Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Jürgen Klopp: Defensive Positioning

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Mass City 2

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Mass City  2
Name: Mass City 2
City: Norwell
Country: United States of America
Membership: Adult Member
Sport: Football/Soccer
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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): The Set Up

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): The Set Up
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The Set Up

The field is split width-ways into 4 grids. Each grid is 10 yards from the halfway line with an attacker (Blue) and defender (Red) at the top and bottom respectively. 2 wide players are on the ends of the grids. The coach in in the middle ready to serve balls.


Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Phase 1

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Phase 1
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Phase 1

Coach plays a ball in to an attacker. The attackers pass the ball square into the next grid as openly and as freely as they choose. When the ball enters their grid, the defender must apply fast pressure. When the balls exits the grid, the defenders retreats quickly to maintain their shape.

It is a simple exercise of pressure, shifting, and covering but also allows defenders to pick up cues where they will be able to see the ball arriving by the body shape of the passer. This can be hugely important in games because you can then apply pressure quicker and reduce the options of the attacker.


Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Phase 2

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Phase 2
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Phase 2

Coach decides when to progress the drill. S/he gives the signal and plays a pass into a wide player. Immediately a 6v4 begins.

The 4 defenders retreat towards goal, maintaining shape and balance. Klopp (and now Tuchel) have Dortmund defend from the 'inside out' meaning that they stay compact and force the attackers into playing wide. It is important to coach the defenders not to retreat into the box as this creates vulnerability to the cross and also creates more danger in potential tackles made on attackers as there is less space to effectively apply pressure on the ball.

Communication is vital, so is an individual and group understanding of positioning, shape and anticipation. The drill must be run at game speed in order to train realistic/appropriate reaction times.


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