Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): SAC Premier Blue 06 Boys vs Aspen Hill SC Premier- March 26, 2022 - EDP Div 3

1st Half Start

1st Half - 25 mins

Ashwin - Ryan B (at 20mins)

Austin - Tim

Chris N - Barbad

DEFENSIVE PHASE - REGULAR

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES: ZONAL PRESS TRANSITION- DISCIPLINED BUT AGGRESSIVE

INITIAL TRIGGER IS BASED ON THEM PLAYING OUT FROM THE BACK. OTHERWISE IT'S TRANSITIONAL BASED

OVERALL TACTICAL THEME: THE AWARENESS AND QUALITY OF OUR PRESS. PRESSING IN THE RIGHT MOMENTS, IN THE RIGHT AREAS OF THE FIELD. THE GOAL IS TO CUT OFF PASSING LANES FROM OPPOSITION HALF INTO OUR OWN HALF, TO FORCE MISTAKES OR LONG BALLS.

CUT OFF SPACE/POCKETS IN FRONT OF OUR BACKLINE (MARKED RED) 

**OUR SHAPE WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE BALL IS BASICALLY A 1-4-3-3 (ESPECIALLY IF THEY PLAY OUT FROM THE BACK)

TOP PRIORITIES:

1) RECOGNIZE THE TRIGGERS FOR THE PRESS!

*CUES TO PRESS OR APPLY PRESSURE FROM THE FRONT

bad touch, opponent going back to their own goal, bad pass, ball in the air, player with their back turned to you, player trapped by the sideline with no room to maneuver

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DEFENDERS

WHEN MAKING CLEARANCES, FOCUS ON GOOD CONTACT ON THE BALL NOT ON SMASHING THE BALL UP THE FIELD 

**-Be PATIENT when defending in wide areas in 1v1 battles. Goal is to DELAY as long as possible

* DO NOT allow any balls through the back line centrally....make everything go wide! (Zone 14 - REMEMBER). READ THE FLIGHT OF THE BALL AND DECIDE WHEN TO LET BALL RUN THROUGH

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 MIDFIELDERS

**When ball is lost, how quickly do we mentally and physically transition into a defensive mindset and position? CLICK MOMENTS!

- Get the right team shape across the middle of the pitch (compact) and maintain the shape as we transition from side to side and front to back (4-3-3). FORCE THEM TO GO LONG WITH THE BALL WHEN WE CAN!

*Critical that we are looking for midfielders that are set up in passing lanes ahead of us and get early pressure on them as the front three press hard from the front.

#6, #10 & #10 - Look for passing lanes to cut off into the center midfield areas.STAY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER. DEFEND EARLIER!!

OUR FIRST 2-3 PASSES AFTER WINNING POSSESSION ARE CRITICAL AND DETERMINE IF WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE GAME! 

DON'T TRY TO BE TOO FANCY WHEN WE WIN THE BALL BACK BUT CAN WE PLAY IMPACTFUL BALLS FORWARD? (NOT LONG JUST FORWARD)

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ATTACKERS

#7, #11 & #9 -RESPONSIBILITY TO CONNECT TO PREVENT OPPONENT HAVING TIME ON THE BALL AND EASY PATHS INTO MIDFIELD. STAY CONNECTED

*Attackers must be switched on to recognize the triggers to press and stay narrower and compact to make an effective press.

*Show patience in waiting for the moment to press. Don't press the GK unless in the midst of press the ball is passed back to GK.

*if playing out from the back wait for the GK to make his decision and who he passes to then we press to force them down one side or the other.

*on first pass to wide areas #9 works to cut off half the field with primary goal of cutting off forward passes or passes to midfield (not necessarily the GK)

ATTACKING PHASE

IN POSSESSION IN THE ATTACKING HALF OF THE FIELD

PRIORITY: QUALITY OF PLAY IN TIGHT SPACES (CLOSE TO GOAL) TO BREAK DOWN OPPONENT DEFENSE

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TRIGGERS/AWARENESS: 

MIDFIELDERS

CREATIVE PASSING - CAN I BE CREATIVE AND MAKE AN UNEXPECTED PASS/AT AN UNEXPECTED HEIGHT OR UNEXPECTED ANGLE

* WHERE IS THE SPACE BETWEEN THE LINES OR GAPS BETWEEN DEFENDERS IN THE BACK LINE

*WHO IS MAKING RUNS IN FRONT, TO MY STRONG SIDE OR TO MY WEAK/BLIND SIDE

*CAN I BE CREATIVE WITH MY PASSING RANGE:

 - disguise passes by using outside of foot, using front foot, using toe in short spaces

- can I lift the ball into the thigh area to make interception difficult

- can I find a ball "dinked" over the top of the back line or a good angle for a ball behind the line (REVERSE PASSES)

1. TO BE AWARE OF:

     **Can I shift the ball to force the opposition to move and create gaps

 **Can I make a run that forces defenders to move even if i'm not the final target for the ball 

** Can I play the ball around the corner or make a "blind"/reverse pass away from the defenders gaze/eye movement 

** Player movements  

      -When you make a pass horizontal, find a new opening vertically or away from the ball (rotation of other players into the space)

- across the back line and into space behind the line

COMBINATIONS

- quality of movement off the ball

- distance of players combining

-disguise on the passes when combining

-one touch sharp passing to improve effectiveness and speed

- can we catch "third man" running.

- can we use our #9 to bounce the ball or into a pocket that the #9 has "sealed" off the CB.

NO PRESSURE ON THE BALL? THIS IS OUR MAGIC MOMENT TO PUT PRESSURE ON THEIR BACK LINE 

If the defensive team is not applying hard pressure to the ball, get your head up and can you find an attacker making penetrating runs beyond the back line? Force the defensive unit to back up  OR can you run with the ball

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ATTACKERS

*#9 ALWAYS LOOKING TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BACK LINE BY CREATING PENETRATING RUNS FORWARD AND AT GOOD ANGLES

*HAS THE BALL BEEN PLAYED HORIZONTAL/SIDEWAYS? MAKE A FORWARD RUN OFF THAT PASS.

* CAN YOU LOOK FOR MOMENTS TO "SEAL" OFF/OR OCCUPY THE CENTER BACKS FOR OTHERS TO PLAY INTO SPACES

ATTACKERS - WHEN WE WIN THE BALL HIGH UP THE FIELD, BE ATTACK MINDED AND GO TO GOAL.  

**DON'T BE AFRAID TO SHOOT! ** - HAVE YOUR HEAD UP AND BE AWARE OF SHOOTING OPPORTUNITIES EARLY 

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DEFENDERS

1. BE CALM, BE COMPOSED, BE ACCURATE, BE MOBILE

Set the foundation for our attacking play by making smart decisions while playing out from the back. 

DO NOT FORCE THE BALL FORWARD. COMBINE WITH OTHER BACK 4 IF NO FORWARD OPTION OR GO LONG IF NECESSARY.

 *If the clear, clean pass is not available while playing out from the back, don't be afraid to go longer with the ball to relieve some pressure. That applies to both GK and to CBs.

*When ball goes back to GK, he should ALWAYS have two passing options to his left and to his right. A third option in #6 dropping in between both CBs is also an option.

*Identify when the pressure is coming from (do we have a front 3 attackers or just a front 2)

GOAL KICKS

If the opposition team goes long from goal kicks/punts, etc so we have to be prepared to match up technically and tactically to win possession consistently.

• Read the GK body shape and line up compact on the side of the field that he is aiming to. It's far easier to move towards a short ball than to retreat to a long ball that is going over our head.
• be compact and together to win the ball. Win the first ball, but if you can't then read where it is going and win the second ball.