Collective Team Defending

and Practising Attack

Building
Duration: 75 min
Comment:
This training session contains two soccer drills in the main part. The first exercise in
which they practise the attacking movements and innervate the main principles of
building attacks is practised for a longer period of time. This drill requires high level of
concentration. The second exercise focuses on a different kind of mental process since it
is not so drill specific.

Warm Up
Description:
Perform light jogging through the pitch. While jogging athletic movements are performed
at a moderate intensity, e.g. high heels, high knees, sideway movements. After 5-6
minutes they stretch the main muscles in a dynamic way.
Duration: 10 min

Warm Up

Exercise 1:

Complex Tactical Drill to Innervate

Movements Off the Ball in Possession
Goal: Practising and innervating movements without the ball in possession and in
defence specified to the playing system.

Organisation
Cones are placed as shown to mark the players' positions while defending and attacking.
The positions can also be placed deeper. This set-up assumes an agressive attacking
style of the team. Red cones mark the positions while attacking and blue cones mark the
positions while defending. D1-D2-D3-D4 mark the 4 defenders' positions. A1-A2-A3-A4A5 mark the attackers' positions. B1-B2-B3-B4 mark the defending positions of the
defenders. (They practise the collective defending movements) C1-C2-C3-C4-C5 mark
the defending positions of the attackers. (They practise the collective defending
movements) After every attack players change roles.

Description
Playing field is separated by a discursive line in the chart. There is a defending and an
attacking area. Defenders practise with other defenders and attackers also do so. After a
given period of time the two groups come together to build a determined attack. After an
attack players change roles.

Set Up: Place the players according to their positions.

Attackers and Defenders circulate the ball continuously in separated areas with one-one
ball. Defenders (in white) organize their movements passively according to the position of
the ball. They try to close deep passing channels. After some changing sides coach gives
a sign to attacking groups to start a determined variation in order to build an attack
between the passive defenders. Important attacking movement in possession: When ball
reaches one of the players on the wing (defender, attacker) other sided player must push
inside. We mark these positions with two cones (D1-D4; A2-P1-P2). When ball comes
back to that side players have to open space to the direction of the sideline. To the sign of
the coach attacker group lets its ball and the attack begins with the ball of the attacking
defenders.

Attacking Variation 1:

Attacking Variation 2:

Attacking Variation 3:

Attacking Variation 4:

Attacking Variation 5:

Coaching Points

Demand the tactical movements

Keep concentrating
Also take care of the defending movements
Cooperation between the players
Vary the attacking variations
Fast switch to build attacks
Finish the actions with goal
Communication is vital
Place extra balls next to the coach
Take care of enough resting periods

Set Up
Number of players: 18 - 24
Time: 20 - 35 min
Intensity: 50-80 %

Equipment

Small Cones: 24

Exercise 2:

12v12 Game for 8 Goals

Goal: This soccer game emphasises developing speed of play and decision making.

Organisation
Cones are used to mark the area (approx.:60x65m) and three equal zones in it. Place 4-4
goals in the corners of the field as shown. Split the team into two and identify them with
different colors. Game is played continuously when ball is out normal throw ins are used
to restart the game. There are not any corner kicks.

Description
Both teams have 4 goal scoring opportunities. In the attacking third players can touch the
ball only twice. In the other two zones there are not any special restictions. Players of the
defending team are not allowed to stand in their goals statically. Game focuses on quick
decision making while attacking and speed of attacking play.

12v12 Soccer Drill

Coaching Points

Speed of play
Quick changing of sides
Use wide passes to find deep passing channels
Do not force to score a goal when it is unnecessary
Keep possession
Switchover
Anticipation
Heads up, vision
Supporting movements without the ball in time
Take care of extra balls

Set Up
Number of players: 16 - 24
Time: 15 - 25 min

Equipment

Small Cones: 10 - 20
Balls: 1
Portable Goals: 8

Cool Down
Duration: 5 min
Summary:
Individual stretching