Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending The Final Third

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Robert Pike

Profile Summary

Robert Pike
Name: Robert Pike
City: Holyhead
Country: United Kingdom
Membership: Adult Member
Sport: Football/Soccer
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Description

Working in 4 4-minute blocks with a minute rest in between each block.

Set up a 10yrd x 10yrd box 8 yards away from the penalty area. Then place a cone on each wing where the wingers will be to start the drill. In the square, there will be four players on the outside and one attacker in the middle. On each wide cone needs to be an attacker and then two centre midfielders on the side of the square furthest away from the 18-yard box. The back 4 (players around the box) will pass it around the box and the player in the middle tries to win the ball off them. Once the attacker in the middle wins the ball he then plays it to one of the centre midfielders to start an attack. The 4 blues (defenders who were passing the ball in the box) will drop back and become a back 4 to defend the attack.


Coaching Points

  • Shot Stopping (Inside/Outside box)
  • Deal with crosses
  • Dealing with 1v1 situations
  • Make sure the defence is narrow
  • Force attackers wide
  • Defence communicates to get back in shape quickly after losing the ball

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Force Wide

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Force Wide
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Force Wide (5 mins)

During the first block, the defensive team will focus on forcing the attacking team to play the ball out wide. Forcing the ball out wide meaning the goal is more protected as the ball is further away then if you let them inside. 


Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Keep Defence Narrow

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Keep Defence Narrow
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Keep Defence Narrow (5 mins)

 During the second block, the main aim is to keep the defence narrow and hard to break down. Whilst the aim of the defence is to stay narrow if they don't communicate it can be easy for gaps to appear between the back four. Whilst defence moves across you should tell the fullbacks that if the ball is on the opposite wing then they don't go any further then the post of the goal on their side of the pitch.


Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Dealing 1v1 Situations

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Dealing 1v1 Situations
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Dealing 1v1 Situations (5 mins)

The third block is focusing on defenders dealing with their 1v1 situations with the attacking team. When the defence are dealing with the 1v1 situations they need to have bent knees (low centre of gravity) and be on their toes. Also with their body positions the defenders should be forcing the attackers away from the goal (force out wide or back towards their own goal).


Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Deal With Crosses

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Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): Deal With Crosses
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Deal With Crosses (5 mins)

The final block is aiming to develop the defender's ability to deal with incoming crosses. The side the cross is coming from the fullback should be applying pressure to the winger to try to win the ball back or block the ball from going into the box. If the ball beats the fullback the defenders in the box should have their body facing where they want the ball to go. If they don't the ball could get put back into the danger zone (where the attackers are stood).


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