Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Attacking Combos & Counterattacking

Attacking Combinations (10 mins)

Attacking Combinations

Practice Organisation

-Area 15x15yds, with small goal positioned 5yds behind centre of each line, as illustrated.

-8 players arranged 2 Blues v 2 Reds inside the practice area & 2 players from each team outside, as shown in the diagram.

-Practice starts with: Blue’s in possession within area, looking to pass to each other, and can use the blues supporting players on the outside.

-Blues attempt to score in any of the 4 perimeter goals defended by perimeter D’s

-If D’s inside the area gain possession: they become A’s & can use supporting players on outside, who in turn, look to score.

-If either team scores: they restart practice in possession

-If not: practice restarts with original set-up arrangements

Details

-Practice may be speeded-up by cutting the corners (marked with cones), as shown in the diagram.

-Perimeter A’s & D’s move round area, supporting play & defending goals.

-Support play & communication between A’s & D’s as single unit & as separate units inside & outside practice area.

-Simple progressions for this practice are:

-- Add to number of players in practice to change overload (e.g 3v2, 4v3 etc)

-- A can dribble out of practice area & sore in any perimeter goal.

-- This can be conditioned by making a defined number of consecutive passes first.

-- If this happens; a perimeter player moves into practice area to maintain 2v2 balance

-- As need to make wall pass before being able to score.

Key Coaching Points

-Passing & moving techniques & shielding skills.

-A’s combining & working as a pair to deceive & elude D’s.

-Timing, weight & accuracy of pass

-Playing with head-up to assess potential passing opportunities to perimeter

-Individual dribbling skills to elude D & create time & space to pass.

-Composure in tight-marked situation

-Perimeter players’ awareness of need to defend/cover goals & be available to receive passes from internal area.

-Perimeter players need to react to change/loss of possession inside area & switch role.

U9’s – The players should be able to complete the Learning outcomes under passive pressure.

U10’s – The players should be able to complete the Learning outcomes at pace, under passive pressure.

U11’s – The players should be able to complete the Learning outcomes with increased pace, under passive pressure.

Attacking & Combination play & defending as a unit (15 mins)

Attacking & Combination Play & Defending as a Unit

Practice Organisation

-Area 35x15yds, divided into 3 zones (15x15, 15x15, 5x15yds), as illustrated.

-1 appropriate size goal at one end and two small goals to serve as targets in corners, at the other.

-Supply of balls with coach

-8 Players arranged 4 Attackers v 2 Defenders plus a sweeper and GK, as shown in the diagram.

-Practice starts with; Coach Feeds pass into A’s, who attack the far goal.

-2 D’s are confined to middle zone and sweeper covers behind, remaining in end zone.

-4 A’s are able to operate in first 2 zones, but only 2 are allowed to move into end zone (versus sweeper & GK) to attack goal.

-If D’s gain possession; they play ball through either of 2 small goals/pairs of cones in opposite corner.

-Practice restarts with original set-up arrangements and ball fed-in by coach.

Details

-Could be replaced by cones

-Coordination and team balance amongst A’s who need to work as a unit.

-Support play and communications amongst D’s, working as a unit Effective individual defending.

-Simple progressions for this practice are:

-- A’s make pre-determined number of consecutive passes before entering end zone.

-D’s allowed to drop/recover to assist sweeper and GK before entering end zone.

-A’s push 3rd player into end zone to support attack.

-D’s drop into end zone, to challenge A’s ability to break down a compact defence (4A’s allowed in end zone)

-Introduce off-side line to enable D’s to defend high.

Key Coaching Points

-As combining and working as a team to evade D’s initial defending line.

-Passing, movement and combination play to create space and release free receivers.

-Quality of passing and pass selection.

-Individual dribbling and shielding skills to evade D’s and create time and space to pass.

-Looking for penetration pass to enter end zone without being intercepted by sweeper.

-Passing angles and distances

-Composure in tight-marked situations and awareness of needs for patient build-up possession play.

-Seeking opportunities and selecting appropriate methods to shoot and score.

-D’s looking to play as a unit.

-Remaining compact and channelling play across the area

-Trapping players on side line.

U9’s – The players should be able to complete the Learning outcomes under passive pressure.

U10’s – The players should be able to complete the Learning outcomes at pace, under passive pressure.

U11’s – The players should be able to complete the Learning outcomes with increased pace, under passive pressure. 

Counter Attacking (25 mins)

Counter Attacking

Practice Organisation

-Area 40x30yds, using penalty area divided into 2 zones (30x30 & 10x30yds), appropriate size goals at each end, as illustrated.

-14 players (incl 2GKs), arranged 5 Attackers v 7 Defenders, as shown in the diagram.

-Off-side lines may be drawn, or practice can operate with (or without) normal off-side rules applying.

-D’s leave 1 strker in advance zone who can try to win the ball early.

-Remaining D’s drop into deep zone and can only win ball back there.

-If D’s win ball: they counter-attack, playing initially through lone striker.

-If A’s regain possession whilst defending the counter-attack; D’s retreat back to deep zone to defend & practice continues with A’s in possession.

-When ball goes dead; -practice recommences with initial set-up arrangements.

Detail:

-Size of area can be adjusted according to age and ability of players.

-This practice can be developed for counter-attacking or for play against a compact defensive block.

-Simple progressions for this practice are:

-- Reduce numerical advantage of D’s in deep zone.

-- Reverse overload, so that A’s have numerical advantage

Key coaching points

-D;s need to be patient, slide, cover and communicate

-D’s looking for interceptions and being aware of possibility to act fact and counter-attack, should the opportunity arise

-D’s require defensive security to safeguard against the possible threat of a counter of the counter-attacking from A’s

-A’s looking for quality of passing, movement and support play to break down the defensive block.

-D’s looking for opportunity to pass forward quickly with quality and precision to lone striker.

-Supporting runs, distances and angles by breaking players combining with lone striker.

U9’s – The players should be able to complete the Learning outcomes under passive pressure.

U10’s – The players should be able to complete the Learning outcomes at pace, under passive pressure.

U11’s – The players should be able to complete the Learning outcomes with increased pace, under passive pressure.