Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Sustainable Possession and Pressing.

Screen 1

The aim is for a green player to enter 1 square each whilst the team in the square aim to keep the ball for as long as possible. The coach starts the stopwatch when the defending team enter the squares then stop the watch after posession is lost in EVERY square.

The team that takes the least time to win possession in all 4 squares wins the game.

Screen 3

This match-pratice focuses on stabilising possession and pressing whilst maintains principles set in the first 2 drills of playing on a vertical axis and breaking lines whilst the team without the ball aims to gain possession as quick as possible and as high up the pitch as possible.

This match-practice cuts off 2 wide areas, in order, to encourage playing on a verticle axis and breaking lines. Many of the psoitional play principles can be executed in this area such as- DM dropping between both wide CB to create a back 3. 2 Midfielders occupying half-spaces to sustain the verticle axis.

This match-practice can be adapted according to philosophy and individual needs. My individual philosophy is similar to that of positional play. This philosophy requires vertical passes rather than horizontal passes and to break lines through the centre of the pitch rather than recycling between both wide areas to gain territory. If you prefer to promote dominant wing-play and crossing, perhaps, part of the middle area could be cut out to encourage play out wide, or placing players in zones and limiting players in central zones.

To transition between drills and match-pratice can sometimes be difficult, therfore, imagination is needed in order to maintain principles consistently thoughout a training session.