WORLD CLASS COACHING
Developing Soccer Intelligence Through 4v4 Vol 2
By Philip Cauchi
Table of Contents
PART FOUR
Progressive Sessions
Progressive Sessions
Session number: 10.
Moment of the game: In possession.
Team task: Build-up.
Aim: Create passing angles and support.
Technical-tactical outcomes:
1. Staggered angles.
2. Open body stance to receive the ball.
3. Quality of passing.
4. Moving into passing lanes.
Duration of session: 75 minutes.
Number of players: 12 outfield players and no goalkeepers.
Equipment:
Balls (at least four).
Mini goals (at least one, but two highly recommended for a better flow of practice).
Bibs (four).
Markers. (Three sets of four colours each as per the first activity where we have three setups).
Session plan:
Movement preparation and coordination: 15 minutes.
Technical-tactical activation – Play the ball to the central player: 15 minutes.
Game – Build-up through the halves in a numerical advantage: 20 minutes.
Passing practice – 3v1 in a triangle: 10 minutes.
Game – 4v4 on retracted mini goals: 30 minutes.
Movement preparation and coordination.
1. Multi-lateral footwork (10 minutes).
2. Dynamic stretching and mobility (5 minutes).
Technical-tactical activation – Play the ball to the central player.
Remind players to focus on: 1) moving to create a passing angle and 2) adapting an open body stance to receive the ball.
Area: 15 yards by 15 yards.
Players: Three attackers are situated at the cones positioned inside the grid. Another attacker is inside the central circle and two defenders roam the area.
Duration: 15 minutes.
Description: The three attackers may move away from their cone to receive and play the ball. The attackers’ aim is to pass the ball to the central player positioned inside the circle to score a point. The defenders roam the area in order to prevent the attackers from accomplishing this aim.
Progression: The attacker inside the circle is rotated after every pass.
Game – Build-up through the halves in a numerical advantage.
Remind players to focus on: 1) creating staggered angles and 2) moving into passing lanes.
Area: 40 yards in length by 30 yards in width divided into two equal horizontal zones and two flank zones each 5 yards wide. Two mini goals are positioned at each end line and are twenty yards apart.
Players: Each team has three inside players and a target player. Two neutral players are positioned in each flank zone, each one in a different horizontal zone.
Duration: 20 minutes.
Workload: 4 x 4 minutes with one minute rest in between series.
Description: The team in attack aims to build from their own half to their target player at the opposite end. Once the ball is played to the target player, all inside players move to this zone; the attackers to score and the defenders to defend, win the ball and initiate a counter attack. Every time the ball goes out of play, restarts take place by the team in possession of the ball from inside their defending half.
Progression: Teams must make a minimum of five passes before passing the ball to the target player. Here we work on movement without the ball to create passing options.
Game – Build-up through the halves in a numerical advantage.
Remind players to focus on: 1) creating staggered angles and 2) moving into passing lanes.
Area: 40 yards in length by 30 yards in width divided into two equal horizontal zones. Two regular goals are positioned at each end line.
Players: Each team has two players in each zone and a goalkeeper in goal. A neutral player is positioned in each zone.
Duration: 30 minutes.
Workload: 4 x 6 minutes with two minutes rest between series.
Description: Players are restricted to remain inside their assigned zones. No corner kicks or throw-ins take place. The goalkeeper of the team in possession restarts play. Players rotate positions as goalkeepers and as neutral players.
Progression: Play the first two series in the conditions described above and then play the last two as a normal game of 4v4+2 neutrals.
Session number: 11.
Moment of the game: In possession.
Team task: Build-up.
Aim: Keep possession of the ball in numerical superiority.
Technical-tactical outcomes:
1. Staggered angles.
2. Width, depth and length to stretch the area of play.
3. Open body stance to receive the ball.
4. Directional first touch.
5. Quality of passes.
Duration of session: 85 to 90 minutes.
Number of players: 16 outfield players and no goalkeepers.
Equipment:
Balls – at least four.
Bibs – one set of eight plus another four of the same colour.
Markers – to mark pitch dimensions and zones.
Session plan:
Movement preparation and coordination: 15 minutes.
Technical-tactical activation – 3v1 rondo: 10 minutes.
Small sided game – The low playmaker game: 20 minutes.
Positional play – 3v3+2 neutrals: 15 minutes.
Small sided game – 4v4 on two halves with no goalkeepers: 20 minutes.
Conclusion and recapitulation: 5 minutes.
Movement preparation and coordination.
1. Multi-directional footwork – 5 minutes.
2. Capacity of equilibrium – 5 minutes.
3. Reaction speed – 5 minutes.
Technical-tactical activation – 3v1 rondo.
Remind players to focus on: 1) creating passing angles and 2) adapting an open body stance.
Area: 10 yards in length by 6 yards in width.
Players: Three attackers and a defender in each group.
Workload: 8 x 30-40 seconds with 20 seconds rest in between series.
Duration: 10 minutes.
Description: The three attackers maintain possession of the ball against the defender. If the defender wins the ball he dribbles it out of the area. Can the attackers accomplish eight consecutive passes to score a point?
Progression: The three attackers aim to score by stopping the ball over the opposite line within ten to fifteen seconds.
Small sided game – The low playmaker game.
Remind players to focus on: 1) creating passing angles, 2) adapting an open body stance and 3) positioning – width, depth and length.
Area: 30 yards in length by 25 yards in width with a 5 yard zone at each end for the playmaker.
Players: Two teams composed of four players each.
Workload: 4 x 4 minutes with 1 minute rest in between series.
Duration: 20 minutes.
Description: Teams aim to score by stopping the ball over the opposite team’s goal line. Each team has a playmaker in their playmaker zone. The playmaker may not be tackled inside this zone but has five seconds to play the ball either with a dribble or a pass.
Progressions:
1. If the playmaker moves out of the playmaker zone, he must be replaced by another player.
2. Remove the playmaker zones and play 4v4 line soccer.
Positional play – 3v3+2 neutrals.
Remind players to focus on: 1) having staggered passing angles and 2) positioning – width, depth and length.
Area: 30 yards in length by 25 yards in width.
Players: Two teams of three players each plus two neutrals.
Workload: 4 x 3 minutes with 1 minute rest in between series.
Duration: 15 minutes.
Description: Start this activity by having the two teams keeping possession of the ball with the help of the two neutral players. The two neutral players are free to roam anywhere inside the area to provide the necessary support to the team in possession.
Progressions:
1. Both teams aim to score by stopping the ball over the opposite team’s end line (as shown in the above diagram).
2. Reduce the playing dimensions to 25 yards in length by 20 yards in width.
Small sided game – 4v4 on two halves with no goalkeepers.
Remind players to focus on: 1) having staggered passing angles/, 2) off-the-ball movement, and 3) positioning – width, depth and length.
Area: 30 yards in length by 25 yards in width divided into two equal horizontal zones with a regular goal at both ends.
Players: Two teams composed of four players each.
Workload: 4 x 4 minutes with 1 minute rest in between series.
Duration: 20 minutes.
Description: Normal game except that teams may only score from inside the opposition’s half.
Progression: For a goal to count, all team members must be in the attacking half of the pitch.
