By Alex Trukan It is often said that the team in possession dictates play and makes the opposition react. It is true if the defending team doesn’t take initiative to force play and guide the attacking team to make the defending easier. That requires great communication between players, understanding responsibilities of the units as well
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By Sean Pearson Area Size: 18 x 22 Yards Teams: 3 v 3 + 2 Time: 12 - 15 Minutes Objectives For the defending team to work together as a unit To press the player on the ball and the surrounding players To cut half of the field off to force the player on the ball in a
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan Forcing opposition into wide areas is a strategy used by many modern teams when out of possession. First of all, once the ball is wide, the options for the player in possession are reduced as he has possibilities of playing only into three directions. Secondly, the ball is further away from the
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By Eric Clermont - In the modern game today, the demand of players technically, tactically and physically have increased considerably over the past ten years. Defenders are expected to build out from the back, midfielders are held accountable for defending deep runs into the box and forwards are also told that they must defend from the
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By Chris Kouns USSF A License (USSF Coaching Education Instructor) – NSCAA Premier Diploma (NSCAA Coaching Education Associate Staff Coach) – Head Women’s Soccer Coach – Georgia Gwinnett College In these activities we are working on the player’s body positioning, movements and cues to better defend as a unit. Exercise #1 In an area approximately
Continue readingI think coaches spend a lot more time teaching offensive skills and techniques than they do teaching young players how do defend individually and in small groups. The attacking techniques of dribbling, passing and shooting are easy to create training sessions around and they are definitely the sexier skills of the game. But teaching a young player to defend a 1 v 1 effectively is vital to their development as a player.
John Walker presented an excellent session on
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
Playing with two strikers up front gives an opportunity out of possession to force the opposition into central areas of the pitch as well as wide. That gives a chance to adapt to the opposition more fluidly as well as to be more flexible when defending. Having a block of two units of 4 players in a line in behind two forwards is a simpliest way to get compact and narrow when out of possession and is an easiest defending strategy for players to understand. On the other hand, using flat lines poses a danger when defending against opposition playing in between the lines, for example offensive and defensive midfielders.
Team shape – playing 1-4-4-2
The team is playing with three flat lines: 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 2 strikers. The main strength of this formation when out of possession lies in the ability to
Continue readingBy Renato Lopez Moreira -
This 2 v 2 + 6 game is an excellent way to work on team shape and ball circulation for teams playing a 2-4-2 formation in a 9 v 9 game.
The game is played in a 15 x 12-yards area. Each player is limited to playing two touch. Five consecutive passes are worth one point. The game is played for 10 minutes or to a certain number of points.
Exercise
The two central players in possession work with the
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By Renato Lopez Moreira -
This 10 v 10 game to work on changing the point of attack.
The game is played in a 50 x 35 yard area for 25 minutes.
Exercise
The field will be divided into three areas. The team who is
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By Renato Lopez Moreira -
This small-sided game is played with two teams of seven and three neutral players who always assist the team in possession. The game is played in a 30 x 30-yard area with two small goals at each end. Each team defends one end and attacks the other.
The attacking team works to keep possession and move the
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
Football can be divided into three phases: attack, defence and transition (attack – defence, defence – attack). That division simplifies the game and makes it easier to understand and coach, however, any division carries with itself a danger of isolating components from the bigger whole and losing the complexity and realism of the game. Putting all of that into context, the way your team attacks, will affect how it defends. The way your team defends will affect how your team will attack. All of the four phases are linked and interconnected. Modern football has become a game of ‘chess’, where every move will have an influence on other and players have to think couple of steps ahead. For example, if you want to exploit the opponents on the counter attack, the preparation starts when your team is in the defensive phase. The technical details of defending will be then influenced by the next phase which is a transition to
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By Renato Lopez Moreira - This is a progression of last week's possession game. You can also think of it as a 4 + 2 v 2 since two of the attackers are playing in a central role in the middle of other four attackers. The game works on a number of important aspects of the game: Minimum of
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Playing with a back three gives huge advantages in midfield and forward units. It also enables the team to attack through the wings more effectively (using wingbacks) as well as create an overload in midfield. However, one of the trade-offs is playing out from the back which might be tricky and challenging. From the attacking point of view, considering that most of the teams play with two strikers, three players might not be enough to break through the first line of the opposition. Also, having transition in mind, the back three often does not provide enough defensive cover in case the ball is lost. That is why, not a back three, but defensive midfielders are crucial players in the build-up play.
Starting Positions
The middle centre back is usually the primary player to initiate build-up play. That enables the team to play three different directions: centre, right and left. Two other centre backs start quite narrow (in case the ball is lost) in the first phase and then get into wider positions as the
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By Renato Lopez Moreira -
This is a progression of last week's 4 v 2 into a 5 v 2. You can also think of it as a 4 + 1 v 2 since the fifth attacker is playing in a central role in the middle of four attackers.
The game works on a number of important aspects of the game:
In this exercise, the
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By Renato Lopez Moreira -
Today's small-sided game is called by different names depending on where you're from. It's been called, 'Rounds', 'Rondo' or 'Sily'.
The game works on a number of important aspects of the game:
In this exercise, the
Continue readingBy Renato Lopez Moreira -
This is a progression of the game from last week. It is played with three teams of six players. It can be played with fewer players on each team or using a neutral player if number divisible by three are not available.
The difference with this game is that there is one player from each team positioned in the middle zone.
The game area is 45 x 42 yards and the game is played in two 15 minute halves.
This exercise is played by three teams. Two teams work to possess the ball and one team defends.
The field is divided into three small ones: two areas for the
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
The 1-3-5-2 system has gained popularity in the last couple of years and is now employed by many teams around the world. One of the most remarkable examples include Holland national team in the 2014 World Cup. Apart from creating overload in midfield areas, one of the main advantages of 1-3-5-2 formation are wingbacks, who help in forming a block of five players out of possession, as well as support two strikers and midfielders when attacking.
Out of Possession – Basic Shape
When the ball is in the central areas, the wingbacks’ role is to drop back and form a line with the back three. Their main responsibility are opposition’s wingers as well as supporting central defender in case he is following striker dropping deep. The distances between wingbacks and
Continue readingBy Renato Lopez Moreira -
This is a progression of the game from last week. It is played with three teams of six players. It can be played with fewer players on each team or using a neutral player if number divisible by three are not available.
The game area is 45 x 42 yards and the game is played in two 15 minute halves.
This exercise is played by three teams. Two teams work to possess the ball and one team defends.
The field is divided into three small ones: two areas for the
Continue reading
Click Here to Listen to Podcast Click Here for the Show Notes
Continue readingBy Renato Lopez Moreira -
This is a progression of the game from last week. It is played with three teams of six players. It can be played with fewer players on each team or using a neutral player if number divisible by three are not available.
The game area is 45 x 42 yards and the game is played in two 15 minute halves.
Two teams work to keep possession and one team defends.
The field is divided in three small ones: two fields for the attacking teams and one central zone for the defense.
Each field has six attackers that must
By Renato Lopez Moreira -
This game is played with three teams of six players. It can be played with fewer players on each team or using a neutral player if number divisible by three are not available.
The game area is 45 x 42 yards and the game is played in two 15 minute halves.
Two teams work to keep possession and one team defends.
The field is divided in three small ones: two fields for the attacking teams and one central zone for the defense.
Each field has six attackers that must
By Renato Lopez Moreira -
This is a progression of last week's 8 v 8 game to work spacing and player movement. This week the game will again start as 8 v 8 but the team in possession works to create 6 v 4 offensive superiority situations.
The game area is 55 x 45 yards and the game is played in two 15 minute halves.
The field is once again divided into four zones. This time each zone contains
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