Tag Archives for " Pressure "

0 Play Out of Pressure

By Mike Smith “The only team that can score is the team with the ball.” If I had a dollar for every time I have heard a coach say that……well, you know. The fact is, there is no simpler wisdom in soccer. However, most of us have been in those situations where a better side has

0 Throw Catch – Getting Pressure on the Ball

By Sean Reed - Objective This session will focus on getting pressure on the ball using throw-catch (directional), which can be used within the warm-up. The session can used to engage the players, work on their movements, working together giving players responsibility to manage and organize a way of playing (strategy). Set Up • 2

0 Combine with More

By Mike Smith As a high school coach, I see a wide range of teams and levels of play throughout the season. In addition, as a fan and student of the game, I find myself watching and analyzing all levels of the game year round. One constant at all the levels are the 2 and 3

0 Space - Ball - Space

By Mike Smith This session is focused on small groups of players working together to defend the space behind them. I am first and foremost a defensive minded coach. I have had tons of success teaching teams to drop back early in two lines of four, essentially playing a 4 man midfield like a 4 man back

0 Pressure, Cover and Balance

By Sean Pearson Area Size: 24 x 30 yards. Divide area into 3 equal areas of 8 x 15 and an area in front of the goal 24 x 10 Teams: 3 v 3 Time: 20 - 25 Minutes Objectives: To know who is pressure (1st) defender, cover (2nd) defender & third (3rd) To recognize when, where

0 Functional Defending Session with Front Three

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

1 Counter-pressing of Red Bull Salzburg

By Alex Trukan

Red Bull Salzburg was a revelation in the 2013/2014 season, winning the domestic league, cup as well as knocking out renowned Ajax Amsterdam in the Europa League. In the current season, the club is also leading the league with 10 points above second Rapid Wien and four matches to go. However, it is not the results that drew the main attention to the club from Salzburg. The club has become widely known for its ultra-high pressing, attacking style of play. Pep Guardiola, a coach of Bayern Munich, after playing a friendly match against Red Bull Salzburg managed by Roger Schmidt at that time, stated: I’ve never played in my career against a team that has played with such a high intensity’. The philosophy which has been brought to the

0 Defensive Pressure and Attacking Speed

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on  defensive pressure and attacking at speed.

Start with a 30 x 20 grid, 3 attackers, and 2 defenders. There is a group of balls on the end line the attackers are starting on.

One of the attackers starts with a ball and as soon as he touches the ball the

1 Dealing with Distraction

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on dealing with distractions.

Start with a keeper in goal, a server 15 yards out and two players in front of the keeper. The server has a few balls.

As the server shoots a ball, the two

0 Coaching Team Shape in the 3-3-1

How many times do you hear coaches yelling, "Spread out, create space!" And how often do you see the players look around and not move much?

This is a sign that the players don't know where to go or how to move in relation to their team mates. This ability is not a natural one for most players. They need to be shown where to go to support their team mates while keeping proper spacing between themselves and their team mates.

A new book called, 'Coaching Team Shape in the 3-3-1' by Sean Pearson contains

0 Playing Out of Pressure

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on playing the ball out of pressure in order to go forward.

Start with a 20 x 10 grid with two attacking players and one defending player. One of the attacking players starts with the ball in the middle of the grid with his back to the defender. The other attacker is further back from the end line they are attacking.

The attacking players are trying to dribble the ball across the end line behind the defender. In games, players sometimes have a tendency to

0 Receiving the Ball Under Pressure

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on receiving balls under pressure and passing away from pressure.

Start with 3 players in a 20 x 20 grid with a ball.

The black player starts with the ball and passes to

0 How Pass Out of the Back While Under Pressure

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity helps a player work the ball out of the back under pressure

Start with a player defending the goal out wide around 35 yards from goal. A player attacking the goal starts 5 yards further back. There is a keeper in goal and a server toward the middle of the field with balls.

The server plays a ball toward the

0 Finishing With Pressure Around the Box

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter.  Today’s featured activity works on finishing around the 18 and dealing with pressure.

Start with a server with some balls around 25 yards from goal.  A forward starts on the 18 and a defender is marking the forward.  A keeper is in goal.

The server plays the ball into the forward and the forwards job is to