Supporting The Counter | Opposed / Directional (16-S1)

Phase 3: Finishing the Attack

Age Group 12+

Duration 60 minutes

Players 11+

2 Part Session

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Free Soccer Drills

Skill

16

Supporting The Counter | Skill Practice (16-P2)

Organisation / Set Up
Practice 2 of Theme 16 Supporting the counter, is an opposed practice with 3 teams of 3 in a 20 by 20 yard square, split into 4 quadrants. A 5 by 5 yard central area is set for 3 defenders before one defender presses a team of 3 who attempt to keep possession. One team must have 3 players positioned in each of the other squares awaiting the ball to be transferred after 10 passes.
 

Supporting The Counter 16 P2 1

 
Key Coaching Points
  • (Tactical) Speed of support and of dispersal to create space
  • (Technical) Touch and passing quality to keep possession when winning the ball.
  • (Psychological) Speed of thought to transition between a defensive mentality to an attacking mentality and vice versa.
 
 

Supporting The Counter 16 P2 2

 

Key Coaching Point | 1
Receiving teams players must then move quickly to support their teammate in the square, whilst the previous passing team spreads out into 3 different squares, a defender will now press this new group of 3 passing players. If a defender intercepts, they must transfer through a teammate to an awaiting team, change roles as shown.

 

Supporting The Counter 16 P2 3

 

Progressions & Constraints 1
Progress, so that the team winning possession must disperse into zones and keep possession with longer passes, with the team losing possession becoming defenders.

 

Supporting The Counter 16 P2 4

 

Progressions & Constraints 2
Reduce the challenge, by conditioning the possession team to 2 touch, allowing defenders more chance of winning the ball by pressing early to regain..

 

Supporting The Counter 16 P2 5

 

Player Numbers | 1
This shows how the practice can be set up if 6 players are available.

 

Supporting The Counter 16 P2 6

 

Player Numbers | 2
This shows how the practice can be set up if 12 players are available.

 

 
 

Supporting The Counter 16 P2 7

 

Key Questions
  • How can you create space for yourself and teammates?
  • What effective decisions can you make when regaining possession?
  • How are defenders pressing or delaying and how does this affect decisions on the transition?

 

 

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Free Soccer Drills

Skill

16

Supporting The Counter | Directional Skill Practice (16-P3)

Organisation / Set Up
Practice 3 in Theme 16 Supporting the counter focuses on the speed and type of support together with the recovery of defending players when overloaded. We begin with a ball into a striker, 1 v 1 against a single defender, with 2 attacking support players triggered on the coaches pass.  2 defenders are then able to recover after the striker takes their first touch. Defenders must delay as teammates recover in line with the goal.
 

Supporting The Counter 16 P3 1

 
Key Coaching Points
  • (Tactical) Recognise effective types of support in different overload situations
  • (Technical) Passing quality on the run, focusing on weight and accuracy of passes
  • (Physical) Speed of support to break defensive lines with forward runs.
 
 

Supporting The Counter 16 P3 2

 

Progressions & Constraints 1
We can progress this by allowing a recovering defender to start their recovery at the same time as attackers support, creating a 3 v 2 much quicker, with a 3rd defender able to recover after 3 seconds. This will force attackers to make quicker decisions to exploit space, avoiding situations when defenders become balanced.

 

Supporting The Counter 16 P3 3

 

Progressions & Constraints 2
This shows how the practice could be set up with 7 players.

 

 
 

Supporting The Counter 16 P3 4

 

Key Questions
  • How can you ensure your overload results in a shot on goal?
  • How can you respond to 3 v 2 overloads and when do you need to perform more individually in counter?
  • How are defenders protecting goal and how can you exploit this?