Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): OA2 Out of Possession Defending Against Breaking Lines

Specific (10 mins)

Specific

key factors & Welsh Way Principles

Attempt to stop in possession teams playing through the lines.

• Defend the lines by protecting the middle.
• Understanding how and when to pressure the opposition so that they are unable to play forward and exploit space between and beyond defensive lines.
• Fast pressure on the ball
• Stay narrow & compact
• Stop split passes
• Protect the space behind

Organisation and Area Size

• Area size will be half pitch + 18 yards, with 2x mini goals, Oppstion GK will serve and act as a goal.   
• Flats will be used to mark out lines that are reference points for both teams as zones.
• Cones will be used to mark out the tapered lines and zones as both team will not have any wingers.
• 7v7 with 1 playing GK and the other GK serving balls.
• Pitch is split in to 3 zones so that coaching is targeted within the central area.
  
• Defending team formation will be 1-2-3-1 (3-4-3-1 in 11 a side) Wingers for both teams have been taken out so coaches can focus on defending through the central areas.
• Attacking team formation will be 2-2-2-1 (2-4-4-1 in 11 a side) wingers have also been taken out for attacking team so coaches can focus on the central areas.
• All playing players are locked in to the central zone. 

Explanation

• Coaching Blues (Defending Team) and Managing Reds (Attacking Team).
• The initial possession begins with the goalkeeper of the red team, who's restricted to playing the ball out from the back solely to one of the red center backs. The red team's objective centers around creating scoring opportunities by orchestrating combinations with their central players and effectively breaking the lines of the blue team's defence to score goals.
• Upon winning possession, the blue team is allotted a time frame of 7 seconds to transition from defence to attack, aiming to capitalize swiftly and either scoring with the mine goals or playing the ball back the oppsitions GK. This time constraint is implemented deliberately to instil a sense of urgency within the blue team, encouraging them to initiate attacking plays promptly after regaining possession, fostering a proactive and quick-paced approach to scoring opportunities.
• Ball/play will always begin for the oppositions GK.

Key Points

• Fast pressure on the ball: Encourage players to swiftly close down the ball carrier, applying immediate pressure to disrupt their decision-making and limit their passing options. 
• Stay narrow and compact: Instruct defenders to maintain a close-knit and compact defensive structure, minimizing gaps between players to restrict opponent movement and passing opportunities.
• Stop split passes: Train defenders to anticipate and intercept passes aimed at splitting the defensive line, preventing opponents from exploiting gaps between defenders.

 Interventions:

• Coaching Process
• Concurrent
• Walk Through
• Terminal
• What if’s