Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Defensive Principles

SAQ defending (15 mins)

Organization: 20 x 30 yds. 2 groups p (blue/red) per box. ladders, balls, flags, cones, goalkeepers.

The blue group work between the blue cones to start and the red group between the red cones.

Activity: 1) The player sprints to the top of the ladder

2) He comes through the ladder mimicking a jockeying movement (low body postion, eyes down as if looking at the ball at an attackers feet, feet working together with only a small gap and never crossin over) b- dropstep ziggy shuffle c- hurdle headers d- jockeying movement opposite direction

3) Player A accelerates forward and attacks a feed from player B and aims to play it diagionally to Player C

4) Player A then accelerates though the blue gate mimicking putting pressure on a ball he has just cleared in a game.

5) Player A now becomes player C and collects the next ball cleared that way and then drop steps back around the outside of grid and becomes player A on the opposite side (blue)

Coaching Points: the goalies should not be content on just feeding the ball they should be communicating to the person practicing clearing the ball as they would in a game. To further improve communication they can be given the choice of shouting 1.'Away' or 2.'Back' if they shout 'Back' the defender should header/volley back player B instead of clearing to player C.

Body shape while attacking the ball keeping hips open to ball and target.

Progressions: The feeds in part 4 of the exercise can either be for the defender to header or volley the ball depending on the aspect you wish to work on b-Once the players are comfortable with the practice put in some competition by awarding points to the player that succesfully clears the ball to player C and is first through the gate. Introducing this competition should increase the tempo of the exercise and see the players working in a game like environment.

Defensive shape (30 mins)

Organization: Defensive third- 6 yards in (red line shaded) restricted area, Red to green line--high priority area (*always numbers up*), green to blue line is start of defensive third (must close down space quickly, no shots, organized defending, and transition to attack.

Balls, cones, pinnies, pug goals

Activity: Play 5 (yellow) v 6 (white) plus 1 yellow outside the defensive third to only play as a defensive mid stopping the counter. 6 whites must deny the ball from a shot at big goal (3 points) and two mini goals (1 points). If white win ball they can dribble over the blue line for a point or pass to a green target through the cones for a point. The yellow outside the blue line can move side to side deny white from scoring a transition goal. White must always keep a numerical advantage between the green and red lines. If coach catches them without the advantage the play is frozen and defenders loose a point and are punished.

Progressions: a- add a yellow to make 6 v 6 b- add another yellow to make 6 v 7/ OR add three whites (4-2-3) and 3 yellows (centerback/fullbacks) open up space

Coaching points: defensive body shape, timing of pressure (touch tight), defensive shape (pressure cover balance) always numbers up in final third, no diving in, great communication, denying any passing lanes into pug goals, and target forwards, denying any shots from anywhere inside the blue line. When yellow looses ball a quick transition to press and not letting white out.