Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Defending From The Front: 1v1 Pressing Principles

Edu-Club: Gavin Strachan Coach Education

James Horner

Profile Summary

Name:	James Horner
City:	Heckmondwike
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

A selection of practices aimed to develop player understanding and technique when pressing and defending in 1v1 situations.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Technical Pressing Fundementals

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Learning Objectives

	Technical Bending the knees to adopt a side on position / Small steps when jockeying opponent allowing for quick changes of direction and limiting the possibility of nutmegs.
	Tactical Beginning to understand how to manipulate the ball carriers options, showing players away from goal and into areas of strength.
	Physical Speed and Acceleration when GETTING OUT / A,B,Cs when slowing down and adopting different body positions.
	Psychological Remembering and implementing the steps, GET OUT, SLOW DOWN, GET DOWN, SHOW DOWN.
	Social Fun / Engaging / Competitive.

Technical Pressing Fundementals (15 mins)

Session Explanation

A practice to develop the correct technique when initiating a press with regards to individual body positioning, angle of approach and technical elements. This is achieved through progressions and the competitive element of racing your teammates. Players will race each other out to a randomly selected cone and score points if done correctly.

Area Size

10m vertically from start point to furthest marker. Side cones 8m vertically from start point.

Coaching Detail & Interventions

Start- GET OUT! Players should look to close the space to the cone as quickly as possible, hypothetically pressuring the ball carrier and preventing forward play.

Intervention 1- SLOW DOWN! Players must look to slow down before reaching the target cone, stopping dead to win the race. Emphasis on the importance of slowing down to prevent the ball carrier from skipping past the defender.

Intervention 2- GET DOWN! Players must now look to GET OUT, SLOW DOWN, and GET DOWN. Looking to adopt a low, side on body positioning to the cone, allowing defenders to turn at pace and manipulate the ball carriers direction of play.

Progression 1 & Intervention 3- SHOW DOWN! Split each team into two groups, place one group at the furthest cone and one at the original start point. Players will now pass into a teammate before, GETTING OUT, SLOWING DOWN, GETTING DOWN and SHOWING DOWN. Players must jockey the ball carrier until the coach shouts break at which point the exercise is restarted by the next two players.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Skilled Practice: Showing Down & Manipulating Play

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Learning Objectives

	Technical Bent knees to adopt low side on positioning / Outstretched arm on ball side of the body to block and maintain distance / Small steps when jockeying backwards to heighten chances of pinching possession / Scanning frequently whilst on approach, preventing possible passing options centrally.
	Tactical Using the sideline as an extra defender, closing space and limiting offensive options / To encourage this suggest players arch their runs on approach to prevent central play.
	Physical Speed and Acceleration to get out and close the space / A,B,Cs to adjust body positioning frequently at pace / Upper body strength, utilising the outstretched arm and being able to block forward runs.
	Psychological Decision making, when to slow down, when to pinch possession, how to angle approach / Anticipating the attackers actions.
	Social Fun / Engaging / Competitive.

Skilled Practice: Showing Down & Manipulating Play (15 mins)

Session Explanation

Two teams, still focusing on 1v1 situations. The core focus of this practice is to encourage players to take the technical and physical elements from practice one, whilst now incorporating the use of the sideline, and their ability to show players outside away from central areas, manipulating the ball carrier.

Area Size

From C1 to C2 8 metres. 'Show Down' area, 20m x 10m.

Coaching Detail & Interventions

Start- C1 passes into C2 before looking to show the attacker down the line using technical detail from practice 1 (Getting out fast, slowing down on approach, getting down and side on with the player, and showing down into a specific direction), while also encouraging the use of the sideline as an extra defender.

Intervention 1- Angle of approach, encourage players to arch their runs to show the attacker down the line whilst also frequently scanning, hypothetically cutting a passing lane into central areas.

Intervention 2- Look to encourage players to utilise an outstretched arm to maintain distance between themselves and the attacker, also allowing defenders to block the run if attacker moves into forward action.

Intervention 3- Utilising small steps while jockeying backwards, heightening the defenders chances of pinching the ball.

Challenges

If the practice becomes easy, progress to a 2v1, in this scenario C1 sets off however the player behind C1 can receive the ball from C2 and play one twos if possible. This challenges the defender to ensure their run is arched properly to cut potential passing lanes, whilst also showing the defender outside. It's vital players can scan whilst maintaining the intensity of Get Out, Slow Down etc.

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): SSG: Press For Points Games

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Learning Objectives

	Technical Bent knees to adopt low side on positioning / Outstretched arm on ball side of the body to block and maintain distance / Small steps when jockeying backwards to heighten chances of pinching possession / Scanning frequently whilst on approach, preventing possible passing options centrally.
	Tactical Using the sideline as an extra defender, closing space and limiting offensive options / To encourage this suggest players arch their runs on approach to prevent central play. Teammates must work together to cut off passing options through discipline and marking opponents smartly, ultimately making the pressers job easier.
	Physical Speed and Acceleration to get out and close the space / A,B,Cs to adjust body positioning frequently at pace / Upper body strength, utilising the outstretched arm and being able to block forward runs / Stamina, very high intensity practice.
	Psychological Decision making / Anticipation / Awareness through scanning.
	Social Engaging / Competitive / Teamwork

SSG: Press For Points Games (15 mins)

Session Explanation

SSG designed to encourage players to force opposition wide when in possession. The practice is a 1v1 focused exercise therefore players must pair up with one opposition player and can only tackle that one player when they're in possession. This allows for players to all engage in 1v1 situations and demands a level of responsibility and effort, keeping the intensity high. If possible have three teams therefore when one team concedes they will roll off and rest.

Conditions on the game include teams being able to score from anywhere however to score one extra point teams can ensure the goal is created or finished from a wide area. Encouraging frequent scanning and shadowing when defending in wide areas. Defending teams will score one extra point from winning possession of the ball in those wide areas, encouraging players to force play out wide.

Area Size

16x24m (Small area keeping intensity high and heightening chances of 1v1 situations)

Coaching Detail, Interventions & Progressions

Technical detail emerging in game like scenarios, looking for player understanding and well informed decisions. When to pinch possession? How to angle my approach to the ball carrier? Have the players scanned before executing actions? Are they adopting the correct body positioning throughout?

Progression 1- Add a spare man who plays for whichever team is in possession, this will challenge players to press whilst being outnumbered, encouraging scanning and proper arching of runs when leaving an attacker to press the ball carrier.

Progression 2- If the exercise is easy and limiting goals, progress into a condition free game, with no extra incentives for scoring or tackling in specific areas. Challenging players to reproduced the techniques and actions in an open game with a variety of possibilities.

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