Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Midfield Support Play

Component 1 Option 1 What If? (5 mins)

Organisation

Working in half a pitch

16 players - 14 outfield 2 gk

Activity

Session designed to work on midfield support in a 4-4-2 formation.

Attacking team will be set up 2-4-2

Defending team will start off just as a back 4 gradually progressing it by adding 2 midfielders

Attacking team will shoot into the large goal and if defenders win possession they look to play into small sided goals.

Pattern of play - Option 1 What if?

Right defender will start with the ball and pass to the right midfielder

On recieiving the ball the right midfielder will look to link up with the 1st striker

The 1st striker will receiving the ball and lay it off to the supporting midfielder

The supporting midfielder will then play a through ball to the wide midfielder who has continued their run from passing into the striker

Strikers will spin and look to get on the end of the cross

Supporting midfielders will join the attack

Coaching Points

Strikers looking to work together moving in relation to the ball

1st striker drops checks away and drops in to link up with supporting right midfielder

2nd striker becomes central and lengthens the game

Good 1-2 with wide midfielder focusing on first touch

1st striker spins and times their run looking to arrive in the box

2nd striker spins out arcing their run then looking to make a run across to the front post

Opposite supporting wide midfielder timing run into back post

2nd supporting centre mid being the 3rd man runner timing their run into edge of the box

Wide midfielder to get their head up before they cross

Different type of cross (driving, floated & cut back)

Component 1 Option2 What if? (5 mins)

Organisation

Working in half a pitch

16 players - 14 outfield 2 gk

8 attackers v 6 defenders

Activity

Session designed to work on midfield support in a 4-4-2 formation.

Attacking team will be set up 2-4-2

Defending team will start off just as a back 4 gradually progressing it by adding 2 midfielders

Attacking team will shoot into the large goal and if defenders win possession they look to play into small sided goals.

Pattern of play - Option 2 What if?

Right defender will start with the ball and pass to the right midfielder

The right midfielder will look to play the 1st option but the defending players are cutting it off so then drops the back back into the supporting centre midfielder

The 1st centre midfielder then plays a ball into the 2nd striker

As the ball is being played into the 2nd striker the 2nd centre midfielder will make a 3rd man run up to support the striker

One of the defending players has either tracked the run or filled the space in which the supporting central midfielder was looking to run into therefor opens up the play and switches to opposite wide midfielder

The wide midfielder then can either drive and take the defender on or look to cross into the box

Coaching Points

Use the size of the pitch (width)

Quality of pass (type, weight & accuracy)

Communication

Movement off the ball to then be an option for a pass (checking away)

Strength when holding the ball up to allow support

Timing a runs to loose defender and get up to support strikers

Composure when in front of goal

When dribbling go at speed to commite defender

Phase of Play (10 mins)

Organisation

16 players - 9v7

9 red players v 7 blue players (creating an overload against defending team

Working in just over half a pitch using full width.

Activity

Free play phase of play.

Coach is looking for times in the game when team don't do what was worked on in component 1.

The coach is then looking to show the team the solution and what could have been done in that situation then let the play go again and hopefully the team will perform better in that situation.

The reds will be shooting into the large 11 a side goal.

If the blues win the ball they look to find the green feeder for a goal.

Each time the ball goes behind for a goal kick the play will re start from the feeder.