Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Flames U15 girls counter attack

Offensive Transition (20 mins)

Organization:

Game: 8v9: Grid 60L x 44W divided into zones as seen.

A) 5v5 ZONE (20L x 44W).

B) Neutral Zone: 8L x 44W

C) Defending Zone: 8L x 44W

D) DEPTH ZONE w/ WEDGES: 24L and narrows to 30W

Instructions:

A) 5v5 Zone: Defending team (white) wins ball and must find a MF player or Striker who checks into NEUTRAL ZONE. Attacking team (yellow) attempts to score in (2) small sided goals.

B) Neutral Zone: 1v1 but a STIKER (white) can check into Zone for 2v1 situation. Upon receiving the ball, white (2v1) must find a STRIKER in behind DEFENDING team (yellow) who dribbles across endline into scoring zone.

3) DEFENDING ZONE: 2v3 (but striker can check into neutral zone). Defending team must recognize if Ball Carrier has pressure and determine if they can hold line or if they must drop to protect depth in behind and prevent attacking team (white) from dribbling across the endline.

Progression:

1) Game 1: White Defending 5 must pass into Neutral Zone. White MF Zone must pass into DEPTH Zone.

2) Game 2: White can pass or dribble into next ZONE.

3) Game 3: Coach plays in balls to create situation in which YELLOW Defenders must determine if Ball Carrier has pressure: If no pressure, defenders must DROP to PROTECT DEPTH.

Coaching Points:

1) Defenders must recognize if BC (Ball Carrier) has pressure and if he is able to play a pass into the DEPTH behind defenders.

2) Defenders must read CUES: Has BC picked up his head to play a pass? Is BC facing forward?

3) Defenders: Has BC taken a positive forward touch to play the next pass?

4) Defenders: What sort of run are the forwards making in relation to the pressure on the BC? 5) Defenders: Are the forwards timing the runs properly so the defenders need to drop, based on delivery of the pass?

6) Defenders: Are the forwards running too early, do the DEFENDERS hold the line and have the forward run into an OFFSIDE position.

POINTS:

3 points: If defenders read situation correctly and attacking team does NOT receive pass into DEPTH ZONE. Defenders win first ball and / or clear ball to coach.

1 point: Defending team recovers behind ball in DEPTH ZONE after attacking team wins the ball, and defending team denies attacking team ability to dribble / pass into ENDZONE SCORING AREA.