Italian Pressing and Conditioning Play Part 3: Identifying When and Where to Drop; Hold the Line, Slide; Press the Ball and Push or Sprint Up

Italian Pressing and Conditioning Play Part 3: Identifying When and Where to Drop; Hold the Line, Slide; Press the Ball and Push or Sprint Up

Add players to the practice. Have the game set up as a normal phase play, attackers against defenders. Attackers have to try to score, defenders try to win the ball back and score in the little goals. The defenders have five passes to score once they win the ball then it goes back to the attacking side. 

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Italian Pressing and Conditioning Play Part 1: Pressing from the Back and Condensing Play

Italian Pressing and Conditioning Play Part 1: Pressing from the Back and Condensing Play

Pressing from the Back and Condensing Play. Defenders drop off slower than attackers to allow them to get close and to delay their forward momentum.  The defenders attack the ball the moment the furthest attacker is along the defensive line of the last defender. They move together to the ball, in this case treble- teaming the man on the ball.

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Pressure: When, Where and How as a Unit in the Attacking 1/3rd

Pressure: When, Where and How as a Unit in the Attacking 1/3rd

The majority of goals in the game of soccer are results of mistakes and most mistakes occur when players are put under pressure, especially in dangerous areas.  When you are attacking and you lose possession your first goal should be to regain possession.  You will be surprised the number of times your opponent will give the ball away in front of the goal when your team closes them down in an organized fashion. 

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The "Awareness" Numbers Game

The "Awareness" Numbers Game

Game Objective: Teaching Players to be Aware of their Next Option “Before” They Receive the Ball and Not After

You can have players static to begin then have them passing and moving. Player receives from the same person and passes to the same person each time. This develops great awareness of time, space and player positions. Continuous work on and off the ball. Awareness of : where the player you receive from is and where the player you pass to is. Because of this players begin to anticipate the pass to them and where it is coming from. Also they must look to where it is going to (where is the player they are passing to?).

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Patterns of Play: Building from the Back in an 8 v 8

Patterns of Play: Building from the Back in an 8 v 8

8 v 8 is at the younger ages; and not wanting to baffle them with science too early; we will choose far fewer ways to build out from the back than we do at 11 v 11.

But we will establish patterns of play they can learn to do that are very simple; but also very effective when done correctly; and we will change the boot ball mentality many clubs follow; and teach the game correctly without fear of failure. 

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How Our Teams Play at 11 v 11 in the Tiffiny League

How Our Teams Play at 11 v 11 in the Tiffiny League

Here is a chance for all our players to watch and understand how we will be playing in the Tiffiny league.

This system of play is based on my 14th published and latest Book: "Coaching The FLEX: 1-3-3-1-3" its a very free and open way to play where players are allowed and encouraged to change positions on the field as long as they cover for each other.

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Four Color Cone Defending Drill

Four Color Cone Defending Drill

Four cones, red, blue, yellow and white, coach calls different colors players have to adjust side to side to get there quickly. 5 to 6 seconds each pair. Defenders are now shifting quickly and against the movement of the attacker when the attacker decides to shift the ball one way or the other. Only do it for 5 or 6 seconds because in games defenders only stay down there like this for that time period generally. How quickly can they do it?

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3 v 2 To Goal

3 v 2 To Goal

Use the penalty area and a regulation size goal. Two lines of defenders stand on both sides of the goal. Three lines of attackers stand five yards out from the top of the penalty box. The coach or server stands on the end line, between the 6 and 18, with a group of balls.

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Finishing In and Around the Box with the 4-2-3-1 Diamond Attacking Set-Up

Finishing In and Around the Box with the 4-2-3-1 Diamond Attacking Set-Up

Striker movement is one of the greatest and most difficult ARTS to master. The situation is constantly changing and the striker is constantly moving to create space for him or herself but also for teammates. Small-sided games are important in the development of younger players through increased touches with the ball and more experience with basic tactical challenges.

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Soccer Awareness Session: Quick Break Counter Attack

Soccer Awareness Session: Quick Break Counter Attack

The team in possession has to make three passes then they can pass into the lone striker. Two
midfield players break quickly to support (making a 4 v 2 overloads in favor of the attacking team) and / or one defensive midfielder can recover. Start with a big overload then introduce the recovering midfielder later when the session is working well to offer a bigger challenge. This leaves a 4 v 1 situation in the middle zone in favor of the other team who are currently defending, if no recovering midfielder is used to begin. If the defenders win the ball or the keeper receives it, the ball is played quickly into the middle zone (to a 4 v 1 overload again) where they make three passes then get the ball into the striker to attack in the other direction.

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Game Situation Problem: Getting Tight To A Striker Dropping Deep To Receive To Feet

Game Situation Problem: Getting Tight To A Striker Dropping Deep To Receive To Feet

Striker comes short, center back lets the striker go, and the striker receives and
turns and runs at the back four who now are in a vulnerable position. Being able to
immediately run at the back four means the striker and teammates have not been
delayed which would help other players on our team recover back.

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Video: Inverted Movements Exercise

Video: Inverted Movements Exercise

This is part two of a three part video series from the Soccer Awareness Training Center. In this session we are developing play from the back with inverted runs into "No Mans Land" central areas.

In this progression of the exercise: 

  • Shadow play
  • First movement the wing back 1 cuts inside to receive
  • 2nd movement the winger 7 cuts inside to receive to link up with wing back 2 wide to play to striker 9 running into the channel.
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