Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending with a back 3 and goal keeper

drill (15 mins)

Defending with a goalkeeper and back 3

set up:

half pitch drill

11v11 would line up:

red defensive team: - Gk- 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 (9v9= Gk - 3 - 2dcm - #10 - 2)

blue team in possession: - Gk - 4 - 1 - 2 -3 (9v9= Gk - 2 - 1 - 2 - 3)

Drill consists of:

red defending with a gk, back 3, 2 dcm and a #10

blue attacking with a cb/feeder, 3 cm and a 9

aims:

- blues looking to play over the red coned line, to begin play they must play 5 passes before they can play over the line. this is to get used to playing with the ball and being relaxed and patient in possession.

- red defender (2-3-4) can not enter beyond the red zone but may slide and shift along the zones to deny penetration while staying compact. (pitch split into 5 zones via red cones (low block) to allow understanding of pitch geography)

Red team if they win possession have 10 seconds to score goal in one of the 2 mini goals

EXPAIN THIS THEN ALLOW PLAY

first coaching point:

red back 3 defend inside the width of the 18 yard box and as far as red coned area (low block), defend the middle of the goal and force ball away from the goal.

GK should position themselves between the 6 yard box and 18 yard box (around penalty spot).

if blue team possession if poor or drill is slow, remove 5 pass rule and make it 3 passes.

WHAT IF?

if ball is moved into wide area for example into blue #7 then red 3 should shuffle across to engage player on the ball as quickly as possible and showing wide, position should be between edge of 18 yard box and touchline, red #4 shuffles across positioned between goalpost and edge of the 18 yard box but slightly deeper, red #2 shuffles to cover the middle of the goal.

left dcm to shuffle towards the ball to stop through ball played to the #9 and right dcm shuffle to middle to stop the switch in play and force play backwards.

red #10 should drop into a position to help stop switch and force back backwards

if the ball is with blue #11 then the movement is the same but on the opposite side of the pitch.

challenge 1

ball played into wide area to #7 or #11 forcing defence to shuffle and the blue #9 moves across to create 2v1 in wide area

solution

closest players engage players on and around the ball,left dcm shuffles to support and right dcm comes central to stop switch in play and force play backwards. defenders remember the key is to defend the goal and force play wide towards the touchlines or backwards.

coaching points

-stay compact as a unit

-good communication

-good body shape (side on showing away from goal and on toes)

-GK in good position to attack on any through ball or cross.

problem 2

blue #9 drops off into midfield playing in space between defence and midfield making him hard to pick up and a good attacking option.

solution

1 defender may need to follow the #9 and mark tight to stop the ball coming in and stopping the #9 from turning. if possible pass #9 on to a dcm who could pick up. if defender pulled out of position the remaining cbs shold close gaps and defend middle of the pitch/goal leaving players in wide areas.

coaching points

-good communication between units

-tight marking

-stop #9 turning

-force play backwards or into wide areas

-GK be aware of through ball or long shot.

Screen 3

what if?

what if blue #9 drops deep to pick up ball in the area between defence and midfield?

closest cb will follow and close down or mark #9 tight to stop the turn and force play backwards

remaining cbs should move closer togther again defending middle of the goal and the a reference point would be closing the gap to the width of the goal inline with each post as a distance.

in the illustration it show the red #4 closing space as #9 in in a central area but the cb closest would engage th man on the ball depending on area of pitch.

dcm screens should attempt to stop ball being played up the centra of the pitch forcing play wide, in this instance the red #4 would drop back into his position and the players would shuffle left or right depending on the side of the pitch the ball is on.

Screen 5 (15 mins)

in order to dictate play we need to endure the 2 red #9s should engage defenders if playing from the back

if blue GK plays ball to RCB then the LCF should defend on the CB inside forcing him to play back or wide the free cf should cover the switch or the centre of the pitch incase the ball is played back to GK who tried to play into the blue dcm, RCF will block of this pass and force play to go wide again.

this will also happen if GK plays out to LCB, in which case RCF engages on LCB inside shoulder and RCF move to a central position to stop the ball being played into midfield central areas.

Blue team should always look to force ball into wide areas which will allow defenders to deal with the problems as discussed in previous screens.