Soccer training, soccer drills, articles, soccer training videos and more from Wayne Harrison/Soccer Awareness.
Soccer Awareness training develops SELF THINKING players who are not coach driven; but coach guided, and within this they are allowed to make mistakes without criticism; but rather; encouraged to learn from them.
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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.
Read MoreFinding vital spaces outside the box across the opponents back four with a channel run
Read MoreDepending on the game situation we may need to change our team shape. We are winning with 20 minutes to go and the opponents are on top and pressing us hard. We MUST have a contingency plan to stop them.
Read MorePep Guardiola has introduced INVERTED FULLBACK / WINGBACK movements to the Premier league. It’s a real statement of intent to introduce radical ideas from the norm and we are sure in time it will be an effective change in the game set up.
Here Wayne shows how these inverted runs work having implemented them with his own team over a year ago with great success and hence winning one of the toughest leagues in the country at U14; the Southern California CRL league.
These inverted movements created confusion in the opponents defensive set ups and he also added wingers making the same moves as opposed to the wing backs (which is more common). Defensively now this would mean with (6) dropping back in; the second line of defenders would be (2), (8) and (3) getting compact as a three centrally.
Add this variation to your team, it opens up new attacking and defending challenges for your opponents
Read MoreIn this coaching clinic session, I'm teaching five themed sessions with specific conditions with the primary focus being teaching Peripheral Vision and Movement OFF and AWAY from the ball.
Read MoreWorking with three teams (4 v 4 + 4). Teams (1) and (2) work together to keep the ball from team (3). If team (3) regains possession the team who gave it away becomes the defenders. The defenders reward is they keep the ball and link with the other team.
Read MoreThis session covers when and when not to close down in wide and then central areas. The practice develops into an 11 v 11 game situation, still working with the defending team. The coach serves to the opponents in different locations on the field and the team needs to try to win the ball back individually and collectively.
Read MoreMake the defensive challenge more difficult by putting the midfield in recovering positions to help the back four. The back four can be patient when the ball is in midfield and keep their shape delaying the opponents until the midfield recover back to help.
Read MorePlaying with a midfield four when out of possession is one way of setting up your midfield unit to defend. This session works on the tactical design of this midfield set-up. Once the players get used to the tactical plan allow the defenders to now tackle the opponents and win the ball back as in a game situation.
Read MoreIn this video, Coach Wayne Harrison explains in a simple way the 6 phases of the 4-2-3-1 style of play.
Read MoreStriker (E) comes short and shows for the ball asking for a pass from (D). Defender (F) follows. Midfielder (D) passes to (C), (D) then passes over the top into (E)’s path as he / she spins. Defender must play passively. To continue the work once player (E) receives the ball they must beat (F) back to the touchline. Players (C) and (D) go to the middle and the next two take their place. As the pass is going from (D) to (C) the striker shouts the code word and spins to receive the pass as player (C) is about to pass it. The shout must be early to (C) to make the pass at the exact same time (E) is spinning to receive it.
Read MoreStriker moves “OFF THE SHOULDER” of the defender. Only a matter of a few yards can open up wonderful space and attacking opportunities.
Read MoreThis is the usual position of the strikers, they stand alongside the defender and do not open the angle up to help them receive a pass, and these are the disadvantages to this.
Read MoreHere the striker runs away and invites a ball off or over the shoulder of the defender, in this situation the striker is off the right shoulder of the defender. The ball may be delivered off (outside) the right shoulder of the defender so it goes wider, or (inside) the left shoulder of the defender so the striker cuts inside the defender either in front or behind them, or moves towards the ball and receives to feet.
Read MoreHow to use the following call in pressing and conditioning play: Up and Hold Calls, Out Call, Drop Call and Slide Call
Read MoreSoccer Awareness developmental training focuses on the concept of the THIRD EYE of Awareness, Imagination and Anticipation in Performance. Soccer Awareness is a highly innovative concept which aims to develop the thinking coach and player. Soccer Awareness focuses on the creation of a player centered environment which encourages autonomy and an ability to make correct decisions within a game specific context.
Soccer Awareness Training Center provides unlimited access to Wayne Harrison's Soccer Awareness systems, training sessions, drills and more. Wayne's system helps the development of all levels of soccer players and teams in a systematic and imaginative manner that guarantees performance at the highest level of competition.
This video is an example of a “One Touch Mentality” game situation U14 boys.
