Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Defending when disorganised U15s (Start Time: 2018-11-03 09:30:00)

Arrival activity (15 mins)

Organisation: Players play 1v1  in a 10 yard in square a game of line ball where each player protect opposing sides of the square to their opponent. A point is scored for every occasion a player gets past the opponents side of the square they are protecting.

Progression:

- The player with the ball has to attempt to delay the person on the ball as they only have 1 attempt to steal the ball, this resets if the ball goes out of the area

- Make it 2 or 3 attempts if the defending player is struggling

- You only get 1 attempt per possession e.g. if you attempt to win the ball but it leads to the ball leaving the play area, you cannot tackle or steal the ball unless the opponent loses control of the ball.

- Do a tournament, 1/2 minute games, points for nutmegs.

Coaching points: 

Press: Shut down; sprint towards attacker, consider curved run to begin

showing away

- Slow down; broken arm's distance

- Sit down; feet in opposition, knees bent, arms by sides, elbows bent

- Show down; Angle of approach during sprint, and body facing desired space to show attacker (e.g. to touchline nearest).

Delay: Recover; get goal side, stay close, continue to show away.

Control & restraint: show patience, wait for opportunity e.g. poor touch and use good judgement to win ball back.

Function (20 mins)

3v4 scenarios with or without recovering defender or 4v4 with neutral player and goalkeepers and optional flank players. Ball starts with either team and allow continuous play, alternating flank and neutral players at regular intervals. Encourage Defending team to go forward when they win the ball (to create gaps the opposition can exploit in transition). If the ball leaves the playing area it is either a goal kick or throw in, no corners. Defending team have 3 at the back with a midfielder who protects. 

Primary Player: Centre back (5) - focus - communicate with team to ensure principles of play are adhered to.

Primary Unit: Back four (2,3 & 5) - focus - full backs (2 or 3) listen to 5's instructions in regards to dropping into a back 3 line in front of box, to press. 2 or 3 to communicate to CB to close gap between defenders, when to press, drop and so on (press, compactness & cover & balance). 

Secondary Unit: Goalkeeper (1) & Defensive midfielder (4)- focus - 1 to communicate to team about recovering, who should press, cover & support and ensuring gaps are plugged (compactness). 

4 to recover goalside (compactness) press when near the ball, cover & support where neccesary. If near the ball or team mates ahead, delay player on the ball and allow team to recover (compactness). Screen forward passes by opposition (delay).

Opposition management: Encourage them to get the ball forward in as few passes as possible, be direct.

Coaching points:

Press: nearest player to the ball? 4S's. Centre back encourages the nearest player to press.

Delay: Goal side, continue to stay close and show back or to edge of lane, second defender to recover if behind. 

Cover & Balance: second defender covers first at around 45 degree angle behind, no more than 8 yards away. If there is a third defender, mark or support (mark space).

Compactness: Once recovered, remain as a tight unit close to the ball using press, cover & balance principles.

Control & restraint: show patience and composure, stay on feet where possible, look to win ball if attacker is shown away, takes a poor touch, takes too many touches or following a poor pass,  as a last resort e.g. block shot, go to ground.

Progressions/ adaptations:

- If more players add a second neutral player or make it 5v4 for one side.

- Increase length of pitch.

- Remove wide areas and assign 4 players to be a back four one team and go like for like and keep neutral player so defending team always overloaded. 

Scenario B (10 mins)

Scenario B Centre back has been caught high up the field with the ball, leading to gap between in defence, with full backs pushed up.