A A CREATING SPACE IN THE MIDFIELD

The Moment that Possession Changes – The ‘Turnover’

How to create space or deny space

Playing at the ‘Turnover’ – the steal and the strike

Structure/Organisation

•

On a pitch 60y x 40y

•

Three zones coned off as indicated.

•

Three Ys and three Xs in each zone and two goalkeepers.

•

The ball must be played through the midfield zone.

•

Touches should not be restricted.

•

One midfield player can break into the attacking zone.

Objectives:

•

To force a turnover in the tighter mid-field zone.

•

To create a goal-scoring opportunity as quickly as possible.

•

To utilise the imbalance of the opposition if possession is regained in

the defensive zone. Play forward quickly and mid-field players create

depth and angles to allow the momentum of the attack to continue

forward. Then support front players and create a counter attack on

opposing goal.

Opportunities:

•

To coach and develop the attitude to striking out from a defensive

position.

•

To emphasize the importance of finishing each attack with a strike

on goal, thereby minimising the risk of being hit while unbalanced.

•

Develop movement around the box to allow for penetration and

striking at goal.

Secondary coaching possibilities:

To coach mid-field players angles of meeting up and creating depth in the mid-

field. Possibly running away opponents.

Strikes at goal can be timed from turnover but this takes away the possibility of

a secondary counter-strike.

Play Through Mid-Field

Structure/Organisation:

On pitch 70y x 50y

10 vs 10 including goalkeepers

Objectives:

Top encourage passing through mid-field, X1s must play to X2s when in

possession and not play long direct to X3 when the ball is with X2s. One X1

can overload the middle zone to create 4 vs 3. X2s then look to attack the

goals linking with X3s. Two X2s can overload the attacking zone to create 4 vs

4. No Ys can play outside their designated zone.

Key Factors:

•

Create space

•

Support the player in possession

•

Look to play through defenders

Y

X2

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

X3

X3

Y

Y

X1

X1

X1

Y

x

x

x

Y

X

X

X

Y

Y

Y

X

X

X

Y

Y

Y

Y

X2

X1

X2

Key:

X Attacking Y Defending