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SET-UPAREAHalf a pitchEQUIPMENT

Balls, bibs, cones, 2 full size goalsNUMBEROFPLAYERS

24players + 2goalkeepersSESSIONTIME

Eachpractice: 20mins

REPUBLICOFIRELAND

MickMcCarthySoliddefending

OverviewThis is a session that I usewiththefirst teamsquad. I use itto createapositivemindsettodefending– I find itmakesteamshard tobeat and teachesplayersnot to concedecheapgoals.Itmakes for anenjoyable andcompetitive sessionand itis playedatmatch intensitybecause the three teamsarecompeting towin ineachof thefivepractices.Theplayersworkhardphysically andalsoworkhardon the tactical and technicalaspects of the session.I haveused24playershere,but I havealsoused thesamesessionwith 18or 21players.

1

What do I get the players to do?Practice1Wesetuponhalf a pitch,withtheplayingareamarkedoutbetween the18-yard lineandthehalfway line, andwithacentre zonedown themiddle ofthearea, as shown [1].We’reusing24players splitinto three teamsof eight,with ateamateachendandone teamin thecentre zone.Oneof theend teamsstartswiththeball and fourplayers fromthecentre cango into that endzone topress.Thepossession teammakeeight passesbefore trying totransfer theball to theoppositeend zone. They scoreonepointformakingeight passes.

The coach startsplay by passing tooneof the end teams

Four yellows from the centrecanenter the end zone to press theball. They score apoint if theywinit and clear it out of the area

Thebluesmustmakeeight passesbefore transferring theball to theteamat the other end. They score apoint formaking eight passes

On receiving theball, the redsbecome thenewpossessionteamandmust string eightpasses together under pressure

BallmovementPlayermovementDribble

KEY

“I find this sessionmakes teamshard to beat andteachesplayersnot to concedecheapgoals”

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MICK McCARTHY: SOLID DEFENDING

Thepressers try towinpossessionandscoreonepointif theyget holdof theball andclear it out of thearea.Play for 20minutes, rotatingteamsevery twominutes.

Howdo I progress thesession?Practice2ToprogressPractice1, extendtheplayingareaso it nowcovershalf thepitchand remove thecentre zone. The twoend teamsmustnowwork together tokeeppossessionunderpressurefromthepressing team,makingit a 16v8game. If thepresserswin theball, theymust clear itout of thearea, as shown [2].Play for 20minutesand rotateteamsevery twominutes.Keepscoreso youknowwhich teamwins theball back themostwhenactingaspressers.Makesure thepressersdefendasa teamandencourage themtousegoodcommunication.They shouldbedisplayingapositive andcommittedattitudetodefending.

What do I get the players to donext?Practice3Wesetuponhalf a pitch,withagoal andagoalkeeper atoneend, as shown [3].We’reusing24outfieldplayers, splitinto three teamsof eight.Oneteamdefendsand theothertwo take turns toattack–alloweach teamthreeattacksbeforerotating teamsandmakesureeveryonehasa turn todefend.Teamsmust try not to concedefromopenplay. Theoffside ruleapplies somakesureplayersplay to thewhistle. Thiswillmake it verymatch realistic.

What are thekey things tolook out for?InPractice 3wewant to seedefenders stayingon their feetanddelaying theattackingteam.Wealsowant to seegoodcommunicationusedby thedefenders, sounits canworktogether tobreakupattacks.Defenders should try tomake

2

3

The coach startsplaywith a pass tooneof theend teams

In this progression, thecentre zonehas been removedand the twoend teamsnowworktogether to keeppossession

Here the reds are thepressers.If theywin theball, they clear it toscore. Rotate teamsand seewhichteamof pressers score themost

The coach starts playwith a pass to the attackingteam,whomust attack as ina gameand try to score

Thedefending teamtry not to concedefromopenplay. Herethey clear the ball

Rotate teams.Here athird teamwaits to taketheir turnafter the yellowshavehad three attacks

BallmovementPlayermovementDribble

KEY

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A1 A2

A1 A2

attackingplaypredictableby forcingopponents tomakebackwardsorsquarepasses.Players shouldalsobeprepared tomake recovery runstoget backbehind theballwhendefending.Wewant thedefenders todisplay apositive attitudeand to see they arecommitted to the idea that theyaren’tgoing to concedeanygoals.

MICK McCARTHY: SOLID DEFENDING

What do I get the players to donext?Practice4Using thesameset-upasbefore, thisactivity is used topractisedefendingagainst cornersand free-kicks.We’reusing three teamsof eight plusakeeper,withone teamdefending, oneteamattacking thegoal, and the thirdteamwaitingasdeeperattackerswhocan recycle any clearances.

Teamseach take turns todefendagainst threecorners fromthe leftand threecorners fromthe right,taken frompositionsA1, as shown[4]. They thendefend three free-kicksfromthe left andanother three fromthe right, taken frompositionsA2.Thedeepattackers cancreate secondphasedefendingopportunitiesbykeeping theball in play and

4

Teams take turns todefend three cornersfrom the left and threecorners from the rightfrompositionsA1

Repeat the process forfree-kicks frompositionsA2,with three from the leftand three from the right

Defenders shouldkeep tight andmarktheblue attackersman forman

Here the yellowshave cleared theball but the redskeep it in play andlaunch a secondphase attack. Theredshave two touchesbetween them

Rotate the teamsafter six cornersand six free-kicks

Two reds sit further backto keepanydeeper clearancein play and they also havetwo touches between them tolaunch theball into the area

“Concentration is vital in this practice to avoidthedanger of secondand thirdphaseattacks”

BallmovementPlayermovementDribble

KEY

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MICK McCARTHY: SOLID DEFENDING

extending theaction, butwe limitthis teamto two touchesbetweenthemtoget theball back into thepenalty area.Play for 20minutes.Theoffside rule applies.

What are thekey things to look outfor?InPractice 4wewant to see thedefendersfirmly attacking theball toclear it to safety, but concentration isvital to avoid thedangerof secondandthirdphaseattacks.Defendersmust also show theyarealert toblockingshots andcanreact to cover short cornersor any

dangerous improvisationby theattackers.Asaby-product of this defensivepractice,wefindattacking teamsshowgoodmovement, creativity andimprovisation in attempting to score.

Howwould youput this into a gamesituation?Practice5Wesetuponhalf a pitchwith agoalandagoalkeeperat eachend.We’reusing24outfieldplayersdivided intothree teamsof eight. Two teamsplay8v8plusgoalkeepers in themainareaand the third teamarepositioned

around theoutside tohelp the teaminpossession, as shown [5]. Theoutsideplayersare limited to twotouches.Weplay a round robin competitionbetween the teamsandkeepanoteof thescores.Weallow just a fewsecondsbetweengames forplayerstoorganise themselves.Wecanprogress thepracticebymaking it ‘winner stayson’. Thisaddsfitness to thegameandshowshowplayers respondwhen theyhavebeenon thepitch for longer than theoppositionandmustmakedecisionsbasedon this addedpressure.

5

Play a round robintournamentwith an8v8 in themain area

The third teamstarts on theoutside and canhelp the team inpossession. But outside playersare limited to two touches