Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Improve Ability to Recover Ball in Attacking Half

Warm Up (10 mins)

Knee Tag

Organization:

10 x 10 area, 2 lines

Instructions:

- Players play knee tag. If you tag opponents knee then you score the point or if you manage to force them out of the area without touching them.

- Players play for 1 Minute and then rotate.

- Progress to 2v2

Coaching Points:

- On toes

- Bend knees

- Side body shape

- Patience

Small Sided Activity (20 mins)

25x30

Three teams of 3 play 6v3.

Red and Blue will keep possession from Black.

Black must communicate and stay organised. They must also look for the triggers to press the defender as a group.

Once Black wins the ball the team that loses the ball has 6 secs. to quickly try and win the ball back. If they are unable to they must regroup and then look for the triggers to press.

Example: Red loses the ball, now the entire red team is on defense and has 6 secs to recover the ball quickly. If unable to quickly win the ball back they must drop off and regroup.

Triggers for Press:

Attacker turns their back.

Heavy touch

Head down

Attacker is isolated with ball

Coaching Points:

Quickly press when lose the ball, team is unlikley to be organized to keep possesion. (This will establish a defensive transition mentality)

Communication and a lot of it

Patience when not pressing.

Proper covering angles

Double and triple team when pressing

Cut off passing options (try and isolate the player with ball)

Match (25 mins)

7v7

2-3-1, When team is pressing in the attacking half formation would resemble more of a 2-1-3.

When teams are not in possession of the ball, they must stay compact and try not to get overloaded in the area with the ball too heavily. They must communicate and work together to keep compact. Players must also be looking for the triggers on when to press the attackers.

When in possession teams must maintain possession and try and penetrate. Players must look to keep overloads near the ball to help keep possession but also when the ball is lost they will have a lot of players around the ball to press quickly. When possession is lost, players have 6 secs. to win the ball back. If successful they must quickly find a pass to keep possession. If unsuccessful they must regroup and get into a good shape to defend.

Defenders should press to win the ball back in the following ways.

1) Force the opposition to clear the ball back into team’s defensive line and regain possession.

2) Regain possession high up the field through a misplaced pass under the pressure.

3) Tackle or intercept play and break away to create a ‘clear and obvious’ goal scoring opportunity.

Triggers to Press:

Attacker turns their back.

Heavy touch

Head down

Attacker is isolated with ball

Coaching Points:

Quickly press when lose the ball, team is unlikley to be organized to keep possesion. (This will establish a defensive transition mentality)

Communication and a lot of it

Patience when not pressing.

Proper covering angles

Double and triple team when pressing

Cut off passing options (try and isolate the player with ball)