Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Low block to counter attack

Screen 1

Low Block-Counter attack

20-22 players

Pitch until box is required

Cones, goals, bibs and footballs

10v11 situation 4-5-1 vs 4-3-3

5 minute rounds or until all stations are empty

Rules:

• 6 separate stations with footballs, when coach shouts a number, the blue team take the ball and quickly attack the big goal. Play can also start from the coach playing a football.
• Red team are staying in a low block and when they win the ball, they quickly attack into the 3 mini goals as shown above.
• It is very easy to adjust to 7v7 or 5v5. Simply adjust the pitch area and keep everything else the same. Tactically you can work on different things, depending on numbers. For example if it is 6v6, work on 4+2 structure or 5+2 in a 7v7 game.  

Game model-Principles

• Our team sets up in a 4-2-3-1, and in a low block this can also become 4-5-1 with 2 blocks. If we are playing in a back 3, this becomes 5-3-2. While we do not normally sit in a low block and counter attack, the principals and ideas still stay similar.  
• Our principles stay the same as when we press, we stay compact and show the attacking team outside, where we can suffocate them and win the ball back. The defensive and midfield blocks must work together and shift from side to side.
• Making a low block successful is all about attitude and how the team works together. If they don’t communicate and fight together, it will not work, and this social aspect must also be trained. Do not get impatient and lazy, because this means disaster.
• Once we have won the ball, players must understand that the faster they attack, the better. We don’t want to allow the attacking team to get back into shape and delay us. The coach can reward fast attacks with extra points.    
• The different stations also incorporate emergency defending, as the play can start from anywhere on the pitch. Remind the players to delay for as long as possible, so that we can get back into our shape.
• Players must understand their roles and responsibilities. Wide players must not be beaten 1v1 and always force attackers outside and backwards. Central players must pounce on any mistakes and also not give the opposition any space to operate.

Progressions:

In order to make it more difficult for the defending team, we can create an underload situation. For example 13v11, which means the players have a smaller margin for error and must find different solutions.

Defending team can also start with the ball and counter attack from any of the cones, giving them an opportunity to attack from different areas and angles.