Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Playing through the midfield and creating overloads

Playing through the grids (20 mins)

Set up

Reds play from one side of the grid to the other and blues play the other way in the grid as shown.

The aim is for the central players to receive the ball from anywhere in the area from a team mate and turn out and play to the other side of the area.

Can the player in the centre receive and turn to play forward quickly?

Can a player occupy an empty square in which to receive the ball?

Then move onto working in teams to transfer the ball across the area.

Can the players in the centre play combinations with each other before playing out to the other side?

Can the ball be played from one square to the next across the area to play forward?

Can the ball miss the next square before playing to a team mate?

SSG with thirds (30 mins)

Set up

Finish session with a small sided game with the pitch split into thirds.

Normal game rules apply however if a goal is scored by playing from the defensive third through the midfield then the goal is worth 3.

Initially the defensive players and the attacking players are locked into their zones with only the midfield players allowed to move between the zones. This will force overloads in the final third and also in the defensive third.

FInish with free play.