Beating a block

This session is focused on teaching players to beat a block. It’s about dominating possession and identifying when to attack down the side, or play through or over a team that sets up in a low/medium block. Within this, it’s also about isolating common methods that will occur and allowing for a high repetition of these methods.

We like this session because it allows players to have plenty of opportunities to practise, in small numbers, the skills, decisions and key relationships that they will need to beat a block before then transferring what they’ve learnt into the 11v11 game. The 11v11 is progressively built up, allowing for a smooth transition from the smaller practices into the game.

Throughout the session, each activity can be made competitive in order to heighten the sense of focus and intensity.

The first split practices can be run for numerous outcomes – for habit forming when playing mini games, for individual specific work, for unit specific work, or for general principle forming. In this session we used them as lead-ins to the 11v11 practice. The lead-in practices would be delivered often before playing against a team playing with a low block.

The conditioned 11v11 would similarly be delivered often in the tactical preparation session for a match prior to playing a team who we would expect to play a low block, often on match day -2.

We could also use this session to counter coach and work on defending in a block, so the session can obviously be used for the opposite topic.

 

“Throughout the session each activity can be made competitive in order to heighten the sense of focus and intensity”

PLAYING 3v2 WIDE

We set up a playing area of 48x32 yards split into quarters across the pitch, with each quarter divided in half down the middle, creating eight boxes – four on each side of the pitch.

We’re using 10 outfield players split into two teams of four plus two neutrals who play for the team in possession. The top right and bottom left boxes start as end zones for the blues to attack and one neutral player is stationed in the box next to each end zone.

Four blues face four reds in the middle two quarters – they are set up as full backs and wingers, with two players on each side for each team.

The neutral player at the bottom starts with the ball and works with the blues, who begin as the attacking team. The neutral player dribbles into the box in front, committing the opposition winger. The neutral player then plays the ball to a blue and the blues work the ball into the end zone to score a point, as shown [1a].

[1a]

1. The blues begin as the possession team and they aim to attack the end zones in the top right and bottom left boxes
2. One yellow neutral player is stationed in the box next to each end zone
3. The reds and the blues have a full back and a winger on each side of the pitch, starting in the middle two quarters
4. The neutral player at the bottom begins with the ball and dribbles forward into the box in front and then plays the ball to a blue player
5. The blues aim to work the ball up the right side of the grid and into the end zone to score a point

Once in the end zone, the blue team transfers the ball to the neutral player in the adjacent box. The blues then repeat the attack down the other side of the playing area, with the aim of reaching the opposite end zone. However, if the red team wins the ball, they break out into their attacking end zone, while the neutral players slide across into the adjacent boxes at each end, leaving the end zone vacant for the red team to run into, as shown [1b].

[1b]

1. Once in the end zone, the blue team transfers the ball to the neutral player in the adjacent box
2. The blues then try to repeat the attack down the other side of the grid, with the aim of reaching the end zone at the bottom
3. If the red team wins the ball, they break out into their attacking end zone to score a point
4. The neutral players slide across into the adjacent boxes at each end, leaving the new end zone at the top vacant for the red team to run into. Play continues with the reds in possession

Play then continues in the same manner with the reds in possession.

To progress the activity, we allow the defending full back to recover to the opposite side of the pitch when triggered by the ball being transferred to the neutral player. This gives the defending team an overload when the team in-possession attacks down that side of the pitch, as shown [1c].

[1c]

1. As a progression, allow the defending full back to recover to the opposite side of the pitch when the ball is transferred to the neutral player
2. Here the blue full back moves to the opposite side as the red attacker plays the ball to the neutral. There is now more pressure on the neutral to make the right decision because the blues have an overload on the attacking side

When in possession, we want to see players focusing on creating wide triangles and using good combination play to make their overload count. The relationship and communication between the three possession players is key.

ATTACKING CENTRAL AREAS

We run this activity at the same time as the wide attacking practice, using the remainder of the squad. We set up a playing area of 61x36 yards with a full-size goal and goalkeeper at one end and two small goals at the other. The area is divided into four zones – a 25-yard end zone in front of the full-size goal and three 12-yard zones. The line into the 25-yard end zone serves as an offside line.

We’re using 11 outfield players split into two teams of five and one neutral player, who is stationed between the two small goals and who supports the team in possession. We play a 5v5 and the blue team is attacking the main goal, while the red team attacks the mini goals. The furthest red player forward is in zone 1, screening zone 2. The other four red players are stationed in zones 2 and 3, but can recover to zone 4 as needed. The blue team are free to move into any zone

The coach starts play by serving the ball to the neutral player and one defender on the blue team drops wide to receive, while the others stay central. The blue team then works the ball forward to find a free player to break into zone 4 to score in the goal, as shown [2a].

[2a]

1. The coach starts play by serving the ball to the neutral player, who passes out to a blue defender
2. The furthest red player forward is in zone 1, screening zone 2
3. One defender on the blue team drops wide to receive, while the other stays central
4. The blues work the ball forward to find a free player to break into zone 4 to score in the goal, making sure to stay onside

Play restarts with the coach again serving the ball to the neutral player. If the red team wins possession, they must try to score in one of the mini goals – and they can use the neutral player to bounce off if needed, as shown [2b].

[2b]

1. Play restarts with the coach again serving the ball to the neutral player
2. If the red team wins possession, they try to score in one of the mini goals. They can use the neutral player to bounce off if needed

 

“If the red team wins possession, they must try to score in one of the mini goals – and they can use the neutral player to bounce off if needed”

 

The attacking team must play with a structure to maximise width and depth and we want to see them finding the free player with a pass.

We want to see proactive defending from the out-of-possession team, who should move with the ball.

11v11 CONDITIONED GAME

Now we transfer what was learnt in the two previous practices into a conditioned 11v11. We set up a playing area on two thirds of a pitch with a full size goal and a goalkeeper at each end. The playing area is split into a central channel and two wide channels. We’re using 20 outfield players split into two teams of 11 including goalkeepers.

For this game, players must stay in the zones they start in, as shown. The blue team begins in possession, with the left full back on the ball, and the idea is to switch the play and progress up the right channel. For the first attack, the left back combines with the central defensive midfielder to switch the ball to the right back, using a line of three to go round the two red attackers. The blues then play 3v2 in the right wide channel, creating the opportunity for a cross and finish. Players in the middle channel and the other wide channel can attack from their zones, as shown [3a].

[3a]

1. The blue team begins in possession with the left back combining with the defensive midfielder to switch the ball to the right back
2. The blues then play 3v2 in the right wide channel, creating the opportunity for a cross and finish
3. Players are locked in their starting channels but can attack the cross from their zones in the middle channel and the other wide channel

Play resets and restarts with the same switch of play from the blue left back to the blue right back via either a defensive midfielder or via the central defenders. However, if the red team gains possession at any point, it becomes a free play 11v11 – meaning players can now move between zones and the reds can try to score without being restricted by conditions, as shown [3b].

[3b]

1. Play restarts with the same switch of play from the blue left back to the blue right back, this time via the central defenders
2. If the red team gains possession, it becomes a free 11v11 and the reds can try to score without being restricted by conditions

“In this activity we want to see players recognising when to attack wide and when to attack centrally

 

For the next attack, the game is then played using the central and right wide channel. This time the ball starts with the blue left centre back in the central zone who combines with the other centre back to work the ball across the defensive line to the right back. This creates a 3v2 in the channel as the blues attack. Either the red centre back or the red centre midfielder are allowed to go into the wide channel, making it a 3v3 – this triggers the blues to switch to attacking through the central zone, where their overload now is, as shown [3c].

[3c]

1. For the next attack, the game is played using the central and right wide channel. This time the ball starts with the blue left centre back in the central zone
2. The centre backs combine to work the ball across the defensive line to the right back, creating a 3v2 in the channel as the blues attack on the right
3. Either the red centre back or the red centre midfielder are allowed to go into the wide channel, making it a 3v3 – this triggers the blues to attack through the central zone where the overload now is

The same practices are run again, but with play down the left channel, and then using the left and central channels.

In this activity we want to see players recognising when to attack wide and when to attack centrally. We would conclude the session by progressing into free play so that players can repeatedly switch play and recognise the opportunities to attack.

Towards the end of the free play, we progress to a game scenario with one team given a 1-0 lead to defend for eight minutes. The defending team are challenged to stay in a block whilst the other team have eight minutes to score. We would keep the pitch markings for visual guidelines.