Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defensive Shape and Compactness

7v4 PCB

Phase: eg. (Playing out of defense/role of the #6, attack zone-14, etc)

Organizations: eg. (Field dimensions- Number of Players- Cones- Bibs- ).

Focus areas: eg. (Emphasis was on us pressing with high intensity from our shape, closing the lines between defense, midfield & attack & moving in relation to the ball)..

Key factors: eg. (movement & cues of opponents, angles of closing down).

Learning Outcomes: eg. (Post practice review, comments, thoughts)

PCB CB's

Phase: eg. (Playing out of defense/role of the #6, attack zone-14, etc)

The defensive organization with a back-4. 

Organizations: eg. (Field dimensions- Number of Players- Cones- Bibs- ).

20x10 yards.

4-red defenders, 3-4 blue attackers. Place four cones for the starting positions for each of the teams.

After the players shift, they return to the cones while facing (back peddle or sideways slide) the ball.

Focus areas: eg. (Emphasis was on us pressing with high intensity from our shape, closing the lines between defense, midfield & attack & moving in relation to the ball)..

Red CB #4 Pressures the ball, making sure to be side-on.  

Red #3 tucks in to cover to #4, while being able to see the blue #2.

Red CB# 5 slides across to form a triangle between LB, CB and CB.

All defenders should be on the half turns and not flat or square. Red #2 provides the support, communication and organizes the defensive line.

Key factors: eg. (movement & cues of opponents, angles of closing down).

Read the cues of the coach supplying the ball.  

Make sure the defenders place a hand on the attacker so they know the distances for defending.

Pay attention to the speed of the approach.

Angles taken by the non-pressuring defenders have to be addressed.

Learning Outcomes: eg. (Post practice review, comments, thoughts)

SSG - Reacting to Split backline

Phase: eg. (Playing out of defense/role of the #6, attack zone-14, etc)

The defensive organization with a back-4. Preventing a pocket of space for the C to split the backline.

Organizations: eg. (Field dimensions- Number of Players- Cones- Bibs- ).

40x35 yards.

4-red defenders, 3-4 blue attackers. Place four cones for the starting positions for each of the teams.

After the players shift, they return to the cones while facing (back peddle or sideways slide) the ball.

If there is no or limited pressure, the blue team can turn and penetrate the opponent to the coach.

If the blue team is able to pentrate and connect to the coach, the blue defenders then can run beyond the red defenders to receive a pass from C and try to score.  

Red defenders have to react and cover potential runs from deep.

Focus areas: eg. (Emphasis was on us pressing with high intensity from our shape, closing the lines between defense, midfield & attack & moving in relation to the ball)..

Red CB #4 Pressures the ball, making sure to be side-on.  

Red #3 tucks in to cover to #4, while being able to see the blue #2.

Red CB# 5 slides across to form a triangle between LB, CB, and CB.

All defenders should be on the half turns and not flat or square. Red #2 provides support, communication, and organizes the defensive line.

The addition now forces the defenders to stay alert and switched on after penetration.

Players have to be aware of staying compact, centrally to prevent the operating pass.

Key factors: eg. (movement & cues of opponents, angles of closing down).

Read the cues of the coach supplying the ball.  

Make sure the defenders place a hand on the attacker so they know the distances for defending.

Pay attention to the speed of the approach.

Angles taken by the non-pressuring defenders have to be addressed.

Learning Outcomes: eg. (Post practice review, comments, thoughts)