Building the attack and third player runs

When in possession, this session is all about building from the back and receiving under pressure. It shows players how to play out of tight spaces using quick and clever movement to beat the press. It encourages quick transitions and well-timed runs to stay onside and support the attack.

When out of possession, it’s all about recognising pressing triggers, using a high press and winning the ball high in order to spring an attack. It also encourages recovery runs on transition and expects players to be able to either stop an attack or delay the opposition.

It’s a unique session as it caters for all players and encourages both sides of the game as both in and out of possession principles can be applied. Each time we run the session we can switch our focus to a specific detail.

All players are kept fully engaged as it caters to their position-specific roles and it encourages them to play quickly and smartly. With there being an end goal, players aren’t just keeping the ball for the sake of it. Every pass and movement is for the purpose of playing forward and beating the opposition press.

I would run this session when we are due to face a high pressing team or if I feel we need more confidence or rhythm as a team in building the attack. Exposing the players to playing in tighter areas against an intense press readies them for the game day experience and allows them to find spaces they can exploit.

This session can also be used if we want to load the players physically. With it being a transitional game, the conditioning aspect can certainly be effective and outputs can be high.

What I love about this session is sit allows the team to be very flexible and to put our own different detail into the practice, depending on the specific area we are going after. Area size, timings and numbers can all be tweaked to suit our needs.

END TO END GAME

We set up a playing area of 40x20 yards with two five-yard end zones and a halfway line marked out that doubles as an offside line. We’re using 12 outfield players split into two teams of five plus two yellows, one of whom starts in each end zone. They are unopposed target players and cannot be challenged. The two teams of five both start in one half.

A yellow end zone player starts with the ball and plays it to a member of the blue team. The reds press high and look to win the ball back while the blues try to work the ball from one end zone to the other by either dribbling across the halfway line or with one player timing their run across the halfway line to receive a pass while staying onside, as shown [1a]. 

[1a]

1. The five blue attackers and the five red defenders both start in the blue team’s defensive half  
2. A yellow target player is positioned in each end zone. They are unopposed and cannot be challenged
3. A yellow end zone player starts play by passing out to the blues
4. The blues must work the ball across the halfway line by either dribbling across or, as here, with a player timing their run across the halfway line to receive while staying onside

Once in the other half, the blues must work the ball to the yellow target player in the end zone. If the ball has entered the end zone, another blue can make a third player run into the zone to receive a pass back from the yellow target player, as shown [1b].

[1b]

1. Once in the other half, the blues must work the ball to the yellow target player in the end zone
2. To score a point another blue can make a third player run into the zone to receive a pass back from the yellow target player
3. The red team can recover and track back into the end zone to defend

Once the attacking player has full control of the ball, this scores a point. The red defending team can recover to  track back into the end zone and if they win the ball they transition to counter-attack.
After a point is scored, the practice resets and restarts from the yellow target player at the end that was just attacked, with the reds now operating as the attacking team and looking to work the ball back to the other end zone, as shown [1c].

[1c]

1. After a point is scored, the practice resets and restarts from the yellow target  player at the end that was just attacked 
2. The reds are now the attacking team and they look to work the ball back to the other end

To make it more challenging, the activity can initially be progressed by stipulating that all of the players in the attacking team must be in their attacking half before they can score a point.

PROGRESSION

We progress the practice by removing the end zones and positioning a goal with a goalkeeper at each end, transforming the activity into a normal small game scenario. I find the match realism and intensity of the session will increase just by adding the goals. All other elements of the set-up are retained and the same playing principles and rules apply.

All players begin in the defensive half of the attacking blue team. The goalkeeper starts with the ball and passes out from the back. The blues look to work the ball into the other half by either dribbling over the halfway line or with a through ball played across the halfway line to a runner who must remain onside to receive. The aim for the attacking team is to try to make a third player run and score in the goal, as shown [2].

[2]

1. Progress the practice by removing the end zones and positioning a goal and a goalkeeper at each end. All other playing principles and rules still apply 
2. All red and blue players begin in the attacking blue team’s defensive half
3. The goalkeeper starts with the ball and passes out from the back
4. The blues work the ball into the other half with a through ball played across the halfway line to a runner who must remain onside
5. The aim for the attacking team is to try to make an attacking third player run and score in the goal

COACHING POINTS

What are the key things to look for?

We want to see defenders using good movement and angles to receive the ball or to create space. Being able to take the ball under pressure and in tight areas is important, as is ball protection and body work. They should make good decisions under pressure and move the ball with purpose and quality.

We expect the midfielders to create space for team mates to exploit and for themselves to move into so they can receive. They should demonstrate an awareness of what’s around them, knowing when to set the ball or turn and play forward.

“We want to see the attackers being creative with their movement to either receive a pass or to run in behind the defence and finish the attack”

They should make well-timed third player runs from the centre of the pitch to beat the press or the offside trap, or to support the attack with good angles and movement.

We want to see the attackers being creative with their movement to either receive a pass or to run in behind the defence and they should be dynamic and finish the attack once in forward areas.

Out of possession players should be front-footed and aggressive in their press and they should initiate the pressure and be quick and ruthless when winning the ball back high up the pitch.

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

Typically in this session players will be rushed in their decision making when in possession. We have to make players aware of how to create space with their movement and with the team shape, and we should demonstrate the options they should then have in possession of the ball. Players need to decide whether to play through, around or over the press. Even going up against a high press, if the movement of the player and team is in sync, options will be available to beat the pressure.

Another common mistake is players being too eager to make the run. Coaches should help the players to identify when to be patient and delay the run as this could be the difference between the move being successful or breaking down.

How long does the session last?

Depending on what you going after will depend on the time you assign to it. Usually if I’m using this session as part of our game prep, this will mean I will stop and start the session a bit more to allow me to coach and get specific detail into the session. So in this scenario I would normally go for three blocks of five minutes.

If I am using the session as more of a conditioning practice, I would go for five blocks of four minutes with limited stoppages to encourage transitions and fatigue the players a bit more, which will then encourage them to make good decisions when tired.