Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): DEFENDING WITH A MIDFIELD THREE

Drill (15 mins)

Drill:

3v3

Pitch dimension:(Small pitch dimension)

20metresx22metres (Length and Width)

Focusing on midfield three defensively, which consists of the holding midfield player and two attacking midfield players for the red team. Whilst the blue team are playing with one holding midfield player and two attacking midfield players.

A feeder and target player for the blue team are placed at the opposite ends of the parameter and allowed to move freely within there too.

Feeders also act as 5/9 for the blues and reds respectively.

The other feeder acting as target players for the attacking team, act as 9/5 for the blues and reds respectively.

Senario:

1.Force the blue players to recieve the ball wide as they are looking to play the ball forward.

a. The two attacking midfieders will want to go wide, so as to receive the ball on the outside shoulders of the defenders.

b, If that happens, the closet player, number 10 for the red team, will show the DM (Blue) outside. As a result, the two holding midfield players for the red team who are number 4 & 6, are screening the space for the feeder (5) not to find a penetrative pass to the number 9 at the opposite end of the pitch.

c. So we are mianly working on the number 10, who is playing at the opposition half and two holding midfield players. If the attacking midfield player in ther blue team wins the ball on the wings, the holding midfield players in the red team, are shoulder on. Once the holding midfield player for the Blue team has the ball, number 10 presses to the ball before he receives it and play shoulder on off him. Number 10, drops at the centre (10yard line) of the pitch to provide cover, to have a chance of winning the ball back. The other two holding midfield players come forward, to provide cover applying pressure in the middle to prevent penetrative pass from central areas and force a faulty pass.

2.Ball from the feeder into one of the attacking midfield players down the flank either the left or right hand side. When that happens, the nearest midfield player marks shoulder on of the man to force him out wide. Then the other midfield player drops back to provide extra cover and pressure on the ball, so as to force opposition to make mistake.

3.The holding midfield player cannot get the ball as the oppositional players rotate. This involves the two attacking midfield players moving to try and find space. The holding midfield player, has to try and get to the ball, before it gets to the oppositional player. Then the holding midfield player in the blue team, provide cover to deny the attacking team space and the number 10 for the red team, comes back to provide extra cover after the ball has been played by the number 5 in the blue team.

4. Say the blue team are playing a 2v1, how will the red team be able to prevent them from having posession of the ball in the attacking half as a result, the offensive midfeilder (number10), will press as the ball travels, the right defensive midfield player will close the other attacking player, and the other holding midfield player, will remain shoulder on with the other midfield player in the blue team.