Tag Archives for " Pearson "

1 Possession to Finish

By Sean Pearson Area Size: Central Area: 18 x 22 yards, End Zones 18 x 10 yards Teams: 5 v 5 + 1 Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To pull defenders out of position To create chances to finish To make players aware of the different finishes available depending on the scenario I feel a lot of coaches

0 Defensive Pressing

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

0 Teaching Technique Article 2

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 45 Yards Teams: 6 v 6 Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to run behind the defense When and where to time the through pass into space Use the correct weight of passThe area is split into three zones, two end zones of 5 yards in depth

0 Teaching Technique Article 1

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 45 Yards Teams: 6 v 6 Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to run behind the defense When and where to time the through pass into space Use the correct weight of passThe area is split into three zones, two end zones of 5 yards in depth

0 Small-Sided Game Article 2

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 45 Yards Teams: 6 v 6 Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to run behind the defense When and where to time the through pass into space Use the correct weight of passThe area is split into three zones, two end zones of 5 yards in depth

0 Small-Sided Game Article 1

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 45 Yards Teams: 6 v 6 Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to run behind the defense When and where to time the through pass into space Use the correct weight of passThe area is split into three zones, two end zones of 5 yards in depth

0 Getting Behind the Defense

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 45 Yards Teams: 6 v 6 Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to run behind the defense When and where to time the through pass into space Use the correct weight of passThe area is split into three zones, two end zones of 5 yards in depth

0 Running Beyond the Striker

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 2/3 of Field Teams: 8 v 8 Time: 20-25 Minutes Objectives To draw defenders out of position To realize when to run beyond the striker The players in black are set up in a 4-3-3 point down system (without full backs). This allows the #8 & #10 to start higher and closer to

0 Reversed Passes

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 2/3 of Field Teams: 8 v 8 Time: 20-25 Minutes • To draw opposition players out of position with our body shape • To be aware of our surroundings of when to accomplish a reverse pass What is a ‘reverse’ pass? A reverse pass is when a player is going/facing one direction and

0 Direct Play

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 35  Yards Teams: 7 v 6 Time: 20-25 Minutes Objectives To be more direct when the scenario presents itself To pass to players with open shoulders Be positive in your play When we hear the term ‘direct play’ a lot of players/coaches automatically think of the long ball or as some

0 Movement Before the Pass

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 35  Yards Teams: 5 v 5 Time: 15-20 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to move before the pass To think 2 passes ahead This session focuses on player’s movement off the ball. Personally I feel this is one of the most important aspect of a soccer team. To

0 Developing 1 v 1 Attacking

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 35 x30 Yards Teams: 4 v 4 + 1 Time: 15 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to attack 1v1 To be positive in decision making A lot of emphasis in today’s soccer is put on possession and passing but what if a team is ‘parking the bus’ passing in front of

0 Training Two Types of Turns

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 50 x 40 Yards Teams: 7 v 7 Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to use the front foot to turn To understand when and where to use the back foot to turn The area is split into three zones, two end zones of 15x40 yards and a larger

0 Developing the Long Pass

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 45 Yards Teams: 6 v 6 Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to play the long pass Use the correct weight of pass The area is split into three zones, two wide zones of 5 yards in depth and a larger middle zone of 30x45 yards. There

0 Through Balls

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 45 Yards Teams: 6 v 6 Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To understand when and where to run behind the defense When and where to time the through pass into space Use the correct weight of passThe area is split into three zones, two end zones of 5 yards in depth

0 Crossing and Finishing

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 2 x 18 yard area with 5 yard neutral zones Teams: 6 v 6 (+ 4) Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To get the ball out wide as quickly and as often as possible Decide which cross is best for the situation For the attacking team to make positive attacking runs to disorientate

1 Possession - Breaking the Lines

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 40 x 45 yrds Teams: 5 v 5 (+ 5) Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To maintain possession To penetrate the lines of the defensive team Decision making to use the wings or the middle of the field This possession exercise focuses on maintaining it while looking to move the ball forward beyond the

0 Transition and Switching

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 24 x 26yrds Teams: 2 (6 v 6 + 1) Time: 20 Minutes Objectives To keep switching the field and move the ball away from pressure To transition from high press defense to offense Create angles of support and quick decision making This is a simple possession practice with multi

0 Defending: Stopping the Cross

By Sean Pearson Objectives To pressure the crosser Force the crosser back up the field Defensive positioning The main priority of this practice is to pressure the wide player quickly enough to stop the cross. If the ball cannot travel towards the goal the opposition will not score, simple. You want to force the ball

1 Possession in a 4-2-3-1 Midfield

By Sean Pearson Area:40x30 Yards Players: 12 Teams: 2 + Neutrals Length: 20 mins This exercise focuses on the movement of your central midfield 3 and realizing when to go through the middle or when to use the wide midfielders to move the ball forward. Objectives To play through the midfield To realize the best

1 The Proper Use of Give and Goes

By Sean Pearson

Session Length: 90 mins

During my days as a trainer, a lot of head coaches were (and still are) obsessed with the give and go, as if it’s the lifeblood of being a good team. While it is definitely a great combination to get behind opposition lines of defense it is not the be all and end all of attacking. Players and coaches alike need to understand it is a tool to use for specific scenarios to progress an attack, not to be used all the time as different scenarios will not allow it.
So to keep coaches happy and work on the give and go I developed a session that constantly worked on using the combination in the

0 Counter Attacking

By Sean Pearson Area:40x30 Yards Players: 12 Teams: 4 Length: 20 mins This exercise is fast paced and high energy. It needs 4 teams for constant attacking and to give players short rest periods. Throughout the exercise players/teams must be positive and attack together. Objectives To attack with speed and penetration Manipulate the positioning of the

0 Forward Runs from the Midfield in the 4-2-3-1

By Sean Pearson Area: 50x35yards Players: 12 Teams: 2 Length: 20-25mins This small sided game is very specific in showing your team the forward runs you want them to make and when, whilst in positions they would be during a game if you play in the 4-2-3-1 formation. It also pits two of the same

0 Switching the Play

By Sean Pearson

Session Length: 90 mins

This session focuses on players recognizing when, where are how to move the ball away from pressure on one side of the field to a point on the other side of the field to attack from. One of my frustrations with players is not seeing the ‘bigger picture’ of the situation in front of them when the space around them is crowded. Players either force the ball further into the ‘scrum’ or if the ball gets passes out or pressure, because of a lack of awareness and incorrect body position the player receiving this ball, plays the next pass back where it has come from. The end result? Usually a loss of possession. So below I talk about when to switch the ball, player movement to help the switch and where to attack from after the switch. The reason I talk about this last point is the point of a switch is to change the point of attack to create a scoring chance, not to just keep possession by going back and forth over and over again.

Warm Up: 10 mins

Use a basic passing warm up to get players moving, receiving, passing and making decision.

• 3 teams passing to only their own team, everybody on two touch. So players have to move to see the ball and make decisions on where and when the ball can be played,
• Players can pass to anyone but if they receive from the same color they keep the ball, if they receive from a different color they must play a one time pass back, but it can’t be in the same direction.