Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Through balls (Start Time: 2017-11-25 01:00:00)

Variable Practice (10 mins)

6v5 +GK/ 5v4 +GK - Variable Practice

Objective:

- 5-6 attackers vs 4-5 defenders + GK

- Attack vs defence situation

- Attackers to play through ball behind defenders for team mate to score.

- Attackers and defenders can only enter the shaded area once a through ball has been played.

- Plenty of space in behind to begin with and look to increase difficulty.

- Playing offsides

Coaching Points:

- Attackers to recycle their runs; if they make a run and the through ball is unsuccessful/ intercepted, attackers should look to continue making runs.

- Add creativity and unpredictability to the attacks, try a variation of through balls.

- Central/ wide/ ground/ lofted through balls

- Defenders will look to mark attackers, so players making runs from deep could confuse/ disrupt the defensive organisation.

Progressions:

- Decrease the size of the shaded area

- First time finish from attackers in the area

- Defenders to score points by playing a through ball between cones

- 2 points for defenders if a team mate can reach the through ball once played through the cones.

- Increase a minimum number of passes (5 minimum) before playing the through ball.

Random Practice 2 (10 mins)

Objective:

-Match situation, focusing on movement and positioning off the ball to react to a through ball.

-Aim of the game is to score a goal inside the shaded area in front of goal.

-Goalkeepers now included

-Players to score by recieving a through ball into shaded area (from outside the shaded area)

-Must keep two players in your half at one time

-Include offside (players runs off the ball must be from onside position)

-If attacker can recieve a through ball in the blue zone (wide zone) and assist the attacker inside shaded area, the team will be awarded 2 goals. Links with 4-3-3 formation.

Coaching points:

-Focus on players moving off the ball, same focus applies to our game plan of stretching defenders.

-Can we play wide to create gaps in between defenders. (Ball can be played through the gaps)

-Upon attacking, be mindful of what we have developed through previous exercises, can we replicate this into a match situation?

-Different types of through balls (wide, central, ground, lofted)

-If defenders do step up, how can we exploit? In behind, wide or lofted, are there gaps that can be played through?

-Can we look to attack with width? - Those goals are worth double. If defenders are expecting the ball to go wide, use unpredictability and play central?

-Point to consider: Are central through balls going to bring realistic success, or will goalkeepers look to attack the ball?

Progression:

-Can only score by first time finish.

-Implement a number of passes before through ball is played (3-5 passes minimum)

-Can only play through ball in opposing half (attacking half)

-Decrease the size of the shaded area in behind the defenders.