Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): [Defending with Back 3

Function 1

Function

Organisation/Conditions

Half pitch and width of 18 yard box (focus on my unit)

11 players.

COACH - Blues play 132 (1341 in SSG)

MANAGE - Reds play 32 (1242 in SSG but one CB has stepped in).Red player in centre circle acts as feeder and extra option but must stay in circle before progression. Limited to two touch to ensure realism and tempo.

Challenges/Targets

Blues to defend goal and limit shots and goal scoring opportunities. Can they make three passes and score in mini goals (Blue attacking players) on change over of possession within 10s.

Reds to work ball and score through central areas initially -double points if so.

Key Points

Let play for 45s to let session breathe and observe/diagnose (guided discovery).

Blues coached to deal with problems that Reds pose. At all times consider the positions of the remaining defenders/midfielders and GK.

Problem1

Reds must attempt to hit strikers directly by spliting twin screen. Red midfielders to split wide when feeder gets ball. Tell Red strikers to stay high and only move behind screen for now.

Solution 1 (diagram 1)

Twin screen to work closely together to protect defence and cover/balance if one presses ball. When feeder has ball they stay central in a low block (coach's descretion - must give opposition a chance to play ball) and then go left/right dependent on pass. #7 to drop at 45 degree angle (just not flat!) and then visa versa if midfield switch ball. Encourage negative pass (sideways or backwards). As ball travels across to opposite midfielder then #7 and #8 alternate roles.

eg. DETAIL - What? pressure on ball, Who? nearest to ball, When? as the ball travels to opposition, Where? wherever opponent is, How? fast, slow, low, aggressive, force negative pass, Why?stop him playing forward and not give him time on ball.

Rest of unit (Around and Away from ball)

If ball is central can the whole unit be compact centrally (width of 6 yard box?) ready to shuffle right or left.

Numbers 4,5,6 to stay within width of 6 yard area initially (8-10 yards max between).

Don't leave too big a gap between 3 CBs and midfield unit.

Defence not too high to leave space in behind.

Ensure GK is not on his line and occupying area near penalty spot when function starts and in line with ball at all times.

Defenders man mark and one spare.

Also the whole unit moves across as one leaving furthest players away unmarked if necessary.Try and force the opposition to play around them (long way around) and not through them (angles and distances of unit).

What if ball is played through after coaching screen?

One CB presses and two CB cover (more in SSG)

On turn over of possession can Blues, using attacking principles such as, width and depth, good quality of passing, angles and distances of support, body position and first touch, movement to receive and support play and decison making, score in mini goals.

Key Defensive Principles

Tracking runners, Angles and distances of support, Communication, Pressure on ball (who, how, when,where), Compact and narrow shape, Decision making

Coaching Process

Observe - Diagnose - Recreate - Feedback/Demo - Rehearse - Play Live

SSG

SSG

Organisation

18 players - 9v9

Blue Team (Defending) set up as 1341 COACH

Red Team (Attacking) set up as 1242 MANAGE

Ball Starts with Red team GK. Normal rules apply but no free kicks/penalties. Defensive unit (3-2) are to implement what they learnt from the function.

Let play for 45s to let session breathe and observe/diagnose (guided discovery).

Blues coached to deal with problems that Reds pose. At all times consider the positions of the remaining defenders/midfielders and GK.

Conditions

2/3 pitch and tapered in where Red fullbacks and Blue attacking wide players would normally be.

Targets/Challenges

Goals scored as normal.

Blues must play direct when they have ball and score within 10s. Must break quickly (wide players to support lone striker to make three attackers)

Reds get double points if they score through the central areas (ie. back 3 and twin screen) or wide areas.

Key Factors

Reds to choose what problems to pose from function and coach as necessary OR give problems again ie. play through central areas, wide areas, into chanels etc

Can Reds play through to strikers? Around and into chanels to strikers? Can Blues defend it as coached in function?

Coach more around and away from ball as more team players involved now (eg.wide players and striker).

Key factors

#8 #7 screen pass into central strikers but must press ball in middle too. Full backs to be compact.

If ball is played centrally into striker then back three must be very narrow. One presses player and other two cover in behind (triangle/pincer). Try not to get sucked out of postion too much as this leaves 2 defenders to defend width of pitch.

Sometimes twin screen have to drop into defensive line if players are out of position.

CBs must also shuffle across if striker pulls wide or if play is on that side of pitch.

If wide player gets beaten then CDM to press player with the ball and the wide player then to recover and take up CDM position OR centre back shuffles across (whoever is closest).

When defending #2 #3 should tuck in to make midfield compact but aware of opposition wingers and track winger if he runs in behind. Must press wide midfield players and not sit too deep and invite pressure (if #3 presses wide player then #2 tucks in centrally open body so he can see his opponent).

If #3 in more defensive position pressing then #2 drops into a more defensive position in back line (open body to see what's behind him). Be aware of red wide attacking player.

If opposition winger cuts inside with ball blue player follows to stop overload (man mark).

Blue striker needs to stay high to offer depth and occupy two red defenders. Attempts to defend from front where possible but no further than centre circle (My discretion in game).Occupies half of pitch where ball is and can attempt to force ball back to GK.