Tag Archives for " Pressing "

0 Pressing and Making the Field Smaller

By Sean Pearson Area: 34 x 46 yards Time: 15 mins Players: 6v6 Objective: • To recognize triggers to press as a team • To compact the space around the ball to win the ball or force mistakes Set Up: The playing area is 3 zones one large middle zone with 2 end zones. Both

0 Forcing the Opposition to Go Long

By Alex Trukan With so many team trying to play out from the back it is important to know how to force them into certain direction and certain way of playing. One of the strategies a defending team might want to employ is forcing the opposition to pass long when they wanted to patiently combine

0 Pressing 3-man Defense

By George Kee The success of Conte’s 3-4-3 has prompted many coaches to try their hand at the formation. This session aims to help players become comfortable with pressing a 3 man defense as the buildup is different than when playing 4 across the back. Using 3 Backs to spread the width of the field allows

0 #104 From High Pressure to Goal Scoring

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0 4 v 4 + 3 Counter Pressing

0 7 v 4 Counter Pressing

0 7 v 7 Counter Pressing

1 4 v 2 Counter Pressing

This week's exercises are from our book, 'Counter Attacking in the Modern Game'In an area roughly 20 x 20 (depending on the technical ability of your players and the defensive acuity of your focus defending group) you will play 4 v 4 for possession. However, there is a midline in the grid that only two

0 4 v 2 Counter Pressing

0 Multiple Ball Possession

By Alex Trukan This practice is focused on developing an ability to recover quickly between high intensity actions. This means that when a player makes a sprint, he'll be ready to do another one at his highest intensity. Players might therefore, gain advantage over the opposition both in attacking and defending duels. From a technical

0 Pressing Options in the 4-3-3

By Sean Pearson With the new USSF mandated birth year and small sided games changes there is a lot of trial and error regarding formations and systems of play. Instead of 8v8 formations, as coaches, we are now trying to figure out how to position our players in the new 7 v 7 and 9

0 Defending and Getting Pressure on the Ball

By Sean Reed -  Objective This session focuses on defending exercises, working with players in 1v1, 2v2 and 4v4 situations. Session 1 Diagram 1 Set Up Working with 12 players Players are working within 3’s Each areas is approx 30 yds x 10yds 2 players will start at either end and 1 player who is defending

0 Pressing in a 4-3-3

0 3 v 2 Competition

By Alex Trukan This practice is designed to improve Anaerobic energy system which is responsible for short-duration, high intensity actions during a match. Therefore, players will develop their ability to produce high quality explosive bursts, which may be useful when applying pressure on the ball or doubling up to win the possession back. From the

0 How and When to Double Up?

By Alex Trukan Doubling up is a defending strategy based on applying pressure on the ball by two defenders at the same time. It is a very common component of high and counter pressing game but it can be also used effectively in the middle or defending thirds. The rationale behind using it is to

0 Central Midfielders When the Ball is Wide

By Alex Trukan Attacking through the wings is usually associated with the role of the wingers or full backs. Although, these two positions probably play the biggest role in creating opportunities from wide areas, players away and around the ball are also crucial in facilitating this type of attacking strategy. One of the key players

0 Passing Analysis

By Alex Trukan Pressing is a defending strategy based on applying pressure on the ball and restricting spaces around and away from the ball in order to regain possession. It is often associated with teams defending with intensity and desire to win the ball as high and as soon as possible. However, it is important

0 Applying Medium to Deep Pressing

By Alex Trukan Medium pressure is a defensive strategy based on setting up a confrontation line (area of the pitch from which the team out of possession starts to apply pressing) around half way line. It is the most popular, yet not often very effective type of pressing. Many players associate this type of pressing

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 Forcing Play

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

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

1 Defending From the Front in a Flat 4-4-2

By 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

0 Defending to Counter-Attack

By 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

0 #020 Developing a Pressing Mentality

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