Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): 9v9 Session 10: High Press Defending

Arrival Scrimmage (10 mins)

Set up:

Two small sided games. Players are selected in random teams on their arrival.

Organization:

We run two seperate games due to topic being about individual dribbling.

Coaching Points:

None but coach should use this time to watch and observe individuals strengths and weakness's.

Functional Practice (15 mins)

Set up:

Third of the field. 6v3

Organization:

Keeper starts by playing ball out of back. Red need to find their #6 before they can go to go. The 3 attacking white players look to defend inside the channel to prevent forward penetraiton.

Coaching Points:

Individual defending

The #7, #9 or #11 understanding when to press, when to hold and when to drop. When pressuring are they pressuring to win possession or make play predictable. Can the 2nd defender squeeze or must he drop.

Quick movement if possession is given away.

4 P's of Defending - Pressure, Positioning, Patience and Power.

Phase of Play (15 mins)

Set up:

Phase of Play

Organization:

Two teams. White has 4 players and a keeper. Yellow has 5 players. Red players are only used when Yellow win possession and can only attack when the ball is on their side of the field.

Coaching Points:

(From left)

#9 - Makes play predictable by cutting off any passes square. This will force the player to either go back to keep or go down the left side of the field (making play predictable).

#11 - If player goes down left this players pressures the ball and stops forward penetration. If it goes back to the keeper they pinch back into the center.

#10 - Is responsbile for stepping and covering for #11 and stopping forward penetration though the center of the field.

#7 - Establishes balance looking to cover for #10 but also hovering and looking to intercept any squares passes and is ready to counter.

#6 - Offers coverage.