Training - Wednesday, May 16

Our first training session at my alma mater,  Macalester College (St Paul).  What a great new facility!  Where was this field back in the glory days?

The idea for today was to continue to address breaking down possible packed in defenses, if teams should choose to do so against us this weekend during the semifinals or (hopefully) the championship game.  Our main attack against this defense will come from the flanks, with early crosses into the danger area or by beating players 1v1 out wide and getting in endline crosses or wining corner kicks, and also by long range efforts.

Long range efforts don’t necessarily mean always striking shots from 25+ yards.  But if we can get a couple long distance strikes on goal early and prove that we are a threat from these opportunities, we will spread the defense out a bit as they will be forced to step up and pressure us.  This will create holes for crafty forwards to find space in dangerous areas for passes to feet.

In actuality, we probably need a few months in order to get all this stuff down, but the ideas for this type to play have to start sometime.  No better time than the present!

I had 17 girls at training.

I. Penalty Kicks

As the girls arrived on site I encouraged them to work on their PKs. While they waited for their turn, they were asked to be active, moving around to help get warmed up.

II. Endline Crosses

Set Up

• 4 crossers, 2 on the right and 2 on the left set up as shown below, with one crosser and one dummy defender on each side
• 3 defending players and a GK defending a goal
• 3 teams of 3 attackers 25 yards out from goal with all the soccer balls

Procedure

• A player from the blue attacking group plays a ball out to the right crosser
• Once the crosser has the ball under control, the dummy defender comes to pressure
• The crosser is looking to beat the defender and serve in a cross from near the endline
• Once the ball is in the net, out of bounds, or been cleared by the defenders, green plays a ball out to the left crosser to begin their attack on goal

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for a goal
• +3 points for a first time goal (a goal scored directly from a cross on a one-touch, without the attacker controlling the ball first)
• +6 points for any header goals

Coaching Points

• Crossers should attack the defender towards the middle of the field. If they just dribble down the sidelines, they set themselves up for a longer cross into the box. If they instead attack inside, the freeze the defender inside the field and, once they take a touch to beat the defender to the outside (away from goal), they will find themselves closer to the center of the field for an easier cross.
• Attack the defender at speed, take a bigger touch to get by them. This will allow the crosser to ran faster (without worrying about taking multiple touches on the ball) while also allowing the crossers to take a look up to see where they are crossing to.
• Crossers need to wrap their foot around the ball and pull the ball back – the closer you get to the endline, the more you have to cross the ball backwards, away from goal
• Runners need to get organized early and time their runs as not to be standing and waiting (easy to mark) before the cross comes in

III. Early Crosses

Set Up

• Same as above for the teams, the defenders, and the GK
• Still two crossers out wide on each side of the field, except now the two crossers start at the same disk, roughly 40 yards from goal
• All 3 attacking teams start about 30 yards from goal

Procedure

• Blue takes up starting positions as shown below
• A player from gold, next up after blue, plays a ball to blue1, who controls and passes a ball back to red1
• Red1 attacks the ball (doesn't wait for it) and looks to serve in an early cross for blue attackers + gold passer to finish (4v3 to goal)
• After the ball is in the net, out of bounds, or has been cleared by the defenders, gold takes up blue's starting positions and gold3 receives a pass from a green player to begin their sequence to goal

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for the attacking team if they get the first touch on the ball after the cross - I want the players to attack the ball aggressively
• +3 points for a goal

Coaching Points

• Drop the ball in the danger area off the crosses, aim for the penalty spot
• Attackers need to begin to read the crossers - if the ball is approaching them too quickly, it will likely take two touches to serve the ball.  If the ball is approaching at a slower pace and you see the wide player adjusting her feet and winding up to kick the ball, the cross is coming in
• Be first to the ball and don't give the defenders any free (unchallenged) clearances

9v9 Early Service

Set Up

• 60x75 yard field (half field) divided with a midline and channeled by extending the 44-yard box lines to midfield (see below)
• One goal on each endline
• 2 teams of 9 set up as shown below, with a GK, 3 defenders in the defending half, 2 wide players in the adjacent wide channels, and 3 attackers in the attacking half
• All the soccer balls divided and in/just behind the goals

Procedure

• Ball starts with blue's GK who plays to one of the 3 blue defenders
• One green attacker takes a knee and cannot defend
• After 5 consecutive passes by the 3 defenders and the GK, the ball can be played into either adjacent wide channel
• Crossers in these channels must deliver an early service into the danger area for their forwards
• The weak-side crosser (the crosser who does not receive a pass from the middle grid) may also join the attack
• If the the green defenders or GK gain possession of the ball, one blue attacker takes a knee and both blue crossers must return to their channel

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for each goal

Coaching Points

• 4v2 in the back, keep possession of the ball by making the grid big, moving to create good passing and support angles, knowing what you are going to do with the ball before you get it, and playing quickly
• Attackers must read the wide players - when are they going to serve the ball?
• Attackers should attack the ball aggressively and be active and buzzing around the box
• Crosses should be aimed toward the penalty spot
• No free clearances, challenge everything

Progression #1

Same as above, but now when the ball gets played wide to either crosser, all players are live to play until the ball is scored at either end

9v9 Free Play

Remove all restrictions and let the girls play.

Penalty Kicks

Again... just in case.  Two teams played through 3 PK rounds to see which team emerged victorious!