Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Attacking - creating movement / breaking lines

Initial Game: 6v4 (20 mins)

Organization: Quarter of a full field - top of box to about half. Area split in half. Two small goals on either end line. Supply of balls with a server on the endline. 6v4 - four red defenders lined up along the center line - acting as the "back 4". 4 blue attackers in one half mimicking 7/11 and 6 and 8. Two blue attackers mimicking the 10 and 9 in the other half (the 10 is on the end line).

Activity:

Similar to shoot the gap, four blue attackers are limited to two touch and need to break the line of red defenders. Upon receiving the ball, the 10 in blue combines with the 9 on the end line to score on the empty goal. Defenders can win the ball and counter on the two small goals they face. Switch roles half way through. While the defenders are restricted to the central area, they can move off the line. Blue attackers can temporarily move past half to support the ball, but must move back.

Can progress to allowing one blue attacker (6 or 8) to enter attacking half.

Questions:

1. Do wingers support near? or far (at center)? Do we stretch (past center) or show before center?

2. What movements can weak side players do off the ball?

3. Can we be direct?

Coaching Points:

1. Dispersal - create width and depth in attack (do not duplicate roles).

2. Open body shape - can we see the field?

3. Receiving angles - proper distances and angles.

4. Timing of movement to receive. Teammate cannot still be moving as we prepare to play them.

5. Awareness of space and time.

6. Decision making - when do we play forwards? When do we recycle?

Final Game (20 mins)

Organization: Full field. Supply of balls in goals.

Activity: 11v11 final game. Each team plays a 4-3-3. Perhaps some coaching over, but otherwise allow for free play.

Create scenarios:

Each team gets 5 balls - restarts with GK. Objective is to see how many lines can be broken (ADP) and can we get a final act on goal? Upon winning the ball, defending team gets one transition. If ball goes negative or out, attacking team restarts with own GK.

Finish wiht game scenario: team down by 1, needs to score.

Coaching Points: Reinforce key factors and objectives from the session.

Focuses:

Back 4 stay narrow and connected. Allow for space on flank.

Vision and awareness - how can we break lines?

Mids - 10 or 8 needs to stay high on weak side, becoming an option or allowing for interchange with 7 or 11 upon a switch.

9 needs to show if 6 or 8 has dropped to support FBs, otherwise stay high. Look for through balls/ blind side runs.