This sets up the coming together of two different tactics – it’s build up from the back versus the constant threat of the counterattack from balls played behind the defence.
Set up
Use an 80×40-yard area split into three zones as shown. We’ve used 14 players including two keepers.
How to do it
Split your players into two teams of seven. In the centre zone there is a 4v4, with a 2v2 in the large half of the pitch. The other zone is free. Play starts with an attacking player passing back to his keeper from a wide position. The keeper plays to a team-mate in the middle zone and the game commences. Play out from the back and build up through the centre zone to one of the attackers in the 2v2 zone. If the opposition win the ball they can counterattack and two of their players can enter the free zone unopposed. This team need to use the free zone to put balls behind the four defenders, so they can take advantage and score.
Technique
This is the perfect set up for the two rivals with different tactics. The team playing from the back will have to play short passes to create space to get the ball up to their attackers in the 2v2, then cover the back line to prevent any counterattack.
1. All starts and restarts are with one of the attackers in the large zone passing back to his goalkeeper2. The keeper must play the ball out of defence to a team mate in the middle zone
3. Teams must challenge in the 4v4 zone and try to win the ball and progress4. Here the attackers have moved to receive the pass but the defender is quicker and wins the ball
5. Now the counterattack is on and a good pass puts the ball behind the opposition defence for two players to collect unopposed and combine to score
Anticipate the ball being played through the lines and intercept passes by blocking passing routes. Players will also need to be able to tackle and win the ball MORE
Teams can turn up and launch long balls behind your defenders. This game will get players watching for, and reacting to, the danger of the long ball. MORE
One of the ways to improve your team in 2021 is to get them communicating on the pitch. Players do this by verbal and non verbal actions, like pointing where they want a ball to be passed or calling for the ball when overlapping from behind like a fullback running outside a winger. MORE
Use this session to train your players to make darting runs behind the defence in order to pick up the ball and score goals. Rapid forward breaks put your team on the front foot when they are attacking. MORE
In a couple of weeks once the decorations have come down it is back to (hopefully) full time training again. One training position I think about at this time of year is the Christmas joker. It's a very important position a bit like the star of the school play and it needs a player who is a big personality on the pitch.. MORE