Team Shape Development in 9 v 9 - Training Center Exclusive

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Team Shape Development in 9 v 9 - Training Center Exclusive

Here we show how team shape changes from defending to attacking to then how we start to interchange and rotate players. Distances between defending and attacking are bigger than most think. Players learn how to add fluidity and freedom to team play in terms of their offensive movements and how to compact themselves when defending.

Using the 1-3-3-1-1 is a progressive move to playing the 1-3-3-1-3 in the 11 v 11 hence I am starting with this formation at 9 v 9.

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Composure Zones to Aid Team Play and Individual Development in a 9 v 9 - Training Center Exclusive

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Composure Zones to Aid Team Play and Individual Development in a 9 v 9 - Training Center Exclusive

An easy introduction to teaching players to develop play from the back without the pressure they would get in a game situation. Builds confidence and composure in the players and you can increase the pressure as they improve.

Overload at the back. Striker can’t encroach into the 10-yard composure zone. Defenders pass ball across under no pressure until one is free to run it out, attackers can now try to win it back. Defenders can take the ball back into the composure zone for safety and this encourages spreading out and playing from the back. Be patient, keep possession; go forward at the correct moment.

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Developing Attacking Play in the Opponents Defending Third

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Developing Attacking Play in the Opponents Defending Third

The attacking team has the ball. This is the start position of the game situation.

The idea is to have this phase, being the attacking one, and working on various ideas of movement, rotation and interchange to try to score.

You can focus on this until success is achieved from an attacking point of view.

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How To Set-up A Small-Sided Game

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How To Set-up A Small-Sided Game

Small-sided games are less than 11 v 11 and can be any number from 3 v 3 to 9 v 9. The general sizes of a game to establish team coaching themes are usually 6 v 6 or 8 v 8. Here are two examples of set ups for these sizes of games and information on U.S. Soccer's small-sided games standards.

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Teaching Defending as a Team in an 11 v 11

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Teaching Defending as a Team in an 11 v 11

The best form of attacking is expert defending.  As a team we need to improve on this. Therefore a big part of our game MUST be heavy pressing all over the field with ALL players tuned into the way to do it. Players on the opposite side of the field when the ball is with opponents especially should understand their roles and the need to condense the spaces.

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Teaching Changes in Team Shape in a 1-4-3-3 Incorporating Developing Angles and Timing of Support

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Teaching Changes in Team Shape in a 1-4-3-3 Incorporating Developing Angles and Timing of Support

In this presentation we are working on moving and passing into HALF SPACES between opponents positioning. Players position so they are AT LEAST side-on improving their PERIPHERAL VISION at ALL times on the field of play. This presentation concludes with attacking in the final third opening to 5 corridors.

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Defensive Positioning to Fix in Defensive Team Shape

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Defensive Positioning to Fix in Defensive Team Shape

Teams should have 2 basic shapes, an attacking one and a defensive one; wide and long on offense, short and tight on defense. The differences between each should be significant in terms of spacing between players. A problem that occurs is defensive team shape is not short and tight enough and it allows opponents too much time on the ball.

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Now Available: Coaching the Ultra Fluid 3-3-1-3

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Now Available: Coaching the Ultra Fluid 3-3-1-3

Wayne Harrison's new book, his 15th publication on Soccer Coaching, will be soon!
 
Playing a 1-3-3-1-3 might be the way forward in the future. Chile won the Copa America Championship this year for the first time in their history using it. Pep Guardiola head coach of Bayern Munich uses it at times.

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A Short and Simple Explanation on How to Defend

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A Short and Simple Explanation on How to Defend

Attacking: Based on the 5 corridors width-wise we want all 5 corridors to have players in them. 

Based length–wise we want a maximum of 2 of 3 zones filled; with the exception of the keeper.

Defending: Based on the 5 corridors width-wise we want a maximum of 3 corridors filled with players preferably 2.5 if possible.

Based length-wise we want a maximum of 2 of 3 zones filled preferably the whole team is condensed into 1.5 zones or at most half a field.

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5 Phases of Play for 4-2-3-1

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5 Phases of Play for 4-2-3-1
  • This is a very simple way to show how the team movement works. The system changes as we advance.
  • Players can interchange positions as we develop the play.
  • We offer great dynamics and fluidity to the players to allow them to express themselves on the field moving to a very attacking 3-1-3-3.
  • With this we can show the discipline also involved when we lose the ball and recover back.
  • Teams will develop their style of play within these frameworks, it will never be as picture perfect as this due to the nature of the game. It is more a guide. We teach this from U11 to U18.
  • How we do it per team will be determined by the level of play.
  • We strive to enable all teams at all levels to be able to master the attacking and defending defining team shapes of 1 and 2.
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Soccer Awareness Model of Team Development

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Soccer Awareness Model of Team Development

My model is implemented at professional Academy level. I believe in developing teams to reflect the most up to date and successful Professional European models of Soccer development. 

The FIVE Phases of Play at the 8 v 8

We employ the 3-3-1 system of play. Using it from U6 to U10 with all our teams; we endeavor to teach a particular style of play that is popular, fun to play and successful and which teaches the players all the best aspects of soccer development.

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