Counter Attacking
Part 1: 3v3 to 3v2 Activation
By Justin Faust
The Counter Attacking session I have designed is one that I have used at the youth stages (ages 12-16) and advanced youth stages (16+). The format follows a Play-Practice-Play Model centered around attacking and defending transitions. I usually do this session MatchDay -1 to allow some rest as this session requires a high work rate on and off the ball.
Part 1 of our session is an arrival/activation small-sided game that requires players to adapt to being up or down a player in a given situation. Upon arrival Players are broken up into a 3v3 game as shown below in Figure 1. Behind each goal is an agility stick placed about 5 yards behind the end line. The game has a few rules that will make it a continuous 3v2 counter-attacking game.
The first rule I make for the players is that anytime a player shoots a ball out of bounds they have to go chase it and bring it back to the middle of the field.These balls are placed here so anytime a ball is played out on the sideline a new one can be brought in to keep the game flowing. While this player is chasing the ball, the other team immediately attacks the defending team. Figure 2 will show the white team missing a shot and immediately have to defend a 3v2 scenario.
The other rule that I find creates counter attacking is when a team scores, the goalscorer has to run to the agility stick and back on to the playing field. The team that just scored is now in a defensive transition, while the attacking team can go 3v2 with a trailing defender right behind them. This creates even more of a game-like scenario for players to adapt to. Figure 3 illustrates how this game-like scenario will play out.
