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Progressing through the pitch
This session is about progression through the pitch to create options to finish attacking actions.
This session is about progression through the pitch to create options to finish attacking actions.
We make sure our teams care about the ball, and we specifically insist the players really care about the ball. Then after that, balance between attack and defence are a key part of our system. We make sure that during the session the players understand the difference on where to play simply and where to take risks. So we want the players to pay attention to not lose the ball cheaply and in zones where there is too much risk.
In this session, players enjoy being in contact with the ball most of the time as well as the competition. As they get to understand it, they learn where to take risk and where not to, and as a consequence they know with repetition of this training sessions where and how we want to play.
The most challenging part of this session is to move accordingly to be available to play two-touch football and to understand when to play safe and when to take risks, and to understand when to play short or when to find spaces behind the opposition’s defence.
We normally run this session more during pre-season and then some repetition depending on the week. If we run it during the season, it would be on MD-3.
| Area |
Full pitch |
| Equipment |
Full size goals, cones, mannequins |
| No. of players |
20 + 2 goalkeepers |
| Session time |
80 mins Warm-up: 10 mins Passing quality: 10 mins Box to box: 17 mins 11v11: 15 mins Whole pitch: 15 mins |
PASSING QUALITY
After a mobility warmup with the fitness coach (not pictured), we set up in small groups in space at the coach’s discretion for a ball drill, working on the quality of the passing and timing of the movements [1].
We run this for around eight minutes.
During the eight minutes, we use a variety of combinations to progress the development of the players. These will include small sets of the ball and changing the passing/receiving angles based on spatial awareness, for example
[1]
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Pass-and-follow activity in groups of five
BOX TO BOX
We set up in the space between the two penalty boxes for a box-to-box game, with two teams of nine players plus a goalkeeper, with two extra neutral players playing with the team in possession. Everyone is limited to two touches, making sure we use as much as possible the extra players.
In this example, the blue team are in possession and seeking to score [2a].
The extra players are operating in midfield and constantly make sure that they are available to create a numerical advantage to be able to attack. When the blue defending team gain possession, the extra players switch to support them [2b].
We run this in two halves of 7 minutes 30 seconds, changing the extra players at half-time.
[2a]
-
Blue team in possession, limited to two touches
-
Red team defending
-
Yellow players support team in possession
-
Blue team seek to score
[2b]
-
Red team intercept
-
Yellow players now supporting red team as they seek to score
11v11
We progress this into a 11v11 box-to-box game using the whole width of the pitch. This time we include a two-touch restriction on touches on the team’s own half with free play in the opposite half. This encourages teams to press with the possibility of gaining possession closer to the opposite goal, but also makes the team in possession aware that they need to find spaces in behind that pressure and pass the halfway line quickly to be able to play freely. Here the blue team are looking to score, and are first limited in possession in their own half [3a] and then have free play as they progress towards goal [3b].
Again, we run this in two halves of 7 minutes 30 seconds.
[3a]
-
Blue team in possession, limited to two touches in their own half
-
Red team defending
-
Blue team seek to score
[3b]
-
Blue team in possession, have free play over the halfway line
-
Red team defending
-
Blue team seek to score
WHOLE PITCH
Finally we progress to a whole pitch, 11v11, with normal game rules applying, with players encouraged to use what we have been practising [4]. Normally the players unconsciously keep using fewer touches in their own half and try to pass the halfway line quickly to start taking risks in the opposite half.
Again, we run this for two halves of 7 minutes 30 seconds.
[4]
-
Normal game rules apply
-
Blue team in possession
-
Red team defending
-
Blue team seek to score
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