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Skills Taught/
Themes (3):
1.
Pressure-Support: "1st and 2nd defender",
also called "pressure-cover" in the States. 2v2,
3v2
o This
is where most of the key concepts for playing
defense are taught. Whenever our team's defense
starts to get ragged I always take them back to
the basics of 2v2 and 3v2.
o These
drills teach not only the techniques of defense
but it's important to stress the focused
intensity and teammate centeredness it takes to
play defense well. Effort, focus, awareness and
heart are critical to making a good defender.
o "Pressure
the ball"
- closest defender pressures the ball. The first
important concept we teach defenders on our
team. Pressure
does not
equal tackle (taught earlier). Pressure keeps
the attackers head down and unable to make a
quality pass or take a good shot. "No look,
no shot!"
is a motto our players hear a lot.
o "I've
got ball",
"switch" and
"clear!"
stress the importance
of communication.
o Second
defender, teach correct position, depth and
angle from first defender who is pressuring the
ball.
"No one plays alone".
The second most important concept we teach
defenders on our team.
o "Play
with urgency
before it becomes an emergency". Quickly
getting back into support is as important as
pressuring the ball.
o "Move
together, stay together": Tracking the ball as a
unit. Staying in contact with one another.
Concepts will become even more important as we
move to 3v3.
2.
Pressure-Support-Cover:
"3rd defender", also called "pressure-cover-support"
in the States.
3v2+K, 3v3, 4v3
o Fullbacks:
making sure the support doesn't
"get flat"
with the pressuring defender else a through ball
can easily
"split"
the defenders. There needs to be depth to the
support (2nd defender) player. 3rd defender
(cover) stays tight with the group and is more
focused on keeping the defensive line and a
little less focused on marking possible passing
targets (unlike midfielders). 3rd defender must
play more conservatively on the fullback line.
Closest defender to the ball pressures the ball
and the whole line reacts to that with quick
interchange with who is pressuring, who is
supporting etc.
o Midfielders:
support (2nd defender) can take more chances and
flatten out more with the pressuring person
because they have the fullback line behind them
to gather in through balls. 3rd defender plays a
more active role in the midfield as they are
responsible for covering obvious passing lanes
and marking opponents tightly so they can be"first to the ball".
2nd and 3rd defenders can take more chances than
on the fullback line. Pressuring the ball and
stealing passes is the objective of the
midfielders - take chances!
o Pressing:
introduce the concept of pressing whereby the
entire group moves with the ball to pressure the
ball and smother passing lanes.
o "Move
together, stay together":
is emphasized even more now else gaps will
appear in our defensive line that balls can be
played through.
3.
Introduction to Transition:
1v2, 1v3, 2v3, 2v3+K
o Quickly
moving from defense (compact, pressing) to an
attacking rhythm and shape (width, depth,
passing triangles) the moment the ball is won.
Allow quick transition to attack
with every defensive drill you do from 1v1 to
7v7 so an immediate transition to attack becomes
second nature.
That is why I include transition as part of the
defensive curriculum because the players are
drilled in it so it becomes second nature to
push forward immediately on the attack once the
ball is won.
o
Emphasize safe, quick
"1-2"
passing combinations to quickly link up with the
positional group in front of you. Fullbacks
should
never
pass the ball in front of their own goal unless
there is absolutely no attackers around.
o "Defensive
block"
behind the ball as the ball is being
transitioned out (we never stop playing
defense). i.e. there should always be at least
two defenders behind the ball ready to play
defense.
Note: this defensive block really helps the
players confidence to quickly transition out on
the attack because they know they have teammates
'watching their back' if they should lose the
ball.
o Begin
to introduce how you want to play a controlled build-up
from the fullback line.
Teaching
Progression (13):
1.
2v2 pressure-support:
Cooperative then competitive. Pressure-support,
pressuring the ball, no one plays alone, playing
with urgency, communication, staying together.
2.
2v2 mini-tournaments.
3.
3v2 and 2+2v2: Same themes in overload
game conditions.
4.
4N+2v2:
Mini-game that
works on "1-2" passing combinations, ball
control and 2v2 defense.
5.
2v2 channeling.
6.
1v2 through balls.
7.
3v3 pressure-support-cover:
Cooperative then competitive. Same themes as 2v2
but introduce the cover responsibilities. Touch
on the differences between midfield and forwards
covering versus fullbacks.
8.
3v3:
With and
without keeper scrimmages.
9.
1v2 to 2v3 controlled transition games.
10.
3v2+k to 4v3+k: Starting to move into
positional group skills with a special emphasis
on the fullbacks.
11. 3v3 to 4v4
midfielder "fish bowl" games.
12.
1-3N+3v3 to 4v4 midfielder overload games.
13.
4N+3v3:
Mini-game that
works on "1-2" passing combinations, ball
control and 3v3 defense.
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