Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Defending the Middle 1/3 through Collective Pressure

Profile Summary

Name:	Thomas Macmillan
City:	Farmington
Country:	United States of America
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

Key Players: 7,9,11 Secondary: 8s

1/2 Field
Without the Ball (D)
D-Disrupt Build Up
Timing of Collective Pressure (D)
Middle Third
Threshold 75%
Cognitive Load: High

Coaching Points:

How we remain connected when the 7/11 pressures
- Cues
  - Ball is traveling to the opponent 2/3 and our 7/11 is pressuring
  - 7/11 is getting there on time
- Actions
  - 9 is near opponent's 6, cheating a little towards near-side 4/5
  - Near-side 8 is touch tight to the opponent's near-side 8/10
  - Far-side 8 and 7/11 is remaining within 12 yards of their next teammate, and goal-side of their mark
  - 6 is cutting off passing lane to 9
- Reasons
  - We are looking to win in wide areas. This is a collective effort. As our wide player does their job to cover the ground and deny up-line passes we need to ensure that central channels are difficult to play through
  - If we do win it here we want to be in a position to transition smoothly and safely to offense
- Success
  - We deny passes forward to their front 3
  - Central opponent's have someone on them as they receive, denying forward actions
When to be patient in a Mid-Block as a 9
- Cues
  - Opponent has comfortable possession across their back line
  - Opponent is strong at possessing the ball across the back line
- Action
  - Find the 6 and cut off passing lanes to her
  - Check your teammates nearest you to ensure we are connected
  - Move with your next line of 4
- Reason
  - Patience and organization in the middle 1/3 causes errors from an impatient offense
  - As we stay connected defensively we position ourselves for a successful transition
- Success
  - Opponent plays a sloppy pass or tries to force through our organized defense
  - Turn over leads to possession and an attack
Deny the penetrating pass from 4/5 to 7/11
- Cues
  - Opponent 4/5 is in possession of the ball
  - Ball is travelling back to the 4/5 from the 2/3 we just pressured
  - 4/5 has/will have the time and space to play forward
- Action
  - We must tuck inside (again) to deny the direct pass from the 4/5 into the near-side 7/11
  - Get connected with our near-side 8
- Reason
  - We want to encourage them to play wide to re-attempt our trigger moment of winning the ball there
  - Our goal is to deny their ability to break lines, this pass could break 3 at one time
- Success
  - The opponent plays wide allowing us to pressure there again
  - We intercept an attempted longer pass

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): 2V2

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2V2

Balls start with central red players. They can choose to dribble or pass in.
90 second rounds and switch sides.
1 point for offense, 2 points for defense scoring
Focus from pressure: dropping as soon as the ball travels to the other opponent
Focus from cover: Getting behind the pressure, denying the channel forward

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): 5v5+GK - 6 goal game + Large goal

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5v5+GK - 6 goal game + Large goal

Guidelines of dots to remind wide players to begin within the width
Ball starts with GK out to a 4/5
If blue wins the ball and scores they go 2v1 to goal with a new ball from coach - player who scores and one other player they call in with them
If red scores they become the attacking team
If you get scored on you're replaced with a team that's off

Focuses:

Movement of the 7/8/8/11 to deny penetrating passes
Transition for an 8 to step to the opponent's 6 and 9 to step to the 4/5
The drop when opponent switches across the back line

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): 10v11

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10v11

Ball starts with blue GK into a 4/5 -- Blue go to end zone, red to goal
4/5 must stay in Zone 1
Wide players must stay in wide channels while attacking, use dots as guidelines when defending
9 is to avoid going into Zone 1 until the team is set up to all step together

Focuses:

Shift of 7/8/8/11 as the ball travels wide, specifically the near-side 8 getting touch tight
If above is successful consistently, focus turns to far-side 8 and 7/11 remaining connected and in-line with near-side 8
9 covering the 6 and stepping out to cut the field in half between the 4/5 when they know they can get there

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): 9v9 Game

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9v9 Game

Application

Pitch Line 2