, but can turn freely on the spot (do not give them a certain amount of steps, players will abuse that and it will slow the game down)

Dropped = Ball Turnover

Slap Down = Ball to Defender

Out ball, turnover and start where exited play

Ball can't be thrown more than 1/3 at a time, turnover at spot ball was thrown from

Endline players should always look to offer an passing option to the attacking team and both can be used by attackers

Width AO Activity

 Why Play with Width?

  When playing effectively with Width, it forces your opponents to react to your teams actions with more intensity, and this can result in disruption of their defence.

  When the defence is disrupted and organization lost, we get TWO key things:

    - More 1vs1's in the wide channels - directly related to creating more goalscoring opportunities

    - More space between channels - allows for depth penetration and potential elimination of an opponents whole defensive line

Aim of Activity:

To teach players how to Create Width, when to best use the Width and when to Switch the point of attack.

Patience and Quick Execution is Key - My personal Playing Principle in AO - Switch and Stretch till they Snap

Key Concepts:

1) Immediate Width

  On the Ball - Look to play wide option immediately if it is available

  Off the Ball - If you are a wide player, get wide immediately (Guide for wide players: Get Wide, Get Up, Check Back)

2) Switching Play

  Moving the ball from High Pressure flank to Low Pressure flank

  Retain and Switch

  Do Not Skip 

3) Supporting Underneath

4) Backfoot Ball Control

5) Two-Touch Football

Activity:

Attacking team should be numbers up on the defending team. Numbers can be manipulated, depending on your attendance. Coach can even jump in goal pending numbers. If you have more than 11 (as in the example), I suggest rotating them with the attacking waves, and only swap defence every =/-5min.

The Yellow side channels are there as a guide for Wide players, we want them to get as close to the touchline as possible when providing Width, so the aim is to be in that channel when receiving the ball

Ball gets played in from one side to Blue team

Blue team Attacks the big goal

Blue should attempt to keep possession and play patiently till either:

  Gaps open in the middle

  There is a clear 1vs1 in the flanks - take on opponent

Red defends and attempt to score on Counter in the Pugg nets

SSG - Playing with Natural Depth

Players will play the Game, but each team will provide a neutral on the goal line. Neutrals can be used by both teams. Neutrals can move all along the whole goal line. Neutrals are allowed maximum 3-touches.

Thus we have a game where the team in possession always have numbers up, and natural depth to penetrate and progress up the field. Team need to create width, to split opponents themselves.

Restart from goals if scored, or with dribble and pass-ins from side lines.

Encourage players to make use of the Concepts learned, and apply it patiently, till gaps open up, and then penetrate.

- Two-Touch Football: Control-Decision-Action

- Backfoot Ball Control: Foot Furthest Away from the Ball

- Supporting Underneath: Giving an easy passing angle behind a player

- Connect and Stretch: Checking to, to become a passing option, but after collecting it, give it back and make a run to stretch the opponent

See Animation.