Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Specific Practice - Switching the play (in possession) (Submitted)

Screen 1

Primary Focus: Switching the play / Specific Practice

Organisation: 

- Players play an 8v7. 

- The blue team work in possession. The coach works with the blue team. 

- Two blue wingers stay high and wide in the far shade areas. 

Area Size:

60m x 50m full width of the half. Width is brought in from the 15m mark. 

- Play 4x4 minute periods with 2 min break.

- The coach works with the team in possession.

- The coach will manage the blues to switch play and ensure realism for both teams for the duration of the session. The blues in possession have to switch play after getting the ball into a wide zone before they score. They can look to play through, around and over. 

- The red team must work to force the direction of play to limit the space and time of the players in possession. 

- If the red team win the ball they must then counter attack by breaking lines under a managed countdown by the coach before getting the ball to the half way line.

- Two switches of play would get you 3 goals. 

- The reds on gaining the ball will get three goals if they score from a counter attack and break line and shoot in the goal. 

- The targets for the blues are the wide zones either side of the practice and the fixed goal. 

- Can the ball be played directly across to switch the play. 

- Reds press high and cut off return passing angles. 

- Reds stay compact and leave the furthest player. 

- Wide players can move freely.

- Force direction of play

- Defend narrow

- Leave the furthest player/s

- Move the ball quickly

- Draw central players wide

- Play through, around and over

Problems 1: 9 cuts of passing angles and the 6 supports the wide areas. 

Problem 2: Reds play as  a compact unit and overload the side of the ball.