Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Pre Season Session #9 - Defensive Principles

Screen 2 (10 mins)

• Light Jog
• Side Shuffle each way
• Side to side accelerations (forward and backwards)
• High knees
• Heels

• High knees
• Straight legs
• Hip rotations in
• Hip rotations out
• Back leg extensions

• Bounding vertically
• Bounding forward 
• Accelerate forward two pylons accelerate back one
• Lateral accelerations in-between red and yellow pylon
• Lateral accelerations around red and yellow pylon

Screen 4 (15 mins)

Organization:

 30 yards by full width of the 18. 3 zones. Middle is smallest grid. 3 players in each endzone 4   players in middle representing back 4. Coach to serve balls to each endzone to change direction of defender runs. 

3 players in each endzone must create 3 passes. Once 3 passes are made, switch to opposite endzone. Players in the opposite side do the same. Defenders in middle to get compact and create defensive shape. Once defenders win ball coach plays another ball in. 

Key Factors:

 Defensive shape - Compact - Pressure support cover balance

Timing of pressure - When ball is played. on bad touch

Type of pressing run

Progressions: 

Add 1 defender into endzones

Screen 6 (35 mins)

Organization:

 Full Field. FIFA Rules APPLY. Both teams are playing in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation. 

Objectives:

 Playball wide to get players out of position and commit to pressure. Createoverloads on flank, play into box to score

Coaching Points:

Be patient with possession. Keeping goodshape ( DF-MF, MF-AT). Try to draw players out of position and Identify when isthe best opportunity to exploit an overload on flank. Look to penetrate deep into flanksof Zones 3 and 4.