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Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Protect the Middle - Control the Spaces

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FAW Coach Ed

Ethan Louw

Profile Summary

Ethan Louw
Name: Ethan Louw
City: Chichester
Country: United Kingdom
Membership: Adult Member
Sport: Football/Soccer
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Description

Organisation (Practice Layout & Transition)

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Specific Practice

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Specific Practice
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Specific Practice (10 mins)

Organisation:

2 Teams (5v5)

Team 1 = In Possession (Reds) - 5-2-2-1/3box3 formation (Excluding Wingbacks, Back 3 & GK)

Team 2 = Defenders (Blues) - 4-3-3 formation (Excluding GK, FBs and front 3)

The practice is split into 2 blocks:

Block 1 = Red no.9 cannot move - makes it easier for blues to defend centrally and dictate play into wider areas 

Block 2 = Red no.9 is able to move freely in the playing area but must instead defend the central end zone

Targets:

  • Blues = win possession back and score in the mini-goals 
  • Reds (Block 1) = Pass into ST
  • Reds (Block 2) = Work the ball into central end zone 

Challenges:
  • When winning possession back can blues score in the mini-goals within 8 seconds

Conditions:
  • Lines marked to the halfway-line from the edges of the 18-yard box - This is to isolate the central players in both formations - working on attacking centrally with reds and defending/dictating central attacks for blues.
Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Small-Sided Game

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Small-Sided Game
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Small-Sided Game (10 mins)

Organisation:

2 teams (8v8)

Reds = 5-2-2-1/3box3 formation (Excluding back 3)

Blues = 4-3-3 formation (Excluding front 3)

The practice is split into 2 blocks that each address problems the team may face when defending central zones

Block 1 (Problem 1) - Overloading wide areas (i.e.: 10 pocket runs)

Block 2 (Problem 2) - 10s operating in the half-spaces, between the lines 

Solution 1 - Ball-side 8s need to be ready to track 10s whilst the holding midfielder should be ready to cover the space left by the 8

Solution 2 - 8 screen passes as best as they can with the help of communication from CBs. If the ball is played through then the nearest CB or holding midfielder should jump on the 10. 

Targets:

  • Reds = Score in big goal at the by-line 
  • Blues score in the big goal at the halfway-line 

Challenges:
  • Blues = Score within 8 seconds for double goals 

Conditions:
  • Corners of the pitch by the halfway-line are marked off to mark off the playing area - replicates zones that wide CBs would pick up in games and forces counter attacks through central zones. 

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