Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Switching the Play, Out of Possession. General Practice

Set Up

Key Factors

Area is set up to be wider than it is long, size dependant on number of players, shown here for 8 players and 2 goalkeepers. players are 3+ goalkeeper(or one CDM If wanting to play attack v defence), 4 players on each side, and 2 common players.

As shown would be like playing with 3 center backs, if you want to adapt then add player to make a back 4.

Organisation

The two common players must stay in wide area's, and are always on team in possession's side. so creating an overlap for team with ball. All other players are allowed in any part of pitch.

Play is on the whistle, in 2 minute blocks. Play always starts from one of the keepers, keepers must play ball to wide player, then team in possession must transfer ball to other wide player before they can shoot on goal.

Place spare balls by goals.

Here we are coaching the blue team, when out of possession, Practice is set up to creating attacking overloads.

Continuation

Key Factors

The attacking side has successfully switched play, now defenders must recover quickly, whilst holding their shape and disclipine.

Communication now becomes even more important. As does a desire to defendand protect your goal.

Organisation

Defending players switch across the pitch following the succesful switch of play from attacking team, Players must react quickly, and communicate (GK important here) to ensure everyone doing jobs.

Principle is the same, try to box the attacking side in the wide area, and force ball out of play etc.

Progressions: Encourage both sides to play two touch, introduce time limits as to how long sides have to get shot away, for example if you wanted to increase repetition of defending swith of play for blue, only allow them 5-10 seconds possesion time, this will hand possession back to red team, who have no time limit, and who may have to switch twice before they can attempt shot on goal. This will result in lots of repetition for the group (blue team) in defending the switch of play. Plus encouraging quick transition from defence to attack.

In the set up here, red goalkeeper could be a CDM or similar, Blues team points would then be for a successful pass to the CDM, from whom play would start again, playing to either wide player.

Allow, when red team in possession, the direct switch of play from one common wide player to another. This will put more pressure on defending team as they will have to switch across more quickly.