Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Press and cover

Circle Rondo

Group Rondo

Conditions:

- Defender in the middle of the circle

- The player who gives away possession, becomes the defenders.

- Game is to be played at a high tempo

- All players must be moving ready to play it off their first touch or second as quick as possible

Ball Mastery

Practice Organisation

*Set up channels roughly 10x3yds.

*Players set up as illustrated.

*Players work in 2 groups, dribbling the ball towards the end line, making as many touches as possible on the ball.

Learning Objectives

1. To improve mastery of feints.

2. Timing of feints

3. Body shape/desguise.

4. Over ball for balance, low/quick step to side.

5. Part of foot used - inside/outside/sole.

6. Perform turns, such as Inside & outside, drag back, Cruyff, Maradona`s, etc...

Part 1 (20 mins)

Set Up

The red defender 1 passes the ball into blue attacker 1. Both red defenders press the blue team.

The blue team must switch the ball before they can attack.

The blue team attempt to score inside the penalty area. If they score or the ball goes off the pitch instantly Red 2 at the opposite end passes into blue 2, repeating the exercise with the non active players returning to their stating point on the half way line or at the goal.

See part 2 for what happens if the red tem win possession or the blue team switch play.

Key points

1. Acceleration and Deceleration

2. Decision Making - when do I start to slow down?

3. Decision Making - what should I do once I slow down?

4. Body position - half turn/side on

5. Feet position

6. Front foot - Identifying which foot I would tackle with

7. Knees bent - allowing me to recover

8. Speed of pressing

9. Nearest Player presses the ball

This session did not touch on covering