Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): counter pressing

Screen 1 (20 mins)

A team possession game in two adjacent grids of 8x8, 10x10 or suitable size. May be played as 4v2 or 5v2.

Object:

Blue starts with the ball in one half of the grid and tries to maintain possession. Red attempts to steal and if successful they shift the ball to the the other grid and join their teammates in trying to retain possession there. The two nearest blues press into the "red" half and attempt to win the ball back.

Coaching points:

-Standard concepts of player movement, ball movement and body shape for attackers, and anticipatory/coordinated defending.

-However, because this is a Counterpressing session, emphasis is placed on the team of 4, after losing the ball, trying to win it back in their own half before it is moved by the opposition to the other half (ie in this intial phase, if blue lose the ball they try to win it back before red sends it over.)

Screen 3 (20 mins)

A team possession game in a 5v5 format. Grid size is approx 30x20. Set up is as shown with 4 players from each team inside the grid, and one on the outside (on opposite ends.)

Object:

Play starts with coach playing a ball into blue. Blue must maintain possession and may use their outside player. The 4 reds must win possession and as quickly as possible play to their outside player. Once they have done so, they continue in possession for as long as possible (they can keep using their outside player) while blue attempts to win the back.

Coaching points:

As before, but again because this is a counterpressing session, the emphasis is for the team that just lost possession to quickly regain it and not allow the ball-winning team to play to their free player.