Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): 9v9 Practice 1: Building from the back

Arrival Activity (10 mins)

Set up:

Arrival Practice prior to session beginning. 

Organization:

Start with 3v1 and grow to multiple 3v1 as players arrive. Once all players have arrived the warm up beginnings. We have 8 players on the outside of each small square = 2 on the whole side of the big rectangle. 4 players surround the inside squares. Each square as a ball and the aim is to keep possession against the 1 player in the middle. The 4 inside red players need to keep turning to help the group in front of them/behind them. Defender holds pinnie and switches once possession is won.

Progression: Defenders switch squares to the left each time they win the ball. Meaning there could now be more than one defender in a square. Defender can come out once he/she has won 4 challenges.

Coaching Points:

Encourage players to use the correct technique and correct foot to receive, keep open hips and disguise passes.

Skill Development (15 mins)

Same as above but now there are three areas to attack. We start with right, then center, then left based on players checking shoulder and seeing where the coach (black shirt) is. If he is on the left (turn right), to close (spin central) or right (turn left)

Coaching Points

Quality, weight and direction of touch and pass

Movement off the ball

Position of hips

Checking shoulder / scanning field

Functional Practice (20 mins)

Now we add a central goal a striker for white (9) and 4 midfielders (or 2 center mids and 2 full backs for the 7v7 teams). Can the team do the patterns to create enough space to score.

Coaching Points

Quality, weight and direction of touch and pass

Movement off the ball

Position of hips

Checking shoulder / scanning field

Width, depth and height