Set Up: Create a playing area that includes two different zones as suggested by the diagram. The size of your areas will depend upon the age and ability of the players you are working with. The players are split into two different teams, the numbers used can be adjusted to suit the players you have available for the sesssion, extra midfielders or attackers can easily be selected. To begin with the red team will be the defending team and blues will attack. After a certain amount of attempts swap the roles, so that all players get to experience attacking and defending. The red defender outside the area starts the drill by passing the ball into his teammates in zone 2. The two red defender inside zone 2 look to retain possession for as long as possible. The blue attackers look to press to win the ball back. On gaining possession the blue attacker look for the earliest opportunity to play into their attackign players inside zone 1. Once the blue team have won possession the defender who starts outisde zone 2 is allowed to recover into the game. Once the ball has been played into the attackers in zone 1 it becomes free play, with the attackers looking to create goal scoring opportunities. The defending team are looking to deny goal scoring opportunities and win possession back. If the defending team (red) win possession back the player who started outside of zone 2 must recover to that position. The defending team score by playing a ball to this defender only once he has recovered to his starting positon.
Coaching Points: Body Shape The defenders need to undertsand how positively body shape has upon their defensive capabilities. Initially they need to be in a position to see the man and the ball to see play developing. Defensive posture needs to be side on with a bend of the knees to have a low centre of gravity to be able to adjust to the movement of the attacker or ball. Pressing (on our terms): All defender need to have a positive pressing mentality understanding how pressing is a great way of delaying attacks if done correctly, while being good decision makers. They need to understand the basic concepts a successful press. They have to be at a distance that can be closed on the oppositions first touch. If the distance is too great then pressing results in the opposition just playing around the incoming defender. The improtance of the first few yards and how the defender adjusts his speed and body shape once the attacker takes their first touch must be stressed. Positional Sense When facing the overload the defending team need to understand how to deny forward passes, as this allows time for the recovering defender to make their run. The two defenders in zone two first movement would be to get goalside of the ball to screen possibel forward passes into the centre forwards. The recovering defender needs to get goalside of the nearest player to them. The defenders in zone 1 should be goalside and ballside of their attackers. Marking and Tracking: Most defenders get beat off the shoulder. Defenders need to be disciplined and understand who they are responsible for and work hard to mark and track their man to stop them from getting on the ball. The defenders must avoid the temptation of being drawn into the ball which can be avoid if their body shape as mentoned earlier is correct. Communication: Information sharing as defender is vital to success. Defences are only as good as the weakest player, encouragement and direction are vital if this unit is to function effectively.
This practice has no coaching points
This practice has no progressions
in more ways than one
sportplan_football
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