Mike Trusson – FA Coach Educator
Defending Sessions
Soccer Coaching – 8 v 8 small sided games
May 9th
Football coaching a team in a small sided game, with the coaching topic of defend as a team.
We try to get the football coaches to understand the basic principle of defending. Once possession is lost, the team look to get behind the ball, get a defensive shape, which is narrow and compact and allows players to adopt positions in relation to where the ball is.
Defending in team play starts from the front. So when the ball was in possession of the opposition defence, we worked with our two strikers, to get them to understand how to react quickly when the ball was lost, to recover behind the ball and to work and defend as a pair. They needed to recognise if the player on the ball had good possession, then there was no point in trying to pressure the ball as they would easily be passed by. Their roles were to try and stop the ball behind passed forward into key attacking areas and to try and force play across the pitch and to keep the ball in front of them. They had to work as a pair communicate and react together as the ball was passed across them.
Once the strikers More >
The use of simplified small sided games in training.
Apr 1st
Players love playing football. Take any group of players, the first thing they will do is make two goals, select sides and have a game. Football is fun, the concept of using simplified small sided games as an integral aspect of training is to provide players with an opportunity to do what they enjoy doing the most, playing a game.
During the process of playing a game players are constantly faced with observing, analysing and solving a succession of quick moving problems. As the game ebbs and flows, their ability to react and deal with constantly changing situations is always being tested.
Whilst technical and skill practices have their role to play in training players, with an emphasis on their “how things are done” repetitive mantra, they don’t always take into account the “when to” and “why” of playing football. Simplified small sided games challenge players to make decisions on the “when to” and “why”. The decisions players are forced to make in simplified small sided games develop improved technical performance in all aspects of the game, players having lots more touches of the ball and greater participation in the game, a better understanding of working and co – operating in units More >
MAN TO MAN POSSESSION GAME
Mar 19th
PURPOSE
To improve players football fitness and to develop the players ability to create space for themselves, for team mates, to improve turning, dribbling and passing skills as well as to enhance communication skills. This practice will also help improve player’s ability to man mark, to pressure the ball, to prevent turning and to track runners defensively.
ORGANISATION
- Mark out an area of 30 x 30 yards, on each side of the area mark out 4 x target areas of 15 x 10 yards.
- Supply of footballs near the coach. Each time a ball goes out of play a ball should immediately be passed back onto the pitch so the practice continues without interruption
- 4 x teams of 4 players. Play two teams of 4 v 4 in the main area and 4 target players in each of the four target areas. One team of 4 are resting.
- Target players play with whatever team are in possession of the ball.
- The players of each of the active teams are designated a player to man mark.
- This is a very intensive practice for both teams and the players should only be actively involved for designated periods, between 1 – 4 minutes, before being rotated to become the resting or More >
FA Level 3 Coaching Small Sided Games DEFEND AS A TEAM
Nov 16th
This is an example of coaching a UEFA B, Level 3 Small Sided Game, Coach Defend as a Team.
ORGANISATION
- Play 8 v 8
- Pitch area 70 x 50 yards
- Pitch marked into thirds
- Play off side – only in marked thirds area.
- Suggested formation 3 – 2 – 2
- Both teams to play realistically
- Coach only one team
- Coach through the units of the team
- Use structured start points, but also let play develop and coach from what happens
COACHING POSITION
- The coach should always be in a position where they can see all of the play and all of the players.
- The Coach should be prepared to move their position to be able to observe the play better.
- The Coach can go on the pitch to coach, but must not get in way or interfere with play.
- When stopping play to make a coaching point, get on the pitch quickly, make the coaching point and let play continue
PLAYERS RESPONSIBILITIES
- Defensive and attacking responsibilities:
- When a team are attacking, the coach should ensure they are aware of not only providing attacking options, but also have a defensive awareness of when the ball has been lost.
- Similarly, when a team is defending, they should have an awareness of trying to counter attack when they gain possession.
- When playing, the More >
Football Coaching to improve short passing, receiving and support
Jul 19th
The ability for players to receive the ball, to pass accurately and quickly over short distances and to move to support the player on the ball are basic fundamentals of football.
In the World Cup, Spain passed the ball over short distances better than any other team. They kept their passing short, sharp and accurate. Players who didn’t have the ball were always trying to find space and to provide support for the player on the ball, so they always had two or three passing possibilities.
It is important that young players develop this simple technique and skill. As a football coach, you should focus on ensuring the players practice the following:
- Players on toes and able to move quickly to receive the pass. Make a bad pass a good one
- Early verbal and non-verbal communication from the player receiving the pass
- Control the ball out of feet and in front
- Head up, picture the pass. Connect with who is going to receive the pass
- Slight angle of approach to the ball
- Non-kicking foot alongside the ball
- Body shape – compact and over the ball
- Strike the ball with a firm inside of the foot and through the middle- centre of the ball
- Kicking foot follows through the target
- Decision on first More >
Soccer Coaching Repetition Without Being Repetitious
Jul 12th
I recently attended the new FA Level 2 Youth award. One of the messages that came out is that for players to learn and improve as players, they have to repetitively practice techniques and skills. But, if coaches only put on sessions where the players repeatedly practice the same thing, then very quickly, lose motivation and become bored. As a result, they become disinterested and sloppy and the whole process becomes self defeating.
As soccer coaches, we should look to provide a positive motivational climate for our players. The trick is getting the balance between players performing lots of soccer related technical actions, such as passing or receiving, whilst keeping their attention, providing motivation and stimulation and keeping the sessions fun and enjoyable.
If players only play games…which is what they really want to do. Then this provides a high motivation, but low repetitions of lots of technique and skill practice.
If players practice drills and block soccer coaching work. Then this provides lots of repetitions, but low motivation and stimulus.
The ideal soccer coaching scenario is to provide sessions that focus on game sense type games and challenges. These types of games should place all learning in game like environments structured by the More >
Recent Comments