w

SOCCER COACHW

EEKLY

Midfield engine RooM

BReAKoUT And PReSS

ATTACK fRoM CenTRAl AReAS

new ideas for training sessions inside this issue

i was PLeased we KePt two CLean sHeets in a row

MIDFIELDLESSON PLANS

december 16, 2015issue 451

$6.99/£4.99

Learn • train • develop • enjoy

ATTACK THE PENALTY AREA

PRESSURE TO SCORE

GOALS

DEFENDING WHEN ORGANISED

W e had won the game 1-0 and only let in 2 goals in the last four

matches, but the reason for the text was that we had scored our goal after 20 minutes and then failed to find the net again in the rest of the game.

One of the parents commented that he was surprised that we hadn’t “killed the game off in the second-half”. Fresh from an 4-0 victory in the previous match everyone was hoping for more of the same. But soccer isn’t like that. I will have to convince the parents and my fellow coach that defence is just as important as attack.

Pressure To Score

w

SOCCER COACH

WEEKLY

Midfield engine RooM

BReAKoUT And PReSS

ATTACK fRoM CenTRAl AReAS

new ideas for training sessions inside this issue

i was PLeased we KePt two CLean sHeets in a row

MIDFIELDLESSON PLANS

december 16, 2015issue 451

$6.99/£4.99

Learn • train • develop • enjoy

ATTACK THE PENALTY AREA

PRESSURE TO SCORE

GOALS

DEFENDING WHEN ORGANISED

Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford GU5 0AB, UK.

Soccer Coach Weekly Issue 451

Contents

SoccerCoachWeekly.net� Issue�451 SOCCER COACH WEEKLY 2

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In this issue...

ASK DAVEGOT A COACHING PROBLEM? LET ME SOLVE IT FOR YOU!It’s good to have somebody to ask for advice

when you encounter a problem with your team – and whatever your coaching problem, I’m sure I can help.

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The truth is I was as pleased we had kept two clean sheets in a row as I was that we’d scored goals. We are doing a lot of work on defensive positions with supporting play a priority.

If a player commits there should always be a covering player blocking the route to goal should they fail to win the ball. In the text, the comment “could we try Will in left midfield?” was because this left-footed player had an outstanding match at left-back.

But what my helper failed to realise was that the reason for the two clean sheets is that the back two are playing really well together

and I won’t be changing that to give us more weight in attack.

When you are coaching you must remember you cannot always score lots of goals, and never forget that keeping clean sheets is an excellent testament to your coaching just as much as scoring goals is. So you must use defensive exercises as much as attacking ones, no matter what everyone else is telling you.

“Dave - I keep questioning why we didn’t score more goals today. John has got to pass the ball earlier. Too many times he lost possession at the corner flag. Peter would be better on that side as he only has a right foot. If John went on the left would he have to cut in? Do we use both on that side, one at a time?

“Could we try Will in left midfield against league leaders Texas Eagles? Do we need a bit of speed at the back? If we don’t get the crosses in against better teams we won’t score at all - or am I being too negative?”

3 MiDfielD leSSon planSWhat you can learn from two of the best young midfielders

4 MiDfielD engine RooMA session that replicates passing in the penalty area

5 bReakout anD pReSSPlaying out from the back into midfield with style

6 CentRal aReaSAttack the goal through central midfield areas

7 DefenDing When oRganiSeD How to keep the opposition attackers at bay with team work

8 CentRal DefenCeHow an idividual defends in a team situation

SoccerCoachWeekly.net� Issue�451 SOCCER COACH WEEKLY 3

L ast month Moussa Dembele said “This is the best team I’ve played in since I’ve been at

Tottenham. Mauricio Pochettino is trying to change the culture of the club and that was needed. We are very strong as a team and there is a good atmosphere in the group.”

Eric Dier and Deli Alli are the young England pair driving the team forward to the feet of Harry Kane

Gary Neville has lauded the effect Pochettino has had on Tottenham’s English players and claims youngster Alli has already given him his Three Lions highlight.

Alli has grabbed the attentions of the plaudits so far this season after putting in numerous impressive performances for both club and country following his White Hart Lane emergence.

The former MK Dons midfielder was

named man-of-the-match after netting in the recently friendly victory against France – England coach Neville admits it was great to see.

“In my role as an England coach I have noticed the difference in psychology and application when Tottenham players come into the camp. They now arrive prepared for the battle, ready to play, ready to work. They look like they want to partake in the meetings,” Neville said.

“There was a tackle in the lead-up to Dele Alli’s goal for England against France that ranks as one of my favourite moments as an England coach.

“There was a sense of pride watching someone perform like that, in his first game, against the likes of Matuidi, Schneiderlin and Pogba. You are thinking – what a performance that was by a young player.

“This lad was playing League One football recently. Now he can handle himself against

one of the best midfields in Europe. He can run, pass, tackle, head. And he’s tough. That performance against France was a highlight of my time with England.”

To complement this creativity another young English player, Eric Dier, is a strong focal point of Tottenham’s midfield.

He is the scuffler who sat in front of the Spurs defence against Manchester City and drove Yaya Toure backwards, but he is also a 21-year-old who had enough finesse to slip an equaliser past City keeper Willy Caballero from 25 yards.

His versatility of style is one thing; his versatility of function is quite another. He has been on a journey from reserve right back to centre half to central midfield in his 13 months since joining Tottenham from Sporting Lisbon.

Try the sessions that follow to get your team creating goals and winning battles in tough midfield areas of the pitch.

midfield

Tottenham’s Dele Alli and Harry Kane during training

ONES�TO�WATCH...�One�of�the�best�midfields�in�the�Premier�League�playing�into�one�of�the�best�strikers�in�the�Premier�League…�win�the�battles�and�Spurs�could�be�one�of�the�main�contenders.

Midfield lesson plans

One of the most influential areas of the pitch is the midfield engine room where passing and movement and use of the full width of the pitch can be the winning difference for your team

SoccerCoachWeekly.net Issue 451 SOCCER COACH WEEKLY 4

Play through midfield

Player movement Ball movement Run with ball Shot

By D

avid

Cla

rke

Midfield Engine Room

why use itThis is all about finding space for the pass and using players who are in that space

set uPYou need balls, bibs and cones in an area 25 x 20 yards. We used 9 players in the session.

hOw tO PLAySplit your players into two teams, a team of 6 passers (red) and 3 disrupters (blue). The idea is to get the ball from one end of the pitch to the other then back again. There should be 4 of the passing team around the edges of the pitch, 2 play as wingers and cannot come onto the pitch and 2 play as target men, the other 2 players are one in each half of the pitch. The disrupting team has two players in the half the ball starts in and one in the other half. Players stay in the areas they are given, except when the ball reaches the far end a blue player switches areas so there is always a 2v1 in the area the ball starts in. Blue players try to prevent the ball getting to its destination. The receive zone is unopposed so players can receive in their without being tackled.

teChNiQuePassing, movement, receiving, shooting and closing down are all worked on in this session.

20yds

25yds

RECEIVE ZONE

2yds

25yds

RECEIVE ZONE

RECEIVE ZONE

2 The player with the ball can pass to either the

attacker or to one of the wide players – he needs movement to help lose the markers

3 Here the ball is passed into the free

zone where the player receives, controls and gets out of the zone

1 Play starts with the server passing to his team mate

who goes 2v1 to try and get the ball to the other zone

4 Using the wide player the red team manage

to create space and get the ball to the server at that end of the pitch

5 Here the blue player moves to

make it a 2v1 in the zone the ball starts in

Playing out from the back requires some creative play and skill when the opposition are pressing quickly – this session looks at breaking out from the back under the pressure and helps with reaction to transitions

SoccerCoachWeekly.net Issue 451 SOCCER COACH WEEKLY 5

Play through midfield

Player movement Ball movement Run with ball Shot

By D

avid

Cla

rke

Breakout and Press

why use itWhen playing out from the back players need the ability to adapt and both attack and defence must react to transitions so it is very game relevant

set uPYou need balls, bibs, cones and a goal using half your normal pitch. We used 7 players in the session.

hOw tO PLAySplit your players into a goalkeeper, 2 defenders and 2 midfield on the side playing from the back against 2 pressing players (you can use more pressing players but this makes it much harder for the team playing out). The goalkeeper needs a number of balls because they will quickly be used!. The two pressing players must wait at a cone each in the middle of the pitch. Start with the goalkeeper playing a 1-2 with one of the defenders and then he plays to the other defender. That is the cue for the pressing players to be released. The aim is to get the ball to a player on the half way line representing progression from goal to into attacking midfield. If the pressers win the ball they can attack the goal

teChNiQuePassing out from the back and pressing.

2 When the keeper gets the ball back he passes

to the player on the other side and this releases the pressing players3 The pressing

players must try to prevent the ball being played through them

1 The keeper needs a number of balls and plays out from

the back by playing a one-two with one of the defenders

4 If the team playing out from the back plays

quickly they can spread the play and get the ball to the centre quickly

5 If the pressing players win the ball

they then attack the goal and try to score

In this session midfielders are moving the ball through the central area to set up their attackers to attack the goal. Lots of game-like movement and creativity

SoccerCoachWeekly.net Issue 451 SOCCER COACH WEEKLY 6

Play through midfield

Player movement Ball movement Run with ball Shot

By D

avid

Cla

rke

Central Areaswhy use itPlaying the ball out from the back means the central areas have to be penetrated with good vision and passing

set uPYou need balls, bibs, cones and goals in an area 40 x 30 yards. We used 12 players in the session.

hOw tO PLAySplit your players into one team with a goalkeeper and 3 defenders in one half of the pitch and an attacker in the other, another team with a goalkeeper and 2 defenders in one half and 2 attackers in the other. You also need 2 players in the central zone to screen/intercept passes from both teams. Players must stay in the areas designated. You can specify no passes over head height but I doubt you will need to as the passes need to be accurate and to feet.

teChNiQueVery game relevant technique with passing, movement and screening/blocking.

30yds

40yds

2yds

2 In the different overload situations

(2v1 and 3v2) the teams must combine to get the ball to their striker

3 The screening players must try to intercept

or block passes through the centre

1 Play starts each time with a pass out from

the goalkeeper to his defenders/midfielders

4 Here the play is perfect and the ball is passed

through the centre for the forward to exploit

5 If the screening players win the ball they

clear it out of play

SoccerCoachWeekly.net� Issue�451 SOCCER COACH WEEKLY 7

ROCK SOLID DEFENDING

on the ball makes a mistake.

Learn�how�to�tighten�up�your�defence�by�defending�as�a�team�by�moving�and�supporting�each�other�during�opposition�attacks�

SoccerCoachWeekly.net� Issue�451 SOCCER COACH WEEKLY 8

ROCK SOLID DEFENDING

Player movement Ball movement Run with ball Shot

By�D

avid

�Cla

rke

1 The game starts with a pass from the coach to one team. That team

must try to pass to team-mates or a neutral player in the central box to score a point

3 The defensive team attempts to prevent the

attacking team playing into the central square by reading the body language of the ball carrier and observing the dynamic movements of his team-mates

4 The defensive shape should be tight and

players should constantly be surveying their surroundings to help make good decisions and to communicate with their team-mates

5 As the ball moves, the defensive team

have to read the body language of the passer and the movement of the receiver to choose the best time to press or to drop off and delay the attacker

2 After receiving the pass in the central box, the team

then attacks one of the flag goals. Here the white team starts by attacking the red flags