Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Switching Play (Start Time: 2021-11-12 20:00:00)

Switching Play - Progression (5 mins)

Warm Up Progression (5 mins)

30 x 20 playing area (same)

1 ball

Parallel practice will continue alongside

2 players in side with the rest of the group on the out side

Players to all be rotated into the middle 

Explanation

The ball is played into 1 of the players in the middle who will bounce the ball back to their partner in the middle who will pick a pass to another player on the outside - switching play. 

Once a player inside has completed a switch they need to move to receive the ball ready to bounce the ball to their partner who will take their turn to switch the play. 

This pattern will continue until the players in the middle are rotated.

Key Points

Players should receive ball on an angle and on the back foot, then move ball quickly, ball speed important here.

The player receiving the first pass needs to be looking for their partner to bounce a pass to. The other player in the middle must move into a position that the first receiving player can see them.

Coaching points

Angle / open body to receive the ball on back foot and pass - do not face straight on to the ball

Passes from the outside need to be to the side of the receiving player

Ball Speed

Quick movement for the next ball

Communication - receiving player demanding the ball and being clear where they want it

SSG - Switching Play (20 mins)

SSG (25 mins)

Set Up 

Half a pitch practice, Goal either end for this small sided game. 

9 v 9

Blues set up in a 4-3-3 formation, we are using GK, 2 x FB, 2 x CDM, CM, CF, 2 x Wide Attackers. So without both centre backs.

Reds set up in same formation, we are using back 4, 2 x CDM, CM and CF. So without the wide attackers.

Playing 3 x 5 min blocks, 1 min rest in between.

Coaching the blues to in possession switching play principles, with breaking lines as sub principle.

Managing the reds to give blues problems to solve.

Explanation

Small sided game working on the principles from the general practice, blues will be coached break lines, play forward where possible, encouraged to switch play from one wide channel(outside the 18yd box) to the other wide channel before scoring. For realism blues will be allowed to score without switching play also. 

Reds will be managed to defend the switch of play and defend the lines, but will try to intercept, win possession and score themselves. 

Block 1

Can the Blues Switch play to score  - 3 points goal with switch of play / 1 point for goal with no switch of play 

Intervention - Blues to make pitch big, using width and depth to help switch the play.

Who can switch, do we use midfield players to switch the play? Encourage ball speed to help switch the play.

Reds managed to apply realistic fast pressure on the ball, force blues wide. Can reds keep blues play predictable, giving blues problems to solve. Reds to leave the furthest channel, filling 2 out of the 3 at all times.

Block 2

This block reds will be managed to leave the furthest players, still only filling 2 out of the 3 channels nearest the ball.

Encourage blues to exploit the space left by the reds, can we use ball speed to switch the play to the space made available by the reds defending 2 out of 3 zones?

Block 3 

Reds now swap to look to switch the play and apply the same principles as the blues in block 1

Block 4 

Free play - both sides have the same challenge.

Switch play to score: 3 points goal with switch of play / 1 point for goal with no switch of play  

Challenges/Conditions/Targets

Condition for Defending team - Must always fill 2 out of 3 zones nearest the ball. 

Condition for Attacking team - Use full width of the pitch to help switch the play, always have one player deep behind the ball to support. 

Key Points 

In possession: 

Players to receive with open body, ready to play forward or back if needed.

Can we see 3 corners of the pitch before receiving?

Make pitch big, maintain width.

Decision making, who can switch?

Exploit the space

Ball Speed.

Confidence to take the ball

Out of Possession

Force Wide

Keep play predictable

Pressure on the ball

Leave the furthest players

Interventions

** KEY INTERVENTIONS**

(a) Throw-in set up and opportunity for a switch of play

(b) Zones for switch of play: (1) Defensive 3rd; (2) Midfield; (3) Final 3rd

Coaching process 

Walkthrough

Terminal

Concurrent