PROGRESSION

The 3 in possession are aiming to create the oppertunity to play through the middle markers avoiding the screening player winning the ball.

The team in possession must make at least 3 passes before playing forward, they can play down a channel but get no points for this as this is exactly what the pressing team want to force or they want to win the ball and score a goal.

The team that gives away the ball becomes the defenders

Two players press but you must always have 1 screening, paint the picture of this player stopping passes through the lines, into central midfielder or strikers feet. The screening player always needs to be scanning to know what the movement is like behind him/her.

Progressions:

- Minimize touches

Coaching:

3 players = 1 press to show wide, 1 cut off middle and ready to press the next ball, 1 screen forward passes and mark middle


DEVELOPMENT

6 v 3 with two colors working together against the 3 pressing players. Play a time limit to see how many times the 3 pressing players can win the ball and play into a goal or back to the coach (feeder), After time limit switch the 3 in the middle.

Possession team:

Keep shape, always with a central player who can rotate in and out to get on the ball. Encourage using the middle player as much as possible but if the simple option is to keep the ball circulating then do this until you can play through the middle player. (adaptation to drill could be to have a competition between the possession team and pressing team, with the possession team getting a point everytime they successfully play through the middle players and the pressing team get a point everytime they win the ball)

Pressing team:

- Approach at pace and at an angle
- Always check shoulder and block passes into central player
- Aviod central passes and be ready to press your closest man
- Show player on the ball channel passes
- Set traps to crowd out and win the ball


CONDITIONED GAME

4v4 (+2)

the 8 cones go on the outside and its a competition to knock over the most - best of 8 wins

2 touch play


COMPONENT 2

as before with some additional passes - all 1 touch

(ignore bibs)


COMPONENT 1

10 players and 2 balls (ignore bibs)

pass the ball in sequence focusing on quality of technique and speed of play


WARM UP

8 cones and 5 players, (ignore bibs)

pass and move to an empty cone the only rule is you cannot pass between cones in a straight line to each other


PRESEASON OVERLOADS PRACTICE

A good pre-season exercise covering fitness, overloads in attack and defending out numbered.

Rules:

The ball starts from the keeper and is played to 1 of the 4 attackers to attack a back 2, the 2 defenders in the attacking half can defend from the front but cannot get back until the ball crosses the halfway line.

On transition the game just becomes a 5 a side game (this drill is done on a 5 a side pitch)

When a goal is scored or ball goes out of play each player must touch their designated cone before they can get involved in the next ball

If the 4 players defending win and score a goal they become the attackers.

Possible Rotations: Each player can have a designated cone, or after each ball they can rotate 1-2-3-4 or don't allocate them a cone and they need to communicate to their team mates what 1 they are touching (scanning involved).


GAME

A game to bring out the wall passes we have worked on. 3 v 3 (add optional roaming player to play for the team in possession)

Goals can be scored in any of the three goals but only with a 1 touch finish after a wall pass with the wall player has been made


DRILL 3

Start with 1 ball and add the second to challenge players.

Here we paint the picture of a ball coming to a player and a defender pressing. The player on the ball needs their team mate to come and give angles for the wall pass that we have been working on.

Sequence involves pressing the ball and being played around then quickly reacting to go and show for the next wall pass. All players always recover back to their original spot quickly ready to go again.

After an allocated time, swap the outside and inside players so everyone can practice both roles in the wall pass

Progression: weight pass looking to play all passes 1 touch


DRILL 2

In pairs you play a one two then drive the ball into the next corner, everytime a longer pass is made players swap roles, working on short/sharp movements, fakes and feints to make the ball move quickly with emphasis on quality.

All players must be scanning and be on their toes

Possible progressions, try with 3 or 4 footballs?