Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Passing, Moving, Pressing (Start Time: 2024-10-09 18:00:00)

Technical 1 (15 mins)

Technical 1 (15 mins)

This activity is designed to have players learn basic passing technique with the inside of the foot while introducing several techniques for receiving by providing lots of repetition.

Equipment needed

4-8 cones

2-4 balls

Set up

Setup up a diamond with cones. 10m apart. (2 diamonds for 8 or more players)

One player on each cone ( can add extra player to cones evenly if numbers are higher)

one ball on 1 cone. 

Instruction

Simple Passing and receiving drill to start,

Basic Passing clockwise to the player to the right, player follows the pass. when player gets to the cone he waits for the ball or goes behind another player if one is already there.

Progression/Regression

Progression: Add in a second ball

Progression: The players can only take one touch before passing again. 

Progression: Use weaker foot. 

Progression: introduce a switch pass across the circle and alternate between, Right pass, switch pass.... (or left foot Switch pass)

Regression: Shorter passes. Allow more touches. 

Challenges, Conditions and Targets

Number of successful passes in 60sec.

Maximum of 2 touches.

Use both feet to pass and receive.

Target is to get nice flowing passing. Improve the first touch and understanding the importance of the first touch.

Challenges could be to see how many passes or rotations that can be done in a minute. Maybe do this from the start to see how the better first touch and repetition can improve the scores.

Mechanics

Passing

Look at target

Eye on ball

Firm ankle

Follow through towards target

Recieving

Eye on ball

Adjust Body Surface to meet on coming ball.

Cushion the ball on impact

Relax after impact

Eyes up for pass

Skill 2 (15 mins)



Skill 2  (10 mins)

4-8 cones

10 balls

6-8 bibs

Goals  

Use one diamond from the last drill

4-6 players inside a square, one is the defender, the others are passing the ball and trying to keep possession, whilst the defender is pressing trying to stop the attack.

Other 6 players outside the square in space. 

One GK in goal. 

Start off with a rondo, passing team on outside of the square, pressing player(s) in the centre of the square. Have 4 or 5 players of the pressing teams colour waiting in positions around the pitch(set up like a match scenario is best). Start with the passing team passing through the square keeping possession, the player in the middle pressing trying to win the ball back.

 When the pressing player(s) wins the ball back he passes to a player on the outside and then the pressing teams turns into the attacking team. the passing team turns into the pressing team. The passing team must now try to move the ball forward to score.

When the attack is finished, the player in the middle of the square is changed and the drill starts again.

 Numbers of the rondo will depend on numbers of players in the session. can be a 4 v1 or a 5 v 2

Progression - Decrease diamond size for quicker turnovers

Progression - Add an extra passing player in the rondo for more successful passing

Regression : If the player in the middle is taking too long to win the ball back, the coach can intervene and play a ball into the player furthest back from goal to start the switch in positions.

Can only take 2 touches before passing

Challenges- Count the successful passes in a row to see which defending player has the lowest score.

Can limit the pass type to ground only passes to increase difficulty, or challenge the attacking team to get the ball into a shooting position within a certain amount of passes

targets are to improve passing and movement in tight areas, as well as develop and encourage pressing techniques

Look at target

Eye on ball

Firm ankle

Follow through towards target

Eye on ball

Adjust Body Surface to meet on coming ball.

Cushion the ball on impact

Relax after impact

Eyes up for pass

Defending

Eye on ball

Close the space

Adjust body to jockey or intercept.

Try to win the ball

Shooting

Place standing foot next to the ball

Raise the kicking foot, and swing back through the ball, using arms for balance

make contact with the ball, striking through the ball.

Small sided Game (30 mins)

Part 5 Small sided game

Small sided game with even teams. 

Equipment

2-6 balls

6-8 bibs

goals

Adaptations (Progressions & Regressions):

Limit amount of touches per player, 3 touch to encourage passing 

Goals scored with weak foot equal 2,

5 consecutive passes equals 1 point. 

successful switched pass 1 point

No passes above head height for limited time. 

Last ten minutes all in no limitations. 

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

To use the lessons learned in the drills.

pressing, switching and attack to defence transitions. 

Challenges could include weak foot passing, lofted passes.