Creating chaos within a structure

THREATENING PASSES

We set up in an area of 40x35yds. Our key objectives are to recognise and play the most threatening pass, to move between areas to cause chaos, and to maintain the team structure.

The team in possession, here the reds, are aiming to recognise and play the most threatening pass possible: one that breaks lines forwards, hurts the opposition in behind, or moves the opposition sideways to disorganise them. The two deepest red players (centre backs) are locked in their area; one of them starts in possession. They pass in to another red player inside the nearest half of the practice, either centrally or wide, but they cannot pass to the other centre back. The other red centre back must touch the ball before it is progressed over the halfway line, meaning the red central two players and wide two players must move the ball to create the opportunity to find the centre back and then a player who threatens the opposition to play forward.

Red players create chaos by being able to switch roles at any time, but the structure of two centre backs and two wide players must remain.

Once the ball progresses over the halfway line of the practice, the ball must find the forward player in the end zone (they can receive outside, but play continues), or after combining inside, a wide player can run the ball into the highlighted end zone [1].

The blue team aim to dictate play in the way they want to regain possession. When they regain possession, they pass into the blue player in the end zone to score. The blue players can rotate roles (including end zone players) in breaks of play.

We run this for four reps of three minutes.

[1]

1. Play begins with red centre back, who plays to another red player in their half

2. Other red centre back has to touch the ball before it progresses over the halfway line

3. Reds look to reach player in the end zone

READY TO DEFEND

We set up in an area that extends roughly three-quarters of the length of the pitch and now includes the penalty area, and runs the width of the penalty area.

It starts the same as the first activity, with the same rules and constraints. The red team can now score by entering the highlighted end zones as before, or after combining with the forward, any other player can play a threatening pass beyond the opposition into the two centrally placed mini goals [2a].

[2a]

1. Practice begins in the same way as 1

2. Red player scores by playing a threatening pass into mini goals

The red centre backs can now recover into the penalty area behind them when the blue team regain possession (if required).

The blue team aim to dictate play in the way they want to regain possession. When they regain possession, they pass into the blue player in the end zones [2b], or the blue end zone players can run beyond into the penalty area to finish, creating an outfield 2v2 [2c]. The offside rule applies.

The blue players can rotate roles (including end zone players) in breaks of play.

We run this for three reps of four minutes.

[2b]

1. If blues regain possession, they look to pass to their team-mates in the end zone

[2c]

1. Alternatively, blue players in the end zone can run into the penalty area to finish, creating an outfield 2v2

CREATING CHAOS

We set up in an area of 78x65yds. This is a continuation of the previous two activities but now we have the freedom to create chaos within the structure.

The practice starts from any of the points marked with a cone on the diagram to vary the start position and the problems for the players to solve. Offside applies in both directions, either side of the halfway line. 

The red team aim to maintain the team structure when in possession of the ball – two centre backs with a player in each of the five lanes, as high as possible against the opposition’s deepest line. Red players are encouraged to move between roles and make penetrating forward runs, whilst finding the most threatening pass [3a].

[3a]

1. Reds look to maintain team structure while making penetrating forward runs and finding the most threatening pass

The red team can find opportunities within the lanes to overload the opposition and create 2v1/3v2 advantages all over the pitch.

The blue team aim to dictate play in the way they want to regain possession and then score in the opposite end [3b].

We run this for three reps of six minutes.

[3b]

1. If blues regain possession, they seek to score in the opposite end

PROGRESSIONS

The session always moves into the small-sided game format or 11v11 format to embed learning and development in game-based situations.

The progression of the practice would include a variety of ways of adding players into the session and changes of dimensions:

• Progression 1 – add two red players into the session to create a 10v8 outfield overload, allowing for high repetition of fluid movements and simpler problem-solving exercises
• Progression 2 – add two blue players into the session to create an 8v10 outfield underload, allowing for high stress-level decisions for the underloaded in-possession team
• Progression 3 – add two players to each team and keep the tighter dimensions, creating a full 11v11 within two thirds of the pitch, making decision-making faster and more stressful, with the physical load lower on players if this is required in the team’s periodisation
• Progression 4 – full pitch 11v11 exercise, with
  the focus on the red team and the various restart points
• Progression 5 – full pitch 11v11 exercise, with
  the focus on the blue team and the various restart points.

coaching points

What are the key things to look out for?

My eye is on the intention of the player’s actions, rather than the outcome during this session, as we are trying to build an identity using principles, whilst allowing the players to make the decisions that give them the most success. We won’t be successful without making mistakes, but it is as much the player’s responsibility to recognise and learn from scenarios that haven’t gone their way as it is the coach’s responsibility to shine a light of some possible solutions.

There will be a lot of praise for passes that create a threat to the opposition, particularly forward, and runs that displace players in any way. There will also be a lot of praise for desire shown to keep the ball out of the goal and defend threatening situations by putting your body on the line.

What are the typical mistakes players might make and how do I avoid them?

The players find being able to maintain the structure a challenge at times as they get drawn to the ball, which also challenges their verbal and non-verbal communication skills in order to problem solve. The players out of possession can find the underload a challenge, but they have the reward to break out and score themselves whenever they are successful and controlling the game and regaining possession.