Avoid pressing to build the game
- 6 cones
- 4 vests
- 1 goal
- Balls
- Playing Area: half field
- Players: 9 + 1 goalkeeper
- Duration: 14 minutes
- Series: 2 of 6 minutes each with 2 minutes of passive recovery in between
| Summary | Secondary Objectives |
|---|---|
|
Situational exercise to train the defense to build the game by evading the opponent's pressing |
Losing your marker, Creating width and depth, Mobility, Don’t give away possession, Patient build up, Playing out against pressing, Once the ball is lost - Attack the ball, Pressing, Transitions |
For the drill, use a regulatory half of the field with the goal placed on the end line. Place six cones on the half-court line, forming three 2-meter-wide mini-goals (as in the picture). Divide the players into two teams, five red defenders and four white strikers. The defenders arrange themselves simulating a 4-man defensive line with a central midfielder (D5) in the middle zone. The strikers position themselves with two central strikers and two offensive wings. Ball to the red team (defenders). The goalkeeper defends the goal and plays with the defenders.
- Objective of the red team (defenders) is to maintain possession of the ball and then finish in one of the three half-court mini-goals
- White team's (strikers) objective is to recover the ball and then quickly finish in the goal defended by the goalkeeper
- Whenever the ball goes out or the action is successfully ended, the drill starts again with ball to the red team that starts again with the build-up from the back
Offensive pressing movements
D1 in possession of the ball
- A1 pressing the ball carrier
- A2 in anticipation of the halfback
- A4 presses the fullback closest to the ball
- A3 moves toward the center, occupying possible passing lines
Defensive ball possession movements for game build-up
D1 in possession of the ball
- D2 steps back, moving away from the opponent's pressing in order to receive the ball
- D3 widens clearing the passing line in width
- D4 widens clearing the passing line in width for potential switch of play
- D5 makes an unmarking movement in the available space, in the opposite direction of the ball carrier, within his area of responsibility (yellow zone in the picture)
- The goalkeeper advances in support proposing a passing solution in offloading, actively participating in the play
Exit from the pressing - example 1
D2 in possession of the ball
- D2 passes the ball to D5 while D1 moves back, clearing the passing line
- D5 passes the ball to D1 while D3 moves forward working in width and with useful staggered positioning to attack depth
- D1 passes the ball on D3's movement
- D3 controls the ball and finishes the action
Exit from the pressing - example 2
D2 in possession of the ball
- D2 passes the ball to D5 as D4 moves forward, clearing the passing line
- D5 passes the ball on D4's movement
- D4 controls the ball and finishes the action
Exit from the pressing - example 3
D2 in possession of the ball
- D2 passes the ball to D5 while D4 and D3 open up moving forward finding width and depth, clearing the passing line
- D5 offloads the ball to the goalkeeper
- The goalkeeper chooses, depending on the opponent's disposition, whether to throw long to D3 or D4
- Free touches for players
- Limit the number of touches to the red team (e.g., maximum three touches)
- Insert a fifth white player in the offensive phase to be placed behind the two central strikers, who acts as an offensive midfielder
- Repeat the drill several times within the season
- Players in the offensive phase must perform the pressing in an organized and methodical way, trying to close the opponent's passing lines
- In the build-up phase, the central midfielder plays a key role; in fact, he will be the one to dictate the timing of exiting the opponent's pressing
- Once familiar with the schemes, the drill can be transformed into a thematic match, decreasing the interruptions and making the execution more realistic and similar to the game
- Also take care of the defenders' transition phase: lost the ball, they must react immediately by organizing and adapting to defend the goal and prevent the attackers from finishing
