SET UP

The session takes place in the attacking half of the pitch. There should be a defending team of 9 players, a goalkeeper and 8 outfield players. Structure the defending team as a back four, a central midfield pairing and two wide players, who start off in the opposition half of the pitch and can only recover back once the ball has been passed from the server to an attacking midfield player. It is important that the coach controls the recovery runs of the two wide defending midfield players to ensure that the ball can be played wide to the attacking midfield players or to the attacking fullbacks, which ensures there are opportunities to then develop wide play.

The attacking team line up with two central forwards, 2 wide attacking players, 2 central midfield players and 2 supporting attacking fullbacks.

The practice always starts with the ball being played from a server, who is located on the halfway line with a supply of footballs. To start with they must pass to one of the attacking central midfield players, but as the session progresses, the server can pass to any of the attacking players.

If the defending team wins the ball, they can score by running the ball through one of the goals located on the halfway line or passing the ball back into the server.

The objective of the session is to develop wide play, so if the attacking team have the ball, their first thought should be to pass the ball wide and for the wide players, to get as wide as possible.

START POINT

PROGRESSION 1

The initial movement of the attacking central midfield players is to create space and receive a pass from the server. They should then look to pass the ball wide. Once the midfield player has possession of the ball, the wide player on that side of the pitch should get as wide and as far forward as possible - to coin an old football phrase - get chalk dust on their boots - this will make the pitch big and wide and make it difficult for the defenders to defend.

PROGRESSION 2

The wide player makes an initial run / movement that threatens the back of the fullback, before checking back to receive the ball to feet. Ideally, they should receive the ball so that they are facing the fullback, ready to deliver a cross or attack the full back with the ball. If the fullback doesn't get tight enough, encourage the wide player to keep it simple and cross the ball into the space for the forwards to run onto and attack.

PROGRESSION 3

If the fullback gets tight, then the attacking wide player should attack the fullback and use a dribbling skill that initially threatens the inside shoulder of the fullback, so that the fullbacks movement is to react and defend this movement, before checking outside the opposite shoulder, bursting quickly into the space and delivering an early cross.

PROGRESSION 4

In this example, the attacking fullback has made an overlapping run to make a 2 v 1 situation. There are a number of key factors to maximising this and other 2 v 1 attacking in wide areas opportunities:

1. The attacking wide player on the ball must attack the inside shoulder of the fullback with the ball - this will force the fullback inside and create space outside that the attacking fullback can exploit.
2. The attacking fullback should time their run so that they can run onto the ball. They will also need to communicate with the player on the ball.
3. The centre forwards pull away from the wide space. This movement will force the central defenders to cover their run and leave the space for a 2 v 1 situation wide.
4. A cross is delivered

PROGRESSION 5

In this example, the wide player has made a run wide with the ball, pulling the defending fullback wide. The attacking fullback has made an under lapping run.

PROGRESSION 6

This time, the wide player has passed the ball inside into a forward who has found space to create a wall pass situation. The forward has 3 main options:

1. To turn with the ball and have a shot.
2. To pass the ball into space for the overlapping fullback
3. To pass the ball into the wide player who has followed their pass for a shot

The examples we have shown here are just a few ways in which wide play can be developed, other ways might include:

• The wide player moving towards the ball, then spinning for a ball to be passed into the space goal side of the defender.
• The ball being set back for a supporting midfield player who passes into an overlapping fullback - third man run.
• A centre forward making a wide run and the ball being passed to them
• The wide player checking from the line to come 10 - 15 yards inside the pitch. This would give the defending fullback another problem, if they defend tight against the wide player, then the central midfield player can pass into the space for the overlapping fullback. If they don't get tight, the wide player can get the ball to feet and attack the space, maybe looking to link up with one of the central forwards for a 2 v 1 situation around the edge of the box
• The ball can be played to the attacking fullback's feet. They can then link up with the wide player to create another 2 v 1 situation.

As the session progresses, it is important that both wide players become involved and that the ball is served to different attacking players to create different attacking scenarios.