Overview & Motivation
Improve ability to recognize when to use width and when to use vertical options
Physical Setup
- Two players from 1 team are out wide, 2 players from the other team are up top acting as targets. - 2 full goals. Two evenly split teams. - Four games of 6 minutes. Rotate targets each time. Switch width vs depth at halftime
Instructions
- Wide targets have 2 touches & Vertical targets have 1 touch - Goals scored directly after using target players = a bonus point - Ball starts with the GK - Bonus point if both wide targets touch the ball in the build-up - Wide players have ~5 yards of space and defenders can take the ball from them
Coaching Points
In Possession: - Break or build? - Can we utilize wide options to spread the opposition out and open up better options centrally? - You've got a +3 in possession, use it - Create vertical options, don't make a small space smaller - Need runners above and below the ball Out of Possession: - Protect the goal first and foremost - Don't get pulled out of your shape - Side on positioning to see the ball and your mark
Progressions
- Ball always starts with Blue GK to replicate build phase vs Red's counter options vertically - Bonus point if red scores within 5 seconds of a turnover - Any backwards pass needs to be followed by a forward pass
Key Players
CMs: Can we utilize width to open up new pockets of space. Utilize counter movements to get free of defenders focused on the ball. Open to receive and go the other way when there's space. Break or build to maintain possession or go forward. CBs: Track dangerous movements. As the ball gets closer to the goal, you get closer to the attacker. Leverage numbers in possession to possess and break lines. Recognize that longer passes are an option into the target players.