Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Skill Based Session on Defending Principles

Warm up - Continuos / Dynamic Movement (10 mins)

ORGANIZATION:

All 14 players are in the centre half circle (or equivalant size if circle not available for use)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Without Ball: Walk, light jog, skip, open gate, close gate, butt kix, high knees, shuffles, high fives, shoulder bumps, ..etc

OBJECTIVES:

Elevate heart rate

Warm up different parts of the body

Changing directions often

Tempo of movement

Awareness of whats around them

Warm Up - Technical (Bayern Ball 8v4) (15 mins)

ORGANIZATION:

Set up a 20x20yrd grid, 2 teams, one ball, 4 Players inside and 8 Players outside box

INSTRUCTIONS:

Players play 8v4, moving ball on the outside of grid, try to combine with players in middle

2 - touch restriction, Black playes the ball into area, then back out via wall pass,

Black can pass to both inside players and outside players

White wins the ball, try to maintain posession for 3 passes to score a point.

COACHING POINTS

- Communicate as defenders - pressure, cover, balance / support

- Shift as a Unit as ball travels between opposing team

- Get compact when lose possession

- Angle, Distance in Marking opposing player

- Speed and Timing when anticipating a pass from opposing player

Activity #1 - Defending Against a team playing out the back (20 mins)

ORGANIZATION:

Set up a playing area using half of a full sized field 7 Black bibs for the black team, 5 White bibs for the white team. One green bib for GK and Yellow bib for server. Hava an additional black bib ready for the introduction of the server as a player in the prograssion phase. One large goal in Zone 1; two small goals at midfield at the end of Zone 2. Have a supply of balls just outside the center circle, for easy access for re-starts by the server. Set up two teams using 14 players: 7 players on black team + GK to play a 1-2-3-2 vs. 5 players on white team to play in a 2-2-1. Add one server at the centre cirlce.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Play starts with the server playing the ball into the GK. GK will play the ball out to a black teammate. Black team will then look to build out from the back and try to score a goal by scoring into one of the two mini goals. White will look to defend the 2 mini goals and regain possession and attack the large goal. White must be encouraged to establish a line of confrontation in Zone 1, and good balance and compactness in Zone 2 as objectives to the activity.

COACHING POINTS:

Balance and Compactness for players away from the ball

Cover and Support for players close to the ball

Patience - dont dive in unless attacker takes a poor touch. Go after a winnable ball with front foot

Protect the goal - force the attacker away from the goal.

Decide to Pressure or Delay as you close space

Win ball with front foot if attacker takes a bad touch

Keep your eye on the ball, and defend an arms length away on the ball of your feet

Pressure as the ball travels - read player cues.

MID / FBs cut off space along the flank. MID block middle channels. ST prevents the switch.

Move as a group, move as the ball travels and communicate

Nearest defender / mid pressures the ball to prevent forward passes.

Second mid player tries to close off forward passing lane

PROGRESSIONS:

Intorduce the server as a striker for the balck team that can play in the centre half circle (D) as a passing option.

Cool Down - Recovery Time (10 mins)

ORGANIZATION:

Players set up in pairs, 20 yrds apart from eachother, with a space of 3 yrds between pairs

INSTRUCTIONS:

Players will begin the cooldown by jogging 10 yrds toward their partner, and go through a series of instructions (light jog, skip, walk, open gate, close gate, bushwackers, clap, high five, low five, kick legs out, lunge, side shuffle, jockey, jog backwards, etc.). Allow for 3 to 5 min before moving into static cooldown stretches.

STATIC COOLDOWN STRECHES:

Lower Back Stretch

Groin Stretch

Quadriceps Stretch

Hamstring Stretch

Calf Stretch

Achilles Stretch

COACHING POINTS:

Improve recovery rate between training and games

Physical and Mental Relaxation

Encourage hydration and nutrition (fruit, soup, sport drinks)

SESSION REVIEW:

3 things to take away from the session & CHEER AND DISBAND