Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Out of possession - defending in the final third (defensive third)

Specific (10 mins)

Specific session - 10 minutes

Objectives/Welsh principles:

Understand when and how to minimise space, deal with

crosses/shots, protect space centrally in the defensive third.

Organisation: 65m x 50m (vary depending on pitch access), one

goal for the blue team to attack and a goal past the halfway line

for the maroon team to attack. Two wide channels created by flat

cones. Flat cones on the outside of the box to the middle channel,

dangerous attacking position.

7 v 7 + 2 common players session (16 players overall). Out of

possession team - formation 1-3-4-1 (GK - 3 CB's - 4 midfielders -

1 attacker). In possession team - Feeder/GK, 2 CB's, 2 WB's, 2

central midfielders, 9 and 10. Play 2 x 3.5-minute blocks with 1.5

minute break/terminal intervention.

How: To work with the out of possession team in marron. When

maroon have possession, they will be encouraged to break the

lines quickly and purposeful. The coach will manage the in

possession team of attacking the final third as well, to ensure

realism throughout.

Explanation: The in possession team in green will be required to

move the ball to one wide common player and then look to attack

the final third using a wide channel or through the middle. The

coach will be working with the out of possession team on the

defensive principles of defending in the final third. One common

player at a time will be playing to start with. Eventually, both

common players are involved. Due to physical demands, alternate

the use of wide common players to start with, resulting in an 8v7

and eventually 9v7.

Challenges:

The Blue team must play the ball into the middle channel after

playing outside, creating a combination.

The green team must play the ball out wide after being played in the

middle channel and attempt to score from across.

maroon challenged with the counter-attack by breaking lines

and scoring in the goal over the halfway line.

Conditions:

Full width of the pitch and past the halfway line. Channels for the

common players.

marron have to attack the opposition's goal within 10 seconds

of retaining possession.

Greens can only score by shooting within the middle channel of

the field.

A set amount of touches for players on the green team.

Common players to switch sides every 2-3 minutes to provide a different attacking option against out of possession team.

Targets:

blue to get the ball out to either wide area and then to the attackers to score.

marron team to force the opposition wide and aim to stop the cross.

First to 10 goals wins.

blue to score by playing the ball out wide and scoring from a wide cross - 2 goals and playing the ball through the middle of the

defence - 1 goal. Switch around goal amount if out of possession team are defending the final third well in that scenario.

marron to score by: Regain the ball and play the ball through the lines to the player in the N zone on the other side, score 2 goals.

Can use the common player out wide and pass to the player in the N zone and make 1 goal.

Key points:

Out of possession:

Force out wide - protect the middle

Stop/defend the cross

The body on the line

Non-possession:

Playthrough, around or over the opposition

Speed of play

Weight of pass

Use of width and depth

Movement to receive

Interventions:

Concurrent

Terminal

Specific

Walkthrough

Coaching process

What ifs:

9 or 10 drag both defenders out of position. Who covers and where? Where does everyone else move?

in possession, players drive through the middle or pass into the flat cones box, the edge of the 18-yard box. Who pressures, who

covers? Where does everyone else move?

What if the o