Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): ASE G03 Emerald - In possession in middle third - improving center midfielders

Center midfield rotation

Setup:

4x4 grid with 15x15 boxes

3 center midfielders on the inside

4 support players on the outside

Activity:

Move ball from side to side by playing through the midfielders.

Only 1 player per central box.

Once ball goes wide, play to other target before playing back into middle.

Coaching Points:

~ Move away from the ball after passing (create space)

~ Try to leave square nearest the ball open.

~ Create the proper distance and angles (body position open to field, should be able to see ball and who you're passing to next)

Progression:

+ Add a 2nd team working north and south (no defense, but extra traffic in middle)

+ Play with 1 ball. 3v3 in the middle. One team scores east/west and other team scores north/south.

7v7 Zone Game

Setup:

60x40 field with big goals and lines to create 3 zones

2 teams of 7 setup in 1-2-3-1 formation

Activity:

Build play up through the lines and score in big goal.

Defenders must stay in their zone. Attackers can move 1 zone forward or backward.

Coaching Points:

~ 2 CBs split wide to build out. Use GK to keep possession and switch play.

~ 3 CMs create rotation as we did in 1st exercise (leave box open nearest ball).

~ #9 drop into midfield to create overload