Fast attacking play

This session is all about fast attacking play whether that’s coming from a possession phase or through transition moments. It contains lots of variation to create goalscoring opportunities and should be competitive and high intensity. We would typically run a session like this once a week on a more intensive day incorporating a lot of competition. Players like it because of the dynamic nature of the session and the opportunity to attack frequently.

PASSING IN STRUCTURE

We set up on a quarter of a pitch. The intention here is to find the spare player in midfield and accelerate the attack. Start with the ball with the centre back, using a coach to press. The midfielder should follow the pressure, and bounce to the spare midfielder, who should play the ball to the top line. The player in the number 9 position should set to the wide player, who then plays to the top. The ball then comes back down, using the midfielder to bounce wide, and then overlap to finish. 

Here we are looking for the centre back to hold the ball and release when pressed, the midfielder to follow down the pressure and allow a good angle to play forwards, and the returning midfielder to help, with the wide player driving at the mannequin and getting an accurate timing of release for the overlap.

We run this for up to 10 minutes.

[1a]

1. Ball starts with centre back

2. Coach presses

3. Midfielder looks to support and receive

4. Midfielder receives and then bounces to spare midfielder

5. Midfielder plays to top line (9)

[1b]

1. Midfielder receives and then bounces to spare midfielder

2. Midfielder plays to top line (9)

3. The 9 plays wide

4. Wide player plays to top

5. Ball comes back down using midfielder to bounce wide

6. 9 makes an overlapping run to finish

THREE-TEAM POSSESSION WITH A FINISH

We set up with two boxes, 15yds x 15yds, separated by a zone of 15 yards containing two goals facing each possession box. The blue team begins in possession, with three yellow players entering the area to press, creating a 6v3. The blue team must complete at least seven passes, and then score with a one-touch finish. If they score, they get a point. If they hit the target, a new ball is played into the red area, and three other greens press them. If the blues miss the target or lose possession, they become the defending team.

Here we are looking for quick combinations to create a shooting opportunity, high quality of set-up so that the finish can be one-touch, high intensity when losing the ball and reaction to losing possession, fast pressure to regain the ball, and defensively, once the team in possession has made seven passes, defend the goal, block shots, and protect the goal.

We run this for 12 minutes.

[2a]

1. Blue team begins with ball, three yellows enter the area to press – 6 v 3

2. Blue team pass the ball around while reds look to win it back

[2b]

1. Blue team complete seven passes

2. After minimum of seven passes, blues attempt a one-touch finish which is saved by the goalkeeper

[2c]

1. A new ball is played in to the red team by the coach

2. Three new yellows press

3. The reds pass the ball around

[2d]

1. The reds complete seven passes and execute a one-touch finish, missing the target

2. The reds become the defending team, swapping with the yellow team

PROGRESSIVE COUNTER-ATTACKS

We set up on a half pitch with the width of the penalty box for a series of progressive counter-attacks: 2v1(+1), 3v2, 4v3. The game begins with a throw from the goalkeeper, moving into 2v1 with a recovering defender. After the attack, a player from the defending team joins to create a 3v2. After that attack, two more players join, one on each side, to create a 4v3.

Here we are looking to maximise the attack before the recovering defender gets in, and after the attack we need to refocus and defend quickly, concentrating on the transition from attack to defence. We are also looking to finish on the counter with 4v3 and maximise the extra player, use runs to create a positive overload, drive at defenders to commit them before releasing, and the choice and quality of finish to complete the attack.

We run this for four sets of three minutes.

[3a]

1. Goalkeeper throws the ball to a red

2. The red team attack 2v1, with a blue defender recovering to make it 2v2

3. The red team score

[3b]

1. A blue player joins to make a 3v2

2. The reds retreat and recover as the blues attack 

3. Blues score a goal

[3c]

1. Two reds join to create a 4v3

2. The reds attack

3. The blues win the ball back and counter-attack, goalkeeper saves

5v5+1 Small-sided game

We set up on a pitch of 40yds x 32yds, with three equal zones marked out. There are restrictions on the out-of-possession team, who must stay in a 2-2-1 system within those zones. The team in possession can move around, but once the ball goes from zone 1 to zone 2, it must be received on one touch. If the out-of-possession team win it back, they can quickly try to score, but if they begin the build from zone 1, the same rule applies.

Here we are looking to build to play out to the number 9, and to use the spare player in midfield, accelerating the attack to a quick finish, and keeping shape to prevent counter-transition.

We run this for four sets of up to three minutes.

[4a]

1. Reds start in possession

2. Blues look to win the ball back, staying in their zones

3. Reds play the ball around, moving it through the thirds to score, using the neutral player to support

4. When it moves into the central area, it is played one touch

[4b]

1. Blue team start in possession

2. Red team win the ball back in the central zone and quickly counter attack, scoring