Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): P5 - Defending Lines - OP - General

Diagram 1 (5 mins)

P5: General Practice / Out of Possession / Defending The Lines

 Mode: Possession

Welsh Way Principles: Understand when and how to stop the opposition playing through, around or over.

 Organisation / Area Size: 24m x 36m split into equal thirds. 4 players in each zone. Play 3 minute sets, 60 second recovery breaks (use for interventions).

 Explanation: The in possession team will attempt to try and play through or around the opposition players but not over. A goal will be achieved by transferring the ball from either zone 1 to 3 or 3 to 1. When  blue or yellow are in possession 1 red player must enter their zone and press the ball creating a 4v1 scenario.

The in possession team should look to break lines at the earliest opportunity. The player pressing the opposition team should return to zone 2 when a line breaking pass has been achieved. The closest red player to the ball must then press the in possession team. If the red player presser wins possession he will play into zone 2. The nearest players to the ball from zone 1 and 3 then press to win the ball back in zone 2. Reds can gain an extra point if each player touches the ball and the ball returning to zone 1 or 3.

We work with the team out of possession to give detail based on the Welsh Way Principles. As you can see here the reds have worked to break passing lines and stay narrow in the central zone. The red player pressing has forced the play wide, trapping the blue player to play into the block of 3 red defenders. 

How: We will coach the red team the Welsh Way principles, particularly defend narrow, stop split passes and break passing lines. We want the blues to have the ball as much as possible so this increases the repetition and opportunities the reds will have to defend the lines hence only 1 player will press. We will encourage the defending team to remain compact and shuffle sideways.

To create an additional problem for the coached team a player from the opposite team in possession can enter zone 2, the ball can then be played through this player as shown in diagram 2. Depending on his positioning the defending team can either leave him (as the furthest player)  or he can be marked and the remaining 2 players defend as a twin screen.

Once the in possession teams get success we will then introduce 2 players pressing and a twin screen centrally. This will allow the 2 pressing players to make the pitch small and force play wide. It will also be important they remain compact and stop split passes.

Conditions, Challenges & Targets

 1. The red team is looking to defend the lines while protecting the space centrally, staying narrow and trying to stop split passes. 

2.  Team in possession - the players must try to break the lines by threading split passes through or playing around. The team in possession will score 3 goals for splitting opposing players and 1 goal for playing around 

3. Reds receive a point for stopping a split pass, they can win an additional point if they keep possession by each player touching the ball and returning the ball to zone 1 or 3.

4. A further challenge for the reds would be to introduce a managed countdown. If they don't allow a split pass they gain a point

Key Points: 

Out of possession - Defend narrow, prevent split passes, force play wide, protect space in behind

In Possession - Play around or through, make pitch big (width and depth), move ball quickly, play forward

 Interventions:

Coaching Process

Concurrent

Walk Through

Terminal

Diagram 3 (5 mins)