Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Final Third-Specific Practice into SSG-In-Possession

Screen 1 (20 mins)

Topic

Specific Practice

Final Third - In-Possession (IP)

Primary Objective - IP - Final Third

Sub-Objective - IP - Switching Play

Key Factors

- Walk-through on tactic board and in person to show an 'ideal' scenario

- 3/4 Minutes play with coaching process and concurrent interventions when neccessary

- 1/2 Minutes of getting them in, informing progression and walk through on tactic board and in person if have time

- 3/4 Minutes of play with coaching process and concurrent intervention with new principles/aim

- 'On the ball' what decisions does the player have during this section

- Initial movement from Attacking 3

First Period of Play

- Concentrate on playing 'around'

- If hit bar line and assist (or from cross) 2 goals

- When to switch play

- Find spare man

- OP team to stay narrow and compact, Mid-block

Second Period of Play

- Playing 'through'

- 2 Goals if score within shaded area

- Find spare man

- Tempo of play

- OP team to press aggressively to win possession

IP Principles

- Make pitch big - width and depth

- Tempo - when to play fast, when to slow it down

- Find spare man - find 'space'

- Can you switch play - when is it right time to switch

- When to play over, around, through - Emphasis on Around and Through

- Can you finish - can you hit the corners

OP Principles

- Defend narrow and compact

- Protect the middle of the pitch

- Force play wide

- Defend width of the 18 yard box

- When to press high, when to apply a low block (will be changed)

- Push centrally

- Sit and drop

- Once win the ball, can you get it to CAM fast

Organisation

- Both teams breakdown from 1-4-2-3-1

- IP - BLUE - 1-2-3-1 (CB - CM CM - LW CAM RW - ST)

- OP - RED - 1-4-2-1 (GK - LB CB CB RB - CDM CDM - CAM

- On the side are rotating CB/CM for IP and rotating GK for OP

- 3v1 in red box to start - 3 passes then blue team can break out to try score (if red win ball then goal for OP)

- Initially blue CB and red CAM stay in box (progress is that the CB is the deepest line to 'reset' and keep possession

- If IP finding space too easily and moving OP easily, then width will get smaller to test IP movement greater

- If too hard/easy for one team, may add an extra playe

- OP have 10 seconds to get the ball to the CAM in the red box - 2 goals

- IP get 2 goals if score from a switch of play/cross

- IP 2 goals if can score beyond the penalty spot (highlighted with shaded area)