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Using A 4-3-3 system
This session sets the team up in a 4-3-3 system, with two wide players and one attacking midfield player who supports a lone central striker. We seek to develop attacking with forward runs off the ball.
This session sets the team up in a 4-3-3 system, with two wide players and one attacking midfield player who supports a lone central striker. We seek to develop attacking with forward runs off the ball.
The aim of this session is to succeed and improve performance in playing out from the goalkeeper and penetrating through and around the opposition, to attack the opposition and utilise the extra player in the centre of midfield, and switch the play quickly with positive penetrating passes. We are looking to play through the thirds in a number of ways, depending on the opposition’s defensive structure.
We are looking for movement and creativity from central players, with options in front and in wide areas. We want to move the ball quickly and switch the ball to play through and around the opponent, with full backs moving forward to create width. In the attacking third, we want high-tempo passing with combinations to unlock the defence, with players willing to get in the box and score goals, and wide players attacking the back post when crosses come from the opposite side.
We want all players to be able to demonstrate effective attacking play with different skills, techniques and tactics.
I would run this session on MD-2, using it to see my starting 11 and have them building relationships within that system. I would also allow squad players a chance to rotate into the team and give them opportunities to impress.
| Area |
Up to full pitch |
| Equipment |
Full size goals |
| No. of Players |
Minimum 19 + goalkeepers |
| Session Time |
40 minutes |
FORWARD RUNS OFF THE BALL
We set up on a three-quarter pitch. The red full backs are locked into the shaded area until a wide midfielder is receiving. The blue centre forwards are also locked into their own shaded zone.
We run this as a realistic flowing game, with both teams looking to attack. Restarts come from free play.
My focus here is on the red team. There are three key points we are looking at: the wide players’ roles; the relationship between the attacking midfielder and the centre forward; and the relationship between the two central midfielders.
We are looking for full backs to make overlapping runs [1a]. When the wide midfielder on their side receives the ball, that is when they should be looking to make their run.
[1a]
- Red wide midfielder receives ball
-
Red full back is released from shaded zone
-
Red full back makes overlapping run
-
Red wide midfielder passes to red full back
-
Red full back looks to put cross in
[1b]
- Red attacking midfielder makes run into the box
-
Red centre forward moves to support red wide midfielder in possession
We are looking for the attacking midfielder and centre forward to support each other. In this example [1b], the attacking midfielder makes a run into the box, ready to attack the back post, while the centre forward moves to support the wide midfielder in possession.
We are also looking at the relationship between the midfield unit. In this example [1c], one of the central midfielders is in possession, the attacking midfielder drops to support them, while the other central midfielder makes a run further up the pitch.
[1c]
- Red central midfielder in possession
-
Red attacking midfielder drops to support them
-
Other red central midfielder makes a run further up the pitch
Here, the attacking midfielder receives the ball then plays it to the second central midfielder, who passes to the wide midfielder, releasing the full back for the overlapping run [1d].
Encourage the blue team to make things more difficult for the reds, for example stopping the full backs receiving the ball to their feet and giving the midfielders a problem as they seek to find their spare player to work the ball forward or wide.
We run this first for two minutes of free play, then for two reps of 12 minutes, and then five minutes, with breaks in between.
We can then progress this into 11v11 on a full pitch, and/or change the set-up of the blue team (eg into a 4-4-2 formation).
[1d]
- Red central midfielder passes to red attacking midfielder
-
Red attacking midfielder passes to other red central midfielder further up the pitch
-
Red central midfielder passes to red wide midfielder
-
Red full back is then released for overlapping run
“Encourage the blue team to make things more difficult for the reds, for example stopping the full backs receiving the ball to their feet and giving the midfielders a problem as they seek to find their spare player to work the ball forward or wide”
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