Attacking after regaining the ball on the midfield - Transition

Goal:
Equipment
  • 4 poles
  • Markers
  • 1 goal
  • 7 vests
  • Balls
Preparation
  • Playing area: 60x55 meters / 65x60 yd
  • Players: 16 + 1 goalkeeper
  • Duration: 24 minutes
  • Series: 2 of 10 minutes with 2 minutes of passive recovery inbetween series
Attacking after regaining the ball on the midfield - Transition

Summary

Attacking action after regaining the ball for fast counter attacks

Organization

Form a 60x55 meters area (About 10-15 meters past the half field line). With poles create two goals (2 meters wide) along the goal line. On the opposite side there is a standard goal defended by a goalkeeper. The game is played by 9 attackers (white vests) against 7 defenders (red vests) plus the goalkeeper. White team must score on the standard goal. One of the 9 attacking players must have the ball and play as support (without moving forward too much). Also 3 defending players (A1, A2 and A3 in the picture) stay in their position in order to support. The 7 defenders try to recover the ball and take it out passing through the small goals in 5 consecutive passes at most. In the middle of the pitch place a cone (starting point).

Description

  • The game starts from the cone: player D4 pretends to lose the ball right on the midfield, with a pass towards one of the white players (A1). A transition situation from defense to attack is set. The team that attacks must place its players wide apart quickly in order to look for some depth
  • D4 passes the ball to A1, faking a wrong pass that allows white players to start the attacking phase
  • The red team must regroup to defend by going quickly towards the player with the ball
  • A1 tries to get rid of the pressing and play with the attacking teammates towards the goal
  • A1 passes the ball taking into account the best passing lanes and combinations

 

 

Rules

  • Both teams perform a thematic match of ball possession (free ball touches)
  • The attacking players (white vests) get 1 point if they score in the standard goal
  • The defending players (red vests) get 1 point when they pass through the small goals
  • After the first series swap seven defenders with seven attackers

Variations

  • Allow all attacking players to participate in the action and move forward (None of the players stands still on the same position)
  • Add a defender in order to create a defense of 4 and a midfielder to have a midfield with 3 players
  • Change the position of ball recovery that initiates the attacking phase

Coaching Points

  • Useful exercise to train what players should do after recovering the ball
  • Exercise that trains the team for breadth and depth movements during an attacking action
  • Immediate breadth movement of attacking players right after recovering the ball
  • Create exchanges with triangulation
  • Midfielders and forwards should make use of sprints in order to unmark themselves
  • Move the ball quickly towards the outside of the recovery point from the midfield
  • Encourage players to face a 1 vs 1 or 2 vs 1 with defenders
  • Encourage players to execute long passes in order to switch the orientation, in depth passes, overlapping runs and wall passes
  • Ask players to play keeping their head up
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