This attacking combination football practice can be used to develop combination play in final third to finish attacks. The practice area is a 30 x 30 on the outside with 20 x 20 inside area. 2 players must combine to beat single defender to score in mini goal. If defender wins possession, players must run ball over line to score.
Attacking Emphasis65%65%
Defending Emphasis35%35%
Age Group
Number of Players
Minutes
Key Coaching Points
How can you predict defenders movements?
How are defenders reacting to the practice? What should you do as a result?
What must you do to get shot off quickly in attacking half?
Player Focus
Angles and Distances | Recognition of Space | Quick Passing | Movement to Lose Players | Double Movement | Final Pass | Execute Finish
In this Opposed Skill Practice, we aim to develop Final Third Combinations to create and exploit space in these areas to create chances. Two directional practice | 45 x 40 (adults) area split into 2 halves as shown. 14 Players consisting of 2 groups of 3 v 3 together with a GK. Objective is for players to score in 3 v 3s, using safe zone to be patient and recycle the ball, allowing movement to create space.
Attacking Emphasis75%75%
Defending Emphasis25%25%
Age Group
Number of Players
Minutes
Progression 1: Floater Drive (4 v 3)
Floater can join in to attack and create a 4 v 3 overload in the attacking half., with a supporting defender to support in the floater channel. This will encourage more angles and opportunities to be created with challenge increased for the defending team.
Key Point for Coach Focus
Different combinations to be created from various angles, with a focus on depth and width of players to ensure space is being used effectively. Recognise when to speed up attacks when space creates itself in and around goal, not afraid to take the opportunity with quick shots
Key Coaching Points
Ability to lose markers in tight area.
Go & Show movement to lose players.
Communication with passing and support players.
Ability to finish chances.
Additional Support
Focus on initial passing quality and movement off the ball to keep possession before transferring.
Angles and distances of floating player and single player to finish is crucial with underload.
Movement to lose opposition and player-to-player understanding is important to finish. Quick Finishing technique with individuals.
This practice is focused on forcing direction to win possession to counter. With Blues building out in a 433, Golds defend in a 442 Diamond with changes with progressions. In this 40 x 30 Yard area, Blues must use the full width to penetrate the defence to score in mini goals, whilst Golds must defend central areas, forcing play wide to regain in wide zones. On winning possession wide, Golds can counter to finish.
Attacking Emphasis30%30%
Defending Emphasis70%70%
Age Group
Number of Players
Minutes
Key Coaching Point | Forcing Direction
If Blues have ball in wide area, all Yellows must be on that side of the pitch. Defensive Shape.
Key Coaching Point 2 | Actions on Winning Possession
Diamond Yellows must now ensure they stop ball into ST, forcing play across and backwards. Compactness, which allows Yellows to regain and counter quickly or keep possession and build to finish.
Progression 1 | Add ST to Defend Against
Change formation to add a striker which forces defenders to rethink how they press and force direction in the defensive phase.
Progression 2 | Opposition Rotation
All Blues can now rotate inside and outside, creating a numerical advantage for Yellows to deal with
Key Coaching Points
As a defensive practice in the main, we must ensure the attacking quality is at the level it needs to be in order to work the defenders. Focus on the shape, to begin with and ensure both teams are applying standard attacking and defensive principles before developing additional points.
Space | Focus on space between players, ensuring gaps are at a minimum in central areas, develop players ability to slide and press quickly in relation to the movement of the ball
Time | Set time objectives to remain compact and not allow them a shot on goal in 15 seconds for example. Could develop counter if need be (score in 6 seconds)
Equipment | Ensure balls provided quickly to maintain the tempo of practice. Balls in goals so when they score they have 3 seconds to start from own end, if they don’t goal get’s chalked off. TEMPO
Players | Develop individual ability by focusing on 2-3 players throughout.
Pre-plan defenders to develop, maybe midfield 4 diamond pressure or 2 CBs organising in front and set individual objectives
Advanced | We can clearly focus on many aspects of this Attack v Defence game, with an ability to also develop transition for defending the team, yet try to focus on a specific aspect, i.e. Diamond movement out of possession. It becomes easy to sway off topic, so try to stay focused, whilst maintaining challenge from opposition doing the right things to test players.
Player Focus
Shape Understanding | Defensive Shape | Compactness | Slide Across | Communication
This opposed practice is focused on midfield players regaining possession and developing and finishing attacks In the attacking transition phase. In a 40 x 25 Yard area, we had 3 zones as shown. Reds play in a 231 against Gold in a 122.
Attacking Emphasis30%30%
Defending Emphasis70%70%
Age Group
Number of Players
Minutes
Progressions & Constraints | 1
Allow Gold striker to drop in to create 3 v 3 to progress play.
Progressions & Constraints | 2
Gold players able to bounce back to defender to rebuild play if they are under pressure, forcing Red defenders to be more calculated in their pressure.
Key Coaching Points
Tactical | Recognise pressing triggers as a unit and counter effectively
Technical | Defending technique and ability to penetrate with forward passes
Social | Defensive pressure as a defending unit – press and cover
Q&A
How can you break into the final third quickly to create 1 v 1 and 2 v 1 situations on the counter?
How can you regain pressure quickly in the central zone without leaving your midfield area exposed for penetrative passes?
3 teams of 4-6 players in an area 25 long x 15 wide, split into 3 sections. Each of the 3 teams must start in a different playing area, with 1 team keeping possession in one end zone. 2 players press from middle area to win possession and transfer the ball to the opposite end.
Once they win possession, they drop out of central zone and the team who loses possession moves into the central area, with 2 players pressing; this is a quick rotation.
Attacking Emphasis35%35%
Defending Emphasis65%65%
Age Group
Number of Players
Minutes
Progression & Constraint 1 | Player Drop To Receive
Opposite end player can drop in to link play to play through, must not stay in area more than 5 seconds – Rotate.
Progression & Constraints 2 | 50 Pass, 4 Ball Transfer
Players keep count of passes and must make 4 passes to transfer the ball to opposite end.
Progression & Constraints 3 | Bounce To Play
Middle players must drop and set possession player to switch and transfer to opposite end.
Key Coaching Points
Quick Passing | Spacial Awareness | Speed of Press | Body Shape | Angles
Player Focus Great practice to start sessions off after warm up, as elements of competition and quick passing and transfer of the ball, encourages player to work at a high tempo. Compact area encourages players to play quickly and challenges individuals in possession to move the ball quickly under pressure.
Not much time available here. Get players to focus on giving themselves more time through being ready before transfer; organised. Balls must be prepared at the coaches feet or stationed around the practice, as there will be a lot of transfer of possession.
Be creative with numbers, decide what you want out of the session, easier defending or attacking and work to those ends. e.g. 4 v 2, 5 v 3, 6 v 4 etc
