Football/Soccer Session (Advanced): DEFENDING IN A LOW BLOCK IN A 3-5-2

11v11 BREAKOUT GAME

COACHING DETAIL:OUT OF POSSESSION

 

PROTECT THE MIDDLE

 

• prevent the number 10 manipulating the play

• Protecting the middle of the pitch is essential whendefending in a low block. The defending team needsto show an understanding of how to manage distancesbetween one another in order to prevent split passes.

 

• While remaining compact, the defending team alsoneeds to be wary of becoming too narrow. Doing so willmake it too easy for the opposition to play around themand create chances to score.

 

WING-BACK JUMPING

 

• The wing-backs play a pivotal role in this defensiveshape being successful. The relevant wing-back should‘jump’ from their position to lock on to the oppositionfull-back when the team decides to engage the ball.

 

• Managing the wing-backs’ distances from the rest of thedefensive unit is important in ensuring they are difficultto play around, while still being free to jump and press.

 

• When pressing, the wing-back must sprint at a veryhigh intensity to have any chance of winning the ball.

 

WING-BACK COVER

 

• When one wing-back is pressing, the other should dropin on the opposite side to create a back four.

 

• Providing cover and having an additional player in theback line will make it more difficult for the opposition toplay through or around the defensive unit.

 

COACHING DETAIL:IN POSSESSION

 

ATTACKERS READY TO COUNTER

 

• Once play has progressed deep into the defendingteam’s half, the attackers should position themselvesto be a threat on the counter-attack in the case of anattacking transition.

 

• Taking up a position between the opposition centre back and full-back will make them difficult to mark.It will also allow balls to be played into the channelsquickly, increasing the chances of exploiting space inbehind the opposition.

 

FORWARD-FIRST MENTALITY

 

• On a possession regain, the team should look to playforward first. This should be done both by players whomake off-the-ball forward runs, and by the player inpossession passing or dribbling forward quickly.

 

FAST FORWARD RUNS

 

• Once a transition has occurred, the team that winspossession should have players running forward asquickly as possible.

 

• The players should be challenged to get up to full speedas quickly as possible. This applies to players both onand off the ball.

 

COMPOSED FINISHING

 

• When strikers get a chance in front of goal, they shouldremain composed. This will allow them to make gooddecisions as to what type of finish they should use.

 

• This should allow the strikers to concentrate on theirtechnique and not snatch at opportunities.