Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Small sided game: Defending against a box midfield with a midfield 3 (Start Time: 2018-03-11 10:35:00)

Small sided game before problem (15 mins)

Key Factors

15 Minute small sided game.

Blues to be managed and reds to be coached.

Free play to start with blues being told to keep the box midfield shape at first. Blue AMC's to not go wide at first.

Red must score a goal within 10 seconds of winning the ball. Play to start at Blue keeper after play goes out.

Red 9 needs to stay central and try to block passing lane into blue cdm. To work in tandem with red amc to block passing lanes into blue cdm's. also curve movement to try to stop pass back to other defender, while closing down player with the ball.

twin screen marks blue AMC's tight while Red 9 and 10 try to defend high.

Red full backs to start narrow to deny space to blue strikers. Red DC's to man mark blue 9 and 10 on inside shoulder on half turn ready to anticipate a quick through ball behind them. Red keeper nice and high ready to intercept through ball.

Once Blue move ball to either CDM red 10 then needs to position himself to deny passing lanes into the blue AMC's and curve his run to player on the ball cutting out pass to other CDM. Red 9 stops passing lane back to Blue DC's trying to cover the easy out ball for the blues. Red CDM's need to stay on inside of Blue AMC's shoulder but blocking passing lane into Blue 9 and 10. Red fullbacks can push higher and more central to also double up on blue AMC's, but also be aware of pass out wide behind them by blue 9 or 10 running wide, so they need to be on the half turn ready to cover that and forcing players out wide.

If ball gets played into blue AMC's thats a trigger for red dmc to press quickly, curving his run to push blue AMC out wide with his body position. Red 9 can the drop to pick up blue cdm while red 10 blocking the passing lane to other blue cdm can then also start to close in on the player with the ball keeping the same line making sure he blocks that passing lane. Red DC on the side of the ball positions himself on the inside shoulder of blue 9and partly blocking passing lane to blue 10, who is also man marked by other red DC on inside shoulder. Fullback can cover Blue cdm and 10 by doubling up on both to provide extra cover.

IF blues manage to get ball up to strikers, the aim is to force them out wide as soon as possible and cover passing lanes back to stop them keeping possesion and restarting. press with fullbacks to help red Dc's.

I would then manage the blues to introduce a problem for reds to be coached.

Organisation

3/4 size pitch with goals at either end.

15 minute small sided game.

Pitch tapered off by using cones or markers.

Blue fullbacks removed and 2 red wide forwards removed.

8 blue bibs and one yellow bib for keeper.

8 red bibs and one green bib for keeper.