Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): breaking the defensive line.

Screen 1

Organisation:

• 8 cones ( set out in 2 diamonds ) 
• minimum 14 players 
• 
  

Rules:

• The ball always starts where there are 2 players. 
• maximum of 2 touches and players must follow their pass. 
• When the blue players win the ball they swap with the player they won it off. 

Team Tasks:

• maintain possession by passing the ball around the diamond. 
•  10 passes and the defenders are in again.

Player Tasks:

• look to try to receive the ball with your back foot. 
• move quickly between stations. 

Progressions:

Screen 3

Organisation:

• Game training.
• 3 teams, red, blue and black. 
• the middle zone is the defensive area and offside line. 

Rules:

• The black team: 
• They are always on the attacking team. 
• ATTACKING: 
• The attacking team can commit a maximum of 7 players into the first 3rd to help with the build-up.This means only 1 of the front 3 players can drop in, the other too must stay high in the red defensive zone.  
• As a team, you must look for the opportunity to break the defensive backline with a well-timed run and through ball. 
• Once the line is broken, you have 5 seconds to score. 
• If you score, you get the ball back. 
• The ball must not go over knee height until you shoot. 

Team Tasks:

• break the defensive team's backline to create scoring opportunities
• look for the "cheeky" slip pass in behind. 
• forward runs past the player with the ball as much as possible. under lap as well as overlaps. 
• DEFENSIVE TEAM: 
• the back 3 must stay in the defensive zone until there is a ball played in behind them. 
• the other 4 players must press the attacking team to try to win the ball back. 
• if you manage to win the ball, counterattack as quickly as you can. 
• If a ball is played in behind your lines only 4 players can trackback ( the back 3 plus one more ) 

Player Tasks:

• look to create as many situations to isolate a defender 2v1 
  
• make forward runs, past the player with the ball.
• create as many goal-scoring situations as possible. 

Progressions:

• 8v8 game with the same concepts. rather than 7v7 plus 2.