Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Small sided game session

Screen 1 (30 mins)

Two team three box game based session.

Rules of the drill: 

The back three, midfield four and  two strikers on each team are fixed into their third of the pitch for the drill. However, one player from the in possession team can move into the third that the ball is in to overload the opposition. For example, if the blue team have possession of the ball in the midfield third, a striker may drop into this third to overload the opposition and create and extra option to progress the ball.

The player that moves from their third into a different third must return to their third once the ball breaks into a different third. For example, if a defender from the blues steps into the midfield third to support the team, they must return to the defensive third once the ball breaks into the attacking third. 

The two wide players support the team in possession and are unopposed players who have two touches to reintroduce the ball back into play. 

When a team scores, the play will reset from the goalkeeper that conceded and players will return to their original thirds. 

If a team has two players overload an area at once the ball will turn over to the opposition. 

Targets:

Working the ball through the thirds utilising wide areas to stretch the pitch.

Dropping into positions between lines to receive the ball and progress up the pitch. 

Supporting attacking situations from the midfield using late deep runs. 

Utilise a variety of attacking movements from three player combinations with an attacking midfielder joining in or crosses from the wide players. 

Defend against an overload by working as a unit and blocking passing lanes into goal scoring areas. 

Challenges:

Can the wide players be involved in an attack through all three thirds?

As a team can we recognise when a player from each third needs to overload an area (preventing turnovers of possessions)?

Can the midfield players recognise which one of them are dropping to support the defending third and who is going to support the attacking third and position themselves accordingly. 

Can the goalkeepers get involved in the build up of play by being able to act as a pivot to move the ball across the pitch?