MRL Day 1 Weekend #2 September 20-21

Game #1 vs FC United 

Final 1-0

Key Points

• FC United pressed with keeping their 3 fwds high and pushed their CM's up high as well to take away the switch through the back.  We struggled in the first half with this as we continued to try to swing it.
• Their attack was just give and go's or play it wide and go 1v1
• Second half we did a great job hitting our forwards early to beat their pressure.
• We also did a great job of our outside backs playing in two touch to the outside mid who would hit it down the line for the fwd.
• Claire did really well dealing with a lot of shots in the first half and controlled everything on a wet surface.

Goal

• 3 min left Ivey played Kaitlyn at midfield and she played Paige into space and she outmuscled their center back and dribbled the keeper to slot it home.
  • 10 min earlier Paige had tried to dribble the keeper and was stopped so good for her to make the correct decision on her second break away and dribble the goalie.

Game #2 vs Lake Forrest

Final 1-3

Key Points

• Lake Forrest was very big and fast.  Defenders were real fast and great in the air.
• Lake Forrest started out really well and we had to make some last second blocks on shots.  Then we were able to switch the ball a few times and we started to control the ball but we were only controlling it in our half.  Some great switches but we couldn't get past their high line at the midfield.
• Our center backs started to do a great job of stepping up to the top of our box when they played it back to the top of the box and made some great blocks and put them under pressure.
• Our outside backs did a great job of not getting split and by the end of the half Lake Forrest couldn't do much offensively as they were very frustrated.
• We scored a great goal with Audrey opening up and driving a 35 yard pass over the outside back to Sam on the weak side.  Sam hit a great bent, early cross and Paige hit a great one touch from the top of the 18 to score.  Unreal play.  (Not really a counter as we were controlling the ball in our half.)

Second Half

• We gave up an early goal from a smash out wide when we had space.  We did not respond well to the early goal and they began to play better and better.  
• They played a lot through their outside left forward who would go wide and play the CF quickly to break our pressure.  We needed to step in front of the wide forward and force them to play the ball over the top.
• They scored their second with a player starting on the right side line and she dribbled across the field past 4 of our players who went for the tackle instead of keeping it predictable and she had a nice shot from 20 yards.
• They scored with 3 min left as Hollywood made the right choice to try and dribble out of the back because if she would have beat the forward we would have had a lot of numbers flying forward.  Unfortunately her touch wasn't quite where it needed to be.

Final Thoughts

• We need to do a better job when we are playing really good teams and we are leading at half time.  I need to really go through how to adjust if the other team starts playing well.
• Our energy dropped so we were not as sharp as the first half.
• We really need to work on our midfield and fwds possessing the ball so we can make other teams run more.

Movement In & Around the 18 Yard Box- Training September 18th

A repeat of Tuesday's session to expand on each idea.

Changing Speed & Changing Lanes- Training September 17th

I) Escape Turns

• Entire progression.  Focus on constantly coaching and working on speed.

Key Point
Everyone is excited to play at the start of a game, start of the second half, and at the end of a close game.  It is the team that can sustain the high level of communication, commitment, and energy in the 25th and 55th minutes that give themselves the best chance to win. 

II) 1v1v1

Set Up

• Gates are arranged in a triangle
• Each person has a partner
• While one partner is competing the other is resting
• Partners tag in and out of the game
• +1 point for each gate that is dribbled through

III) 1v1 Defending From An Angle

• We adjusted the starting spot of our defenders today to replicate the ball being played square or across the field.
• Pressure, Keep It Predictable, Separate 

IV) 3v2 to 4v3 

Set Up

• Blue Team and Yellow Team
• Goals were 40 yards apart and we played the entire width

Activity

• Yellow defender on the side line dribbles a ball out and plays it to one of the attacking Blue players.
• Second yellow defender starts up in the middle of the grid.
• The Blues attack 3v2 

• After a shot is taken or the defenders win the ball, the next two Yellow's join the game to create a 4v3
  • If the first ball is still in play, via goalie save or defenders winning the ball, they continue to use that ball. 
  • If the ball was scored or is out of play the Yellow player on the right post brings on a new ball.

• Offside is in effect

Key Points

• Change lanes and change speed
• Use the width of the field to create early crosses
  • The defenders will defend the area in front of the goal first, so if you bounce out wide you can play an early cross 
  • If the defenders start to defend the wide players, you will be able to play split passes down the middle
• Prepare yourself to score or set up a goal with your run

V) Scrimmage

Movement in & Around the 18 Yard Box- Training September 16th

I) 3v1 

• Lots of communication and energy
• Constantly work on footwork to receive ball across your body
• If you cannot receive the ball across your body, play it one touch back to where it came from
• Progress to trying to nutmeg the defender

II) Pull Away Pattern Shooting

1. First forward pulls away from the defender and receives a pass from the midfielder & finishes

Key Points

• Focus on the footwork to pull away from the defender so the pass can beat the defender
• Receive across body and step in with plant foot to protect the ball
• Have your eyes on the goal as you move so you know where to shoot

2. As the first forward receives the pass, the second forward checks towards the midfielder to lose her man

3. After the shot is taken the first foward checks back towards the midfielder to recieve a pass from the midfielder.  The second forward darts towards the top of the box and receives a set pass from the first forward and finishes with a one touch shot.

Key Points

• Timing of runs is crucial
• Footwork and speed to lose your man
• Quality set pass from the first forward 
• Work on bending your shot around the keeper

Training Modification

As I was setting up the activity I realized I could continue to build on the point of pulling away from your defender to allow the pass to beat the defender by adding in a midfield start.  We concentrated on the footwork for the midfielder and after the pass was made, dribbling to the middle to create a good angle for our first pass and draw the defenders to create space.

As we progressed through the activity we added in the runs for the second forward.  

• As the midfielder is dribbling towards the second forward she is pulling away while the first forward checks.
• The midfielder could then choose to play either side and we adjusted the remaining part of the pattern based on where the pass was played.

III) Box Organization Crossing & Finishing

I grabbed this activity from Bobby Puppione from CUP.  Changed it to have 4 runners in the box and just 3 defenders.  I also had the defenders play as a back 3 so they were not just man marking in the box and the play resembled attacking in a game a bit more.  

I also moved the crossers so we had them dribbling for an end line cross for one set and the other went wide to play in the early cross.  Before the defenders or attackers could be involved in a cross we had them make it to a set line so players were not camping out in the box and they had to be moving towards the goal.

IV) Scrimmage

Juniors Festival- January 22

U9/U10 Group- Keep Boys and Girls Together

U11/U12 Group- Separate Boys and Girls

I) Partner Juggling Challenges

Procedure

• Demonstrate the challenge and let the groups practice it for 2 minutes 
• Compete for 2 minutes and each group keeps track of their highest score.

Challenges

• Number of juggles back and forth
• Header only juggles back and forth
• Feet only juggles back and forth

II) 2v2 To Four Goals 

Set Up

• Grid 10x10 yards with four goals
• Two teams, 1 coach with all the soccer balls (Divide the kids into 4-6 teams for this based on our numbers so we will have 2-3 different games going on at the same time)
• The players who are not up stand just behind the end line in their goals so if a ball is played through the goal they can receive that ball and step onto the field 

Procedure

• The coach plays the ball to one of the teams and they try to score by passing the ball through either of the goals on the opposite end line.
• If a goal is scored the team that scored stays on the field and the team that was scored on leaves the field.  The next player up in each line from the team that was scored on step onto the field and attempt to score.
• If the ball goes out of bounds, all the players are out and four new players step onto the field
• We want the players who are next up to be active and if the ball is going out over their end line they move so they can receive that ball and begin play with that ball.
• Play 3 minute games

Key Points

• Circular movement off of the ball
• Move after you pass the ball
• Recognize when the dribbler is going to turn support
• Read the space created by the defenders

Variations

2v2 With Support Targets

2v2 With Attacking Targets

III) 6v6 Scrimmages 

Play 10 minute games in 4 team round robin tournament