Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Principle Based Build Play

Practice 1 (15 mins)

Organisation
- One area to be marked out by 5 x poles, depending on how many players you may need more than one area

- If no poles available, can use cones balls in the middle for quick  restarts

Sequence

- Ball starts from the middle right pole. Firm pass to the second pole, player to pop off the pole and receive on the back foot. 

- Then the next pass is a going to be firm and quick to the next pole, once the pass has been completed the player follows the ball to the next pole.

- At the end there is a 1 - 2 to finish the rotation. 

- The player dribbles to the back of the line, drops the ball and heads to the next station next to the one just completed

- The rotational sequence continues from the opposite next set play area.

- Passes need to be firm and quick, quality passes

- Movement off the pole is important
- Emphasis is on SHORT and sharp passes 

- Movement off the pole needs to be quicker and later....i.e. get to spot as the ball arrives, don't arrive too early > Quick and late

Practice 3 (15 mins)

Sequence

- Same start as practice 1 and 2

- This time we introduce a #9 to apply some pressure.

- Once the ball passes the line of #9, they are out

- #9 has to block the lane for #2 to decide which pass is best

- Swap #11 and/or #7 for the #9 role 

- Players have the choice to use either the first or second combination

- The rotational sequence continues from the opposite next set play area.

- Passes need to be firm and quick, quality passes

- Movement off the pole is important, players need to be dynamic
- Emphasis is on SHORT and sharp passes to break the line

- Movement off the pole needs to be quicker and later....i.e. get to spot as the ball arrives, don't arrive too early > Quick and late

Practice 5 (15 mins)

Organisation
- 4 v 3 small game 

Sequence

- When the team with the 4 has the possession, must use as much of the field as possible 

- The defending team to maintain a Mid Block. If they commit too quickly then they leave a hole.

- If the team losses possession, they need to win it back quickly

- Progression, the defending team to apply pressure straight away, no time for attacking team to stroll forward

- Now the build up has no time on the ball so they have to work out how to get out quickly

- Means space is behind the line

- No offsides in the build up! Playing out from our half

- Players must be "PATIENT', possession is key

- The faster the players find the 2 v 1 scenario, the faster that they can break the line. 

- If possession is lost, motivate players to win the ball back quickly

- "Find the extra player quicker"

- "Win the ball quicker"

- Players must remain tight and COVER The goal. Make it difficult for attacking team to go through the middle

- Make attacking team go around.

- Important to keep SHAPE, if #8 drops, then wide players can go to try and break the line