20: Shooting Scores RELATION TO GAME: As discussed many times in both this book and the other Deliberate Sewer Practice titles, the smajority of goals ate scored from the area directly in front of goal. We ean practice this but also focus on other piteh areas such as in front of the goal area, and finishing from wide angles. INITIAL SET-UP: * Two teams and two goals, with two goalkeepers ‘Four scoring zones — the goal area (1), outside the goal area (2) and both wide areas (3). CONSTRAINT AND INSTRUCTIONS: ‘© All players can move anywhere on the pitch. They are not restricted, or confined, 10 any © Ifa goal is scored ftom the goal area, it is worth one point. A goal is worth wo points when scored centrally outside the goal ares. A goal from wide areas is worth three points. © Offside: Final third. PROGRESSIONS: Change the value of goals from each area to focus on finishing from particular zones. 2. Have different values For both teams ~ pick your players to suit these scoring parameters, 3, Allow players to choose the value of each scoring zone, 9CHALLENGES / QUESTIONS FOR PLAYERS: «Recognize the importance ofthe goal aea and the need to practice nishes from that lose to goal, and often heavily defended, can you finish with fo touch finishes? can you shoot from outside the goal area, or from © Because you are cl composure, often using one oF tw ‘© If opportunites present themselves, wide areas? 4s Ensure the decision made to shoot from outside the goal area, and especially the wide areas, is a good, ‘honest one. «© When attacking in need of a goal, sometimes you need to take risks, which may mean shooting from elstance. Providing itis an honest decision, back the player taking the risk, SCORING: Goals scored. Various points depending on what atea the goal is scored from, as directed by the conch or by the players themselves. The value ofa goal scored from outside these four areas is at the diseretion of the eoach. CAUTION: Regardless of the value of a particular zone, players should make good decisions. If an ‘opportunity to score a goal presents itself, players should take it. Ifyou place a igh value from a goal from a wide area, for example, expect players t0 go for it 50sasqmo3 goibneted :tf { : : SOF amadior Homma a aa 38 Ye ce 7 Tee gs it ny a } - 4 “Seapiliiog om dike slay ovibre unan owt + eR ype x8 cant facta Ee A CIT FLL ENGES ( QUES ee - ha] s2MOTOUATEMI OMA THIAAT2HOO: ee sep raze oor tn me aortas am anc.quer cen tes Brey Ape sshrane soa as ‘ad basta os eyes af son goats aT» : somquas mnt yaidarn ied sly - Fr ‘ Seudh Inet sista) A & 1eMawsSROOAT Fano 220 wots om bs on yee ot Has yam ay nen ga OTL Spl tap ali aon garrend seaney9 ol wed and mans ev sceayons ch pata wh tne 3 fs td tos wo mt ge 2 ; 7 ile Be21: Defending Compact RELATION TO GAME: “To teach players the concept of being compact in defence. The setup of the pitch helps them to visualize the spaces required to defend. INITIAL SET-UP: ‘© Two teams and two goals, with two goalkeepers. # Divide the pitch vertically into five zones. CONSTRAINT AND INSTRUCTIONS: ‘+ Using cones, divide the piteh into five zones as shown above. Players are not restricted from any zone ~ they can move anywhere. © ‘The defending team is encouraged to defend three of these zones ~ the three closest to the ball, making them ‘compact.’ © Offside: Final third PROGRESSIONS: 1. To simplify matters, you may ask the players to defend two zones out of three. 2. Or three zones from four. Both progressions, however, result in a less ‘compact’ defence than using three of five zones, but may be easier for players to recognizeCHALLENGES / QUESTIONS FOR PLAYERS: * When your ream loses possession, can you recognize the need to become compact? ‘+ Can you communicate with your teammates to allow the team to become defensively compact? ‘+ Can you understand which zones to occupy and which ones to vacate? Do players understand wh? ‘+ Ieis often the wide players on the opposite side of the pitch to the ball that have the biggest challenge here. Attack minded wingers, for example, end to ‘switch offi these moments. Encourage their understanding of why being compact is necessary. ‘© Once possession is regained, can the team spread out to create space all over the pitch? SCORING: Goals scored. CAUTION: Within this game, there is actually no constraint on what players can do. We have, however, manipulated the environment and are giving players visual clues about defensive positioning, Encourage and prompt them as necessary.22: Defensive Positioning RELATION TO GAME: Defending today is based more on interceptions, rather than brute force, crunching tackles or ‘overpowering opponents. Players’ positioning is crucial so they can defend successfully INITIAL SET-UP: © Two teams and two goals, with two goalkeepers. © A halfway line isin place. CONSTRAINT AND INSTRUCTIONS: © Players can only tackle in their own defensive half ‘+ In the opponent’s half, they can jockey, close down, screen Forward passes, cover, etc ‘+ This should encourage them to rely on positioning sense, communication, and crucially, their focus on what is happening between them and their own goal, rather than solely focusing on what is ia front of them. ‘¢Dlavers can defend as necessary in their own half. # Give the team an extra point when they make an interception that results in their team scoring a goal. © Offside: Final third PROGRESSIONS: 1. Remove the halfway line. You now canaot tackle anywhere on the pitch. Focus entirely ‘on positioning and interceptions. 542 Remove all constraints and play as normal. Continue to offer extra points for interceptions and encourage reading passes and interceptin, v ig the ball CHALLENGES / QUESTIONS FOR PLAYERS: ‘* Can you be disciplined when defending the opposition’s half ‘* In the opposition’s half, can you focus on closing down space, screening / blocking, forward passes, tracking forward runs, and making interceptions? + In your own hal, can you intercept if possible and tackle when necessary, especialy neater to goal where you may need to dendritic ‘* Can you predict where the danger is and predict where the attack may develop? © As well as goal-side, can you defend your opponent on the “ball-side’ to allow ‘opportunities to intercept or spoil your opponent's first touch? In progression 2, without any constraints, can your focus remain on reading the game and making interceptions? ‘SCORING: Goals scored. The coach can also give a point for every interception made, when the team goes ‘on to score from a counter-attack. CAUTION: Defending is clearly a very important aspect of soccer. This game is aot about getting players to defend in a syfer manner, but one to get them to defend in a smarter manner.23: Force Attacks Away from Goal RELATION TO GAME: Being able to force your opponent away from goal is one of the priosities of defending, Tr ean sometimes be call ‘dictating’ or ‘deflecting’ attackers into areas that are less threatening, The defender is, therefore, controlling the situation and is posing a problem for the attacker. INITIAL SET-UP: ‘© Two teams and two goals, with two goalkeepers. ‘© The goals, however, are not central, but are placed in opposite comers. ewan nrc 16 CONSTRAINT AND INSTRUCTIONS: ‘© Having the goals located near the touchline gives defenders the opportunity to force attacks away from goal into the larger, wide area. It is something the whole team an participate in making happen, © ‘The more that defenders can force the opposition into these areas, the less likely they will be to concede goals, and they will also be in a good position to attack when they regain | the bal, ‘© Offside: Final third PROGRESSIONS: 1. Place the goals centrally as per a ‘normal’ game. Encourage players to continue forcing players away fom goalCHALLENGES / QUESTIONS FOR PLAYERS: Can your defensive priority be to protect the goal? Can you keep your opponent away from goal and away from goal-scoring azeas? (Can you do this by ‘forcing’ your opponent(s) away from goal? (Side-on, surfer position) Once you have forced him away from goal, can you ensure that he has no easy route back? For example, if you force him wide, do not allow him an easy cross into the area After Progression 1, can players make decisions about which direction to force a playes? Is the opponent’s attack stronger on one side, and therefore needs to be forced to the other? Is it better to force an individual player to his left or right foot? Is your defence strong on one side, and you can, therefore, force an attack into, yuar strong avea? ‘Once away from danger, can you actively seek to regain the ball as an individual or team? Can you counter-attack swiftly and with quality once you regain the ball? SCORING: Goals scored. CAUTION:24: High Defensive Pressing RELATION TO GAME: A majority of goals are scored as a result of regaining the ball in the opponent's half and final third, This game encourages teams to press high and look to start attacks by regaining the bal near the oppostion’s goal INITIAL SET-UP: © Two teams and two goals, with wo goalkeepers, ¢ A alfway line is in place. cae pas CONSTRAINT AND INSTRUCTIONS: # Both teams receive double points if they score as a result of regaining the ball in the ‘opposition’s half of the pitch. ‘© The offside line is the halfway line, allowing players to press high. © Offside: Halfway line, PROGRESSIONS: |. Divide the pitch into thirds. The team will now get double points when a goal is scored from a regain in the final thitd. The offside line ean remain halfway. Conflicting Constraint: Add a further constraint where both teams must play through the thirds. This will encourage more opportunities to press high, and also work on your players’ abilities to play out from the back when under pressure,hoe CHALLENGES / QUESTIONS FOR PLAYERS: * Can you be defensively positive by pressing high up the pitch? # If the front players are pressing, ensure the rest of the team is defending high up the pitch. This stops the opposition from breaking the first area of pressure, and then being, able to attack free spaces between the front and back players, Ensure the goalkeeper is alive to the play, concentrating fully, and has a high starting position to sweep up any passes played behind the defence. This is a very important aspect of a high pressing gnme. * Once the ball is regained, can the team attack quickly to take advantage of their close proximity to goal, and the potential disorganization of the opposition? SCORING: Goals scored. Double points if a goal comes from a regain in the opponent's half, or in the final thitd Progressions). CAUTION: [As a result of the value of a goal from a regain, players my intentionally give the ball away, so they can press and win it back! This can and does happen at the very highest level of the professional game, but very irregularly. Ensure rules and soccer logic are not bent too much!25: Man-Marking / Tracking Runs RELATION TO GAME: Idom seen, as defences are generally set ‘whether he has the ball, ors making an ‘many coaches because = both defensive and Straight man-to-man marking in the modern game is sel up zonally. However, the need to ‘lock on’ to an attacker, ‘off the-ball run, remains important. This game is a pre-season favourite of of the physical returns, but there are also technical and tactical reruns offensive, INITIAL SET-UP: Two teams and two goals, with two goalkeepers. Sconce 87 CONSTRAINT AND INSTRUCTIONS: «Each player is paired up with a player (a man market) from the opposition team. © A ‘normal’ smallsided game ensues; players, however, can only be tackled by their designated marker. Defensively, your ditect opponent is your direct responsibility ‘* Create competition between both teams and pairs by keeping a ‘game score’ and a ‘pair scote’ ~ how many goals are scored in your 1v 1 battle? © Offside: None. PROGRESSIONS: 1. There are several ways to waterdown the man-marking concept to hone in on certain players, of units. Below, the midfielders are the only players doing the man-marking, Aracing uns fom mideld are an important pr ofthe game, making the tacking of these runs vitally important. 60Confsing Constraints The game ca alo be played ay normal with jum «ne 1 ting pat — dale ven denice weg oma iu a pe skills mild vers midds to help thon undecesP eget ceening sede understand das he mst come sve are a ane eae cone wer masececeash 17 CHALLENGES / QUESTIONS FOR PLAYERS: Can players anticipate when their team is about to turn the ball over? Playets should have ‘half an eye on their ditect opponent, even when in possession, Once possession is lost by your team, can you ‘lock on’ to your dizeet opponent? Can you track and match any forward rons they make, cther when they have the ball, or when they are making off-the-ball forward runs? Ifyour direct opponent gets away from you, can you recover? Can attacking players be clever and look for ways to escape from their mazkers, either when their team is in possession, or when they anticipate a tumnoves? Can you defend 1 v 1 and regaia the ball? ‘SCORING: Goals scored. Goals scored versus a player's direct opponent. CAUTION: Players cheat! Lazy players will let their opponent go, then hope to transition quickly once their team has the ball. Other players will hold, grapple, and make off-the-ball fouls! Ensure you ean re-focus players on the relevant learning outcomes, and not just how to manipulate the rules, ol26: Defensive Control / Heading RELATION TO GAME: Tradionally, defenders were toppers and ofen insted snp Wek it and heads these sls are sill used, defenders are now also required to make decvions about Wists sake an ‘old school’ defensive clearance, ply a defensive pass (eg, head it though under pressute) or, ineressingly, to contol the ball avelling inthe ai. INITIAL SET-UP: © Two teams and two goals with two goalkeepers © Pitch is split into thirds CONSTRAINT AND INSTRUCTIONS: ‘© All restarts begin from the goalkeepers ‘The game is started by the goalkeeper playing « long pass or throw into the final thied. Only defenders are permitted in this zone during the restart, # Defenders must make a defensive clearance, play a defensive pass, or control the ball. ©The game begins as normal after a defenders first touch, ‘© Offside: Final third PROGRESSIONS: A single opponent can now enter the zone to compete For the long ball 2. Add further opponents if necessary aore emer oe CHALLENGES / QUESTIONS FOR PLAYERS: + Can defenders decide whether the best option is to make a defensive clearance, play a defensive pass to a teammate, ot control the ball themselves? Controlling the ball, where possible, is prized as it reduces the risk of giving the ball way * Encourage ball control or a defensive pass over an aimless clearance + Can a player's defensive teammates adopt cover positions while the receiving player deals with the bal? ‘© Teammates should predict where the ball may land to gain ot regain possession for their team. ‘SCORING: Goals seored. CAUTION: ‘This type of practice may cause some discomfort to some coaches, who will insist that the goalkeeper plays shorter passes from the back. However, long passes and aerial challenges control remain a part of the game. Assure the goalkeeper and other players of the purpose of the practice — to improve defensive decisions. ‘The goalkeeper can be challenged to work on his distibution skills. 8