By Sean Pearson
Area: 36 x 40 yards
Time: 20mins
Players: 5v5+2
Objective:
• To be compact while defending and then quickly spread out when possession is won
• To connect passes in a composed manner in a tight area in front of goal.
Set Up:
The playing area one large area with 4 goals, 1 in each corner. The team in possession I spreads out on the outside of the area with 2 CB’s, 2 Wingers and a striker, the 2 neutrals are always the CMs. The defending team stays compact and presses when appropriate as well as aiming to cut off passing lanes.
Execution:
The team on the outside combines with the two neutrals to maintain possession they should move in accordance with their position. They are also allowed in the main area to receive a ball, however you they should mainly be on the outside so the team is spread out. The 2 CMs in the middle should always be at angles to one another and never be on the same horizontal or vertical line.
If the defending team wins possession they can go to any of the goals to score, the team on the outside must stop this by coming into the main area to compact the space around the ball. If they manage to win possession back they should transition back to being on the outside of the area.
If the defending team wins possession and scores, then the teams switch and they become the team on the outside looking to maintain possession.
Variations:
• Team in possession can score with a number of passes
• Team in possession scores in a goal after a certain number of passes
• If you have an extra player on each team leave one player in the middle to be an extra CM
By Sean Pearson. Sean is also the author Coaching Team Shape in the 3-3-1, Coaching Team Shape in the 4-2-3-1 and Coaching Team Shape in the 4-3-3
