Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Defending the box in a 4-4-2 (Start Time: 2023-03-25 09:15:00)

Screen 2

Primary Focus - SSG practice on defending the box. Understand when and how to minimise space, deal with crosses/shots & protect space centrally in the defensive third. Main focus is defending in wide areas.

Organisation - Players bibbed up in and in positions as shown above.

Area Size - Just over half a pitch.

Timings - 3 blocks of 4 minutes.

Explanation

Reds will defend in a 1-4-4, blues will attack in a 3-2-3. Blues will start with the ball either from the GK or the coach will feed one in at random. They are looking to score in the reds goal. If the reds win it they have 10 seconds to counter and go and score. Blue CB to stay within the shaded area in possession and play max 3 touches. 

Adaptations:

Progressions

In blocks 2&3, when the coach calls a certain coloured cone the current ball in play should be knocked out and play will resume from the ball placed on the called colour. 

Regressions

Coach can give the ball to the reds to start the attack. 

Challenges, Conditions or Targets:

1: Protect the central areas and force wide.

2: Delay the attack. 

3: Stop crosses/minimise box entries.

Key Points

1. Cover and balance/moving as a unit - Between 8m and 10m between the two banks of 4. Should shift as a unit and show cover and balance if a player goes to put pressure on the ball (piece of string defending). Team should be narrow to force play outside. If a cross is going to come in full back should be closing this down, CB 1 near post, CB 2 centre of goal, and other full back should be in line with the back post. 

2. Delay - As the point of attack changes the defender closest must try to delay the attacker to enable support to come across and help defend. Shutdown, slowdown, showdown or quick-slow-sideways-low to help with 1v1 defending to ensure play remains on the outside. 

3. Double up in wide areas - As player joins the 1v1 defender they should double up inside. Stops the wide player coming inside. Also allows covering play to take over if original defender needs to go with runner goes around the outside. 

4. Recovery runs - Defenders making recovery runs as the point of attack changes should direct these runs inside the width of the goal. 

5. Awareness of runners - Full backs should always be checking their shoulder on a second by second basis.

6. Transition to attack. 

Interventions - Concurrent, Terminal, Walk Through, Coaching Process.

Problem

1. Striker drops off into false 9 role.

2. Reds lose the ball when counter attacking - wide player comes and plays in the 10 during the attack, lose the ball and now outnumbered in wide area on transition to defence.

3. Extra player up against two centre backs (two opposition strikers). 

Solution

1. CB goes with him whilst other three defenders narrow up and close the gaps to stop the space for wide players in behind. Or if he drops in front of midfield communicate for one of them to go with him. Other 3 midfielders must then narrow and cover.

2. Make recovery runs as quickly as possible. Nearest CM covers wide area (defend to delay) as wide player makes recovery run. At the same time other central midfielder will come across for support behind player going to the ball. Back 4 narrows to force play wide. 

3. Create a back 5. Dependent on which side the ball is on, full back will narrow to make 3 CB and wide midfielder should drop to full back to create numerical advantage for defenders in the box. 

How do we measure success?

Goals scored/opportunities created by opposition. Players understanding of positioning dependent on where the ball is and how to best prevent the opposition from scoring.