Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Function (9) - Defending with a midfield diamond.

Playing Around/Through. Problem 1 (10 mins)

Conditions - Blues in Server area not allowed to come out of there. Blues are trying to play round and through, not OVER! If they want the switch, it has to go via a player in the Server Area.

Reds - Not to go over the halfway line & allow the ball to come out of the Serving Area. The Red CF starting position is the edge of the serving area next to the halfway line. He is active soon as the practice begins. The blue CF is to stay in the small disced area for the first part of the drill then is allowed into the wider disced area later on in the drill. (Will be told from the coach)

Organisation

- Coaching Positions as depicted. I may move into the FoP just like the Referee if I feel I am better situated.

- Managed Blue Team create the first problem:

Either Blue Centre Back start with the ball (need to split wide) and look to play wide around the Diamond. To show the trigger for the players the CB that is going to pass to the other CB will run towards the ball whilst concurrently the other CB will move wide. (As the arrows depict) This will initiate the trigger and better represents what is happening around & on the ball. (The red CF will try and close the first CB down and prevent him playing into the midfield wide areas, therefore adding another defensive layer)

- Centre Back finds feet of wide midfielder in an attempt to break the diamond shape and try and get the ball to the striker. (play direct, play through the diamond). Red CF carries on his defending from the front.

Coaching Points & Roles: Midfield Diamond

- Midfield Diamond trigger to react into a defensive shape and protect space is the initial pass from Deeper Centre Back (acting as a GK) to the other Centre Back. Once this pass has been played the diamond moves as follows:

- No.10 - Drops and screens the passes to the 2 Centre Midfielders. He makes the pass difficult and sets the trap to be close enough to the Midfielders so that if pass is made they can be either caught out or if they have a bad first touch their second touch becomes a tackle therefore we have displayed a desire to regain the ball and have reacted quickly in our defensive transition.

- No.6 - Presses immediately in line to the opposition wide player. In doing so he shows him outside towards the touch line.

- No.4 - Drops deeper and further right to become a screen to block the pass off to the strikers feet. He has to be aware that if he drops too deep he allows the CM more space on the peripheries of Zone 14, therefore if the ball is going to be played into the CM he will then have to re-dress the situation & press Centre Midfielder tight to force him back & therefore protect the space between the unit).

- No.8 moves inside in line with edge of 6 yard box (close to the far Centre Midfielder). This player has to be constantly aware when 'Off the ball' as with a quick switch the Right Midfielder will try and find the forward players. By remaining tight to the CM he will ensure that the Diamond has protected the middle and shown away from goal as per the Welsh Game Model.

Small Sided Game (25 mins)

Organisation

- Changed the Drill into an SSG by adding a GK & a CF for the Blue Team. The Red team now also have their 3 CBs. Play will also restart where the ball left the FoP & now not just solely restart with the Blue CB's. Play to begin the SSG will start with the Blue GK.

- Time limit for scoring is improved for the Red Team as they now have 15 seconds to get a shot on goal. This still sets the conditions for what I want to achieve with Blues dominating possession without the constraint of time & the Reds being encouraged to be positive in their play.

- Condition - Blue centre backs don’t play higher than half way, due to being game realistic and protecting the goal against the counter. Red CF, will stay as deep as possible (remaining onside) in order to keep the CBs in their own half and not have a 1 on 1. This alleviates the What if's of a CB going further forward and trying to get overloads against the diamond. If the possibility of a progression is there, allow the CB to venture forward over the halfway line, the CF can follow if need be to neutralise the overload.

- Back 3 (Reds) work more as a Unit, shuffling and helping out the Diamond in wider areas. They will remain in a defensive posture, I only want them to move forward if their man (CF) tries to overload the MD, therefore it will negate that overload.

- Coaching Positions as depicted. I may move into the FoP just like the Referee if I feel I am better situated.

Formation

Red team: Gk-3-(MD1-2-1)-1 (GK, 3 Defenders, 1 Defensive Midfielder, 2 Centre Midfielders, 1 Attacking Midfielder, CF).

Blue Team: GK-2-4-2 (Gk, 2 Defenders, 4 Midfielders, 2 Forwards)

What If's - Red CF is not available to receive the ball from the MD due to position and marking? He will move position & on the trigger to receive from his diamond he will drop his shoulder/dummy run get his arm across his marker to get goal side and receive. Dependant on where on the pitch he is, he could also go wider to create the space in front/side to then get across his marker. With this in mind, the 10 can move into the space created by the CF and exploit thereafter. If this is the case, the CF go wide, take a player with you and anticipate either the pass or rebound. On transition, CF do whatever is necessary (prevent GK playing the quick ball / run across the CB / screen the most likely pass to stop the blues playing forward quickly to facilitate the 10 to get back into position.

What If's - Blues CB goes forward (into the MD) to create the overload. As discussed briefly above, the CF can also make his move with him to neutralise this. He can do this by being an arms length away, on the trigger of him receiving get your body across his to either prevent him receiving which will slow play or buy a foul as he has to come through you to receive the ball. If you dis-possess the Blues then quick interplay with your 10 is essential in getting off the shot. The CF on the 10 then receiving is to peel off and anticipate either the ball played through or the rebound. On doing all of this, the Blue CB has also to be mindful of leaving his other CB with a 1 on 1, which is not game realistic unless you're 1 - 0 down with 10 to play.

What If's - Blues keep receiving the ball in the wider areas un-opposed. The wider players of the diamond do not need to get touch tight, they need to screen the pass into their supporting players and prevent them from hitting areas around the box. If the wide players receive in wide areas adjacent to the box then the MD has been compromised. With too many scenarios to cover a simple explaination near the box would be for the CB to close, and as that leaves a 2 on 2, the MD number 4 would drop further to add protection and ensure the central areas around zone 14 are more compact.