WORLD CLASS COACHING
Coaching the Back Three - Conte
By Stefano Santona
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part Two
3V2 DEVELOPMENT
6V4 DEVELOPMENT
3. 3v2 DEVELOPMENT
1° exercise: 3v2, covering an overlap 1° exercise: 3v2, covering an overlap
Area size: depending on age and quality of the players;
Number of players: 6 (2 defenders, 3 offensive players, 1 gk)
Objective: defense on cut-run, overlap, combination
Time: 10 - 15 minutes
Objectives: manage the space and understand when to stop the player or control the space
Description:
• 3 strikers play from the mid-line, while 2 defenders start from the box
• we are working with side defender and central defender, because in this situation they are working together during the game
• Gk is playing a goalkick (n°.1 in the picture)
• One defender is pressing the player in possession of the ball, while the other one is covering the space or pressing the player without ball (n°.2 in the picture)
• The 3rd offensive player has to run an overlap
The choice between help or cover depends on how the other defender is pressed. As the attacker controls the ball, the 3v2 develops. I would place this exercise right after the warm up because it is a tactical work that requires high concentration (especially for the defenders).
In this outnumbered situation, the defenders are timed by running backwards and shaking themselves to defend the goal.
It is important, depending on defender’s ability, to isolate one offensive player; if we can do that now we have a 2v2 situation that is simpler.
2° exercise: 3v2, covering a pass through
Area size: depending on age and quality of the players
Number of players: 6 (2 defenders, 3 offensive players, 1 gk)
Objective: defense on run through, pass through, combination
Time: 10 - 15 minutes
Objectives: manage the space and understand when to stop the player or control the space
Description:
• 3 strikers play from the mid-line, while 2 defenders start from the box
• we are working with side defender and central defender, because in this situation they are working together during the game
• Gk is playing a goalkick (n°.1 in the picture)
• One defender is pressing the player in possession of the ball, while the other one is covering the space or pressing the player without ball (n°.2 in the picture)
• The 2nd offensive player has to run through the defenders
• The 3rd offensive can choose where to go, as shown in the picture
This exercise is just a variation of the previous one. It is important to experience both exercises and try to put these in every single week’s plan; the more the defenders play these exercises, the more they will be able to read the situation and understand what to do.
4. 6V4 DEVELOPMENT
1° exercise: 6v4 passive didactic – situation
Area size: depending on age and quality of the players
Number of players: 10 (4 defenders, 6 offensive players)
Objective: defensive movement, understand the distances between players, be aware of the spaces, start playing with the central defensive midfielder
Time: 10 - 15 minutes
Description:
The offensive players are moving the ball. While the ball is moving, the defensive players have to move toward the ball, creating density in that space. This is just a passive tactical exercise, useful during warm up or tactical sessions. You can also use this as a conditioning exercises: the offensive team is moving the ball very fast, while the defenders have to move very fast. For example, you can keep going with the exercise for 2-3 minutes.
If you want to propose this as a conditioning exercise, you have to be sure that your defensive department is aware of the movement and the principles of the three-player defense.
2° exercise: 6v4 active didactic – side’s offensive situation 1
Area size: depending on age and quality of the players
Number of players: 10 (4 defenders, 6 offensive players)
Objective: defensive movement, understand the distances between players, be aware of the spaces, start playing with the Cdm, start playing active defense
Time: 10 - 15 minutes
Description:
The offensive players are moving the ball. While the ball is moving, the defensive players have to move toward the ball, creating density and pressure in that space. This is an active tactical exercise. The offensive team is moving the ball very fast, while the defenders have to follow their game (point 1 and 2 in the pictures). At the coach’s signal the offensive team has to move the ball on the opposite site and the game starts to be active.
Then, the offensive team has to score and the defensive team as to take possession of the ball.If you want to propose this as a conditioning exercise, you have to be sure that your defensive department is aware of the movement and the principles of the three-player defense.
2° exercise: 6v4 active didactic – side’s offensive situation 2
Area size: depending on age and quality of the players
Number of players: 10 (4 defenders, 6 offensive players)
Objective: defensive movement, understand the distances between players, be aware of the spaces, start playing with the Cdm, start playing active defense
Time: 10 - 15 minutes
Description:
The offensive players are moving the ball. While the ball is moving, the defensive players have to move toward the ball, creating density and pressure in that space. This is an active tactical exercise. The offensive team is moving the ball very fast, while the defenders have to following their game (point 1 and 2 in the pictures). At the coach’s signal: the offensive team has to move the ball to the opposite site and the game starts to be active.
Then, the offensive team has to score and the defensive team as to take possession of the ball.If you want to propose this as a conditioning exercise, you have to be sure that your defensive department is aware of the movement and the principles of the three-player defense.
3° exercise: 6v4 active didactic – side’s offensive situation 3
Area size: depending on age and quality of the players
Number of players: 10 (4 defenders, 6 offensive players)
Objective: defensive movement, understand the distances between players, be aware of the spaces, start playing with the Cdm, start playing unknown situation
Time: 10 - 15 minutes
Description:
The offensive players are moving the ball. While the ball is moving, the defensive players have to move toward the ball, creating density and pressure in that space. This is an active tactical exercise. The offensive team is moving the ball very fast, while the defenders have to following their game (point 1 and 2 in the picture). At the coach’s signal: the offensive team has to move the ball to the opposite site and the game starts to be active (point 3 in the picture).
Then, as shown in the picture the wing has to pass the ball back and the midfielder can make a decision: play a short pass on the same side or play a long pass on the opposite side. The offensive team has to score and the defensive team as to take the possession of the ball. If you want to propose this as a conditioning exercise, you have to be sure that your defensive department is aware of the movement and the principles of the three-player defense.
The exercises begin with a didactic development in which we practice on the attack of the ball, the space covering and the defensive elastic squeeze. The exercise becomes situational when one of the offenders plays a switch. The exercise develops as a competition: the strikers get a point whenever they score a goal, the defenders get one point if they get the ball and two points if they drive the ball through the midfield line. In this way the positive transition of the defenders and the negative of the offensive team is trained, but especially when a defender loses the ball, we train the defensive line to defend in an emergency situation.
There are several offensive development options to go over the last defensive line (one-two, cut run, overlap,1v1, shoot, cross, pass through, etc…) through this progressive exercise I feel that all these situations are stimulated by playing both with defensive lineup and defense in "emergency.” With these exercises, it is also possible to communicate to the players the tactical choices of the coach. This is important because, as mentioned above, the coach must transfer a player's code to the defensive stage.
The aim of these proposals is therefore to give a common code to the defenders: this aspect becomes fundamental in order to speak the same language to each other in the game. Through a common and easily recognizable code, defenders are able to recognize the various game situations and to choose in a fraction of a second how to behave. Communication in the field, therefore, is not important in choosing what to do--it is not the means to resolve the situations. At the same time, in my opinion, it must play a key role in reinforcing concepts and in transmitting security.
