Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Attacking around the 18

Technical (20 mins)

Progression of the Warm Up (Technical) progression:

Set Up: Have players pair up. One with a ball the other without. Arrange them on either side of an obsticle. (If you don't have maniquens, just use cones) Make sure that the players are no more than a yard off the obsticle. Do not allow them to give themselves much space to recieve and transition.

1. Start with a simple pass from right foot to mirroring players left foot. The have them drag or touch the ball to their right foot and repeat the process. Make sure that both players are moving back and forth. Do not allow them to stand in one spot and pass the ball at angles.

2. Have one player pick the ball up and have in hand. The working player will go from right to left, always making sure to transition totally outside of the obsticle on either side. This promotes movement, and doesn't allow the working player to simplify by standing. The player with ball in hand will throw to the working player, who in turn will play it back with inside of the foot volleys.

3. Repeat step 2, but this time have the working players use the combination of thigh to foot in order to volley it back. Make sure they are using the same thigh as the volley foot. So "Right Thigh" > "Right Foot".

4. Lastly, the Working Player should now use their head. These need to be quick touches and it should be for a short period of time. 30-45 seconds. Make sure the tosser is giving quality tosses at a rapid pace so the work rate of the Working Player is high.

On exercises 2, 3, & 4 switch the tosser and working player based on what you think is a good time allottment.

Attacking in and around the 18 with urgency (30 mins)

Set Up:

Start by gridding off the "18" and extending it another 10-15 yrds out centrally. But keep the width to the size of the "18".

Seperate and play 4v4+2 inside the grid. And have a third team of 4 on the outside.

The Game:

Start with the Keeper punting the ball up for a neutral start. The recovering team becomes the attackers inside the grid and is allowed to use the neutral players inside, and the team of 4 outside the grid.

Object is to get shots off in a crowded area in and around the "18".

Rules:

1. Direct shots can only come from outside the "18" from the attacking team.

2. The only shots that can be finished from inside the "18" are off crosses from the flank neutral players or rebounds from a Direct Shot.

3. If the defending team wins the ball, they need to successfully transfer the ball to the players at the top of the grid before turning and going at the goal themselves and becoming the attacking team.

4. If a cross is sent in by an attacking player, it must be finished within 2 touches, if not, the attacking team must find a new option. They cannot make multiple passes inside the "18" of a cross to finish.

5. Neutral players are allowed to score.

6. If a team scores, they stay on, and the losing team switches with the outside players and becomes the neutral players on the outside of the grid.

Once the game has become established, put restrictions of touches on for inside and outside players. Set restrictions on when shots can be taken from outside the box (i.e. must be off a combination play with a +2, etc...)

Promote finding quick, quality shots, following shots, and finding targets on crosses from the flank players.