WORLD CLASS COACHING
Winning With Inverted Fullbacks - Defending
By Luca Bertolini
Table of Contents
PART FOUR
DRILLS AND EXERCISES
Exercise 1: Alternate 2 v 2 small sided game with goalkeepers
A rectangular small sided pitch is divided into different areas:
• two center areas
• two first/final thirds
• four corner areas
• two flanks
Four attacking players are placed inside the center areas and four defenders start form the corner areas, two goalkeepers are saving the goals.
The coach starts the exercise
The coach decides where to kick the ball between the center areas; this way the first direction of play is found out too.
The couple of players now in possession must keep the ball inside their half of center area against the defenders, who run inside from the corners to put pressure and to save the goal as fast as possible.
These players are the inverted fullbacks, who try to close down the center spaces against the opposition forwards.
The forwards must finish as soon as possible, but they can shoot only if both of them touched the ball and only if they don't play out of the area.
If the yellow defenders win the ball, they pass it toward the other couple of black players inside the opposite half of the center area.
The second couple of yellow defenders must now run inside to put pressure and to save the goal.
Again, the forwards must finish as soon as possible, but they can shoot only if both of them touched the ball and only if they don't play out of the area.
Variation: creation of alternate numerical advantage 4 v 2 as transitions to attack
If the first couple of yellow defenders win the ball, they pass it toward the other couple of yellow players, who are dropping back to receive on the flanks, to ensure the possession.
At the same time, the opposite couple of black players must run toward the goal to save the final third as they are now playing outnumbered 4 v 2.
The goal for the players now in possession is to build up and to switch side of play toward the opposite flank against the pressure of the black players who lost the possession.
The inverted fullbacks must put pressure against the opposition possession, dropping back.
The center players must finish inside the final third from a cross pass.
If the black players win the ball back again, they can counter attack playing 4 v 2, paying attention not the be offside while managing the possession.
The yellow players on the flanks must run toward their first third to cover the space and to save the goal.
The goal for the players now in possession is to counter attack and to allow the opposite outer player to finish from a cross pass inside the final third.
Eye on:
• Timing of pressure in the first 2 v 2 duel
• The rection speed to defend the half of middle third in the second 2 v 2 duel
• Skills to defend the final third when outnumbered in the first 4 v 2 duel
• Skills to cover the space and save the goals against the opposition counter attacks
Exercise2: 6 + gk v 5 and 2 v 2 + gk
This exercise is set-up inside the penalty area and inside an outer rectangular area in front of a goal. The total space is equal to a third of a pitch or just few length yards more. The pitch is as wide as the penalty area
Six defenders are placed in a 4 - 2 formation inside the penalty area and five attackers are placed inside there too.
Two forwards of the yellow team are placed inside the rectangular area and two of the black one start from the lower corners of the rectangle.
Both the regular goals are covered by a goalkeeper.
The goalkeeper of the yellow team passes the ball to a teammate to start the exercise; the goal for the yellow team is to build up and to play out, passing the ball toward the couple of forwards inside the rectangle.
The black team must press the opponents, trying to be balanced inside the penalty area placing a back player among the five.
The forwards of the yellow team must receive the ball from one of the advanced players of the 4 - 2 formation.
As they receive, two black players, the inverted fullbacks, can run inside and press the opponents to avoid the finishing stage of the move, creating a 2 v 2 duel.
The yellow forwards must score in the additional regular goal.
If a black "inverted fullback" is able to recover the ball, he can dribble out of the rectangle and towards the penalty area to equalize the number of players of the first duel. A 6 v 6 is now created.
The black "inverted fullback" must play outside the penalty area to provide balance and to be a passing option for his team.
The goal for the team in possession is to score as fast as possible through quick passing combinations.
If the yellow players, who are now in the defensive phase, are able to recover the possession, they pass the ball toward the outer rectangle, where a 2 v 1 duel is now played to finish.
The balance "inverted fullback,” must try to prevent the finishing phase of the opposition, playing outnumbered 1 v 2.
Eye on:
• Timing of pressure during the first phase of play
• The reaction speed to defend the rectangle area in the second 2 v 2 duel
• Skills to recover the possession and to organize a transition to attack
• Skills to defend outnumbered in the last outnumbered 2 v 1 duel of the balance player
