WARM UP
quick combinations, focus on tempo, quality of pass and timing of movements and of course the accuracy in the finish
PRESSURE FROM THE SIDE
A passing pattern which I then progressed to the player who started the passing runs around a cone and goes to defend
Giving the wide attacker the situation of being pressed from the side and an oppertunity to cut inside and shoot or protect the ball and keep it on the outside to try and get the shot away
Mini goal for striker movement to check off and move around but also for defender to transition towards when winning the ball
GAME
Game:
This game is simply a 3v3+1 with GK in each goal.
The cones run the middle area of the pitch, the area we have been trying to keep the ball out of throughout the session. Play a normal game but if your team can score a goal in the breadth of the middle section it is worth 3 goals.
This means out of possession you need to show wide and be compact in the middle, knowing when to press and when to sit off and frustrate the other team when the ball is near the goal. It will also show young players that you can let the team get the ball in wide areas which will be a trap to press. If the ball is in a wide zone the team should press it and stop any central passes with the furthest away zone forgotten about, as we can shift accross as the ball travells.
Progression:
Free play
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 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).