Banks of four compact

The session is based around being compact and difficult to play through in both our defensive and midfield units. We always encourage our players to take responsibility and problem-solve and communicate. The competitive element is vital too so the focus on winning or losing in each practice is highlighted throughout the session. 

The session would be scheduled on Tuesday or Thursday, especially if we are about to play against a strong possession-based side or against a higher-level opponent where we would likely have large spells without possession of the ball.

“Players will take responsibility and problem-solve and communicate”

Cage Rondo

The reds will gain possession nine times. We will serve the ball in to the square and the first defender will chase [1a].

[1a]

1. The coach plays the ball into a red player in the area

2. The coach shouts ‘green’ and a defender from the green square enters the area to look to win the ball back
3. The reds look to make eight passes

After eight passes, another defender will join from one of the ‘cages’. The coach will shout the colour every eight passes and can be random [1b].

[1b]

1. The reds make eight passes

2. The coach shouts ‘blue’ and a defender from the blue square enters the area
3. The defenders win the ball back and clear it out of the area, meaning play must restart

This encourages the team in possession to communicate, scan regularly, and to remain composed under pressure. A point is gained for every eight passes until the defensive team clear the ball out of the square. Once possession is lost, we reset and the next round begins with a different starting defender (every defender starts once). Scores are added and then the teams switch roles. We encourage the competitive element and apply forfeits to the losing team.

“We’re looking for good ball speed, use of the width, and taking chances”

Directional practice

We move into a directional practice in a larger area and bring in the goalkeepers. It is a screening/sliding practice where we focus on the out-of-possession team moving together to stop the opposition playing into their two strikers who are situated behind them, 18 yards out. 

The coach serves the ball into the blues, who must complete two passes before trying to play into one of their strikers, under head height. Once the line is broken, strikers have three touches maximum to combine and score. One recovery defender can apply pressure on the striker’s first touch [2].

[2]

1. The coach serves the ball into the blues who complete two passes

2. The reds screen to attempt to stop the blue team getting a ball through to the strikers
3. The blue team play a through ball to the strikers
4. The strikers use their three maximum touches to combine and score
5. A blue recovery defender applies pressure to the first striker’s first touch

You can progress this by having a defender applying pressure into their opponents’ zone when they are moving the ball, or two defenders can recover to apply pressure to the strikers from the recovery position.

From the attacking team, we’re looking for good ball speed, use of the width, and taking chances, with the forwards being clinical, inventive, and working the goalkeeper. From the defensive team, we want good distances and patience, but also aggression, and good communication - goalkeepers and resting defenders included.

“From the defenders, we want good distance, patience, aggression and communication”

Three-goal game

We then progress to a larger-scale game. The blue team have the extra goalkeeper, which gives them an 11v10 overload, 11v9 in the opposition’s half as the central midfielder must stay up and remain an outlet on transition. This effectively leaves the defensive team to defend as two solid banks of four and apply the same principles from the directional practice [3]. 

[3]

1. The reds are in possession of the ball. They have an overload due to the two keepers

2. The blue forward must stay up, beyond the halfway line to remain an outlet in transition
3. The coach plays the ball in for the reds to attack
4. The blues must defend as two solid banks of four, screening and sliding as the ball moves

They are looking at frustrating the opposition, counter-attacking at pace, and developing their game management, thinking particularly about when to speed it up and when to slow it down.

Both teams will attack each end the same amount of times and are told this at the start of the practice, and they are given three minutes to discuss the situation and come up with their game plan. 

Normal match rules apply except there are no corners - teams will keep possession from a corner kick instead.

“The team in possession need to stay composed under pressure”