Defending early

 

1. Divide players into pairs, each pair in their own channel

2. One player starts as the defender and passes the ball to their opponent, the attacker
3. As soon as the attacker touches the ball, the defender can press
4. The attacker aims to dribble through the defender’s gate. If the defender wins possession, they can score by dribbling through the attacker’s gate

 

Practice

WHY USE IT

This phase-of-play practice builds on the warm-up, to create a more game-realistic scenario and start to work as a unit when defending (press, cover and balance).

 

Set-up

Mark out an area relative to the age and ability of your players. Place a goal centrally at one end, and two mini goals wider at the other end. Mark a line roughly three-quarters of the way up the area. The game should ideally be played as a 5v5, plus a goalkeeper.

 

HOW TO play

The ball will always start from the goalkeeper. Teams will swap roles every 10 balls. The team with the goalkeeper focuses on building out from the back and scoring in the mini goals – they can’t shoot until they have crossed the line. The other team aims to win possession as early and high up the pitch as possible and score in the main goal.

 

progressions & ADAPTATIONS

If the team building from the back is taking a lot of time to do so, add a condition where they must score within 10 seconds of the goalkeeper releasing the ball.

 
If the pressing team isn’t being aggressive enough with their press, challenge them to win the ball back within five seconds – any goal they score can then count double.

COACHING POINTS

• Stop forward passes. The player closest to the ball should press the opponent; the next player should provide cover; the third player provides deeper balance, ready to win a long ball or press a switch of play.
• Once the ball is regained, both teams should transition quickly to attempt to score/win possession back.
• The pressing team must work as a unit and stay compact. Make play predictable by positioning your body/press to force the ball one way.

 

1. Divide players into two equal teams, plus one goalkeeper
2. Blues always start with possession from the goalkeeper and aim to cross the line of cones to score in a mini goal
3. Reds aim to press as a unit and win possession high up the pitch, to score in the main goal

 

Small-sided game

WHY USE IT

This small-sided game enables everything developed in the session so far to be put into a game-realistic scenario, to allow for 1v1 defending, as well as defending as a unit. It also provides a number of triggers to press.

 

Set-up

Mark out an area relative to the age, ability and number of your players, with a goal at each end. Split it into thirds. This game can be played as a 5v5, a 6v6 or a 7v7.

 

HOW TO play

Normal game rules apply. However, if players win possession in the final third and score, they are awarded three goals. If they win possession in the middle third and score, they get two goals; and if they do so from their own defensive third, they get one goal.

 

progressions & ADAPTATIONS

Set individual targets for players as necessary – for example, higher-skilled players, or those you want to encourage to play quicker, can be limited to two touches, while others can be allowed freedom to be creative and take players on.

 
You can also challenge players to only play forward passes.

 
For more intensity, you can create a scenario where one of the teams is losing 1-0, so they have to win the ball back as early as possible to score.

COACHING POINTS

• Be aggressive with the press and spot triggers – such as if the ball is played backwards, a pass is under-hit or a player takes a poor touch.
• Move in relation to the ball: maintain good distances between the ball and player to remain compact.
• Be brave and confident when engaging in 1v1s. Once possession is regained, scan to be able to progress the ball and score quickly.

 

1. Divide players into two equal teams and split the pitch into thirds
2. If a team wins possession in the attacking third and scores, the goal is worth three
3. A goal is worth two if possession is won in the middle third