Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Practice Design Task - Defending the Lines specific practice

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Jonathan Davies

Profile Summary

Name:	Jonathan Davies
City:	Praha 10
Country:	Czech Republic
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

Half pitch with a focus on final 3rd.

2 x 5 min blocks of work.

Mini goals positioned (left, right and centre) to replicate the front three of the in possession (blue) team.

Footballs placed next to the main goal to restart play. The coach may carry a ball to restart play in the middle of the pitch, to replicate transition and to provide opportunities for the red team to counter attack.

7 v 7 + 1 with the reds adopting a 1-2-3-1 shape (4-2-3-1) and the blues adopting a defensive 4-1-2 shape (4-3-3).

Defending the Lines out of possession principles:

Fast pressure on the ball

Narrow and compact

Protect the middle

Stop split passes

Protect the space behind

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Specific practice - Defending the Lines

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Specific practice - Defending the Lines (15 mins)

Objective

To play in a compact mid block and prevent the opposition from playing through the middle, forcing play wide and winning possession.

Problem 1: Blues attempt to penetrate through the middle of the pitch.

Problem 2: Blues attempt to play around our block, in wide areas.

A goal scored after a split pass/dribble through the middle = 2 goals.

A goal scored after playing around the block = 1 goal.

If the reds win possession, they attempt to play into the main goal. They have 6 seconds to do this.

Possible Coaching Points/Solutions:

Compact structure in the mid block - focus on distances between players.
Screening and scanning - striker, wingers and #10 ensure that they scan and block passing lines into advanced areas.
Curved pressing runs to push play into wide areas.
Triggers - pass into the full backs as trigger to start press, bad touch, slow pass, aerial pass. etc.
'Locking on' - ensuring that we get tight and lock on to the nearest players around the ball once the press is triggered.
Ball-side, goal-side positioning where possible to nick the ball back.

Possible individual challenges/conditions:

Central midfielders - can you intercept passes played into the blue central midfielders?
Striker - can you prevent passes between the centre backs to keep them on one side of the pitch?
Wingers - can you get effective pressure on the ball when the press starts (get the head down of the player on the ball)?

Possible 'what ifs'

If the full back beats our winger? The #6 should go to press and the centre back should jump onto their #10.
If they are able to switch play to the opposite centre back? Discipline from the opposite red winger. If we can get win the ball, we go. If we can't we stay and screen passes centrally. Potentially the red #10 goes to press the centre back and the striker becomes the #10?
If the full back pushes high? Our #6 goes to press and the ball side winger drops to cover and track the run of their #10.
If the centre back steps in with the ball? Our #10 goes to press, and the weak-side winger is ready to jump to their #6.