Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Beat the high press

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Beat the High Press

Players to understand different passing lines or passing patterns to provide the team with a framework on how to beat the press. The black lines are passes which bypass the press and play into the front three. This beats both the attacking and midfield unit of the opposition team but requires front 3 & wing backs to be able to win duels and secure possession. With movement to create space for these players to receive, this allows players to be able to receive and allow for other players to move off the attacking player receiving the ball by supporting in behind and advance of the ball too.

Find the Overload: To exploit spaces left in a high press each player  needs to be brave & have ability to stay on the ball & receive under pressure too. Players look to move to create overloads on the pitch with their movement, players on the ball looking to stay on the ball to create space for themselves or their team mates. The ball speed in your passes will either entice the opposition or allow you to evade them by drawing them into one side of the pitch to allow you to play into where the overload is. 

Breaking Lines: As the ball travels both vertically and horizontally, players should look to move between the lines (i.e. two players from the opposition) to receive the ball. Players should look to receive between two players to allow them to beat the press and then play forwards. E.g wide forward drop into half space to receive the ball, CM dropping into space of wide CB who moves into full back position. 

Support Behind The Ball: if players receive under pressure, support is required by the attacking players around and behind the ball. Providing support behind the ball, will allow you to bypass the pressure and will expose other spaces left by the individuals/units that have pressed your team. e.g WB receiving under pressure from winger sets back to CB who plays forward to wide forward or Striker receiving & playing back to CM who plays forward into the space created by striker dropping for wide forwards runs in behind. This will move the opposition team to this area of the pitch allowing you to exploit space in behind or on the opposite side of the pitch. Due to the nature of the high press, the defending team will often try to prevent you from playing forward, therefore, support behind the ball is needed to ensure your players aren’t disposed whilst on the ball.

Mix it Up

When def team stay in their positions & not follow their runs, play out short & build through the thirds enticing players to come and defend to create passing options to move the ball forward.