U8 Week 8: Deny Scoring Chances

MomentDefending

Duration60 minutes

Players8-12

Format4V4

Player actions

Pressure the ball, Steal the ball

Key qualities

Read & understand the game, Take initiative

Skill acquisition

Pressure: Angle, speed, distance of approach, footwork - Types of Tackles: Poke, Block, intercept

The session

Play phase

Intentional Free Play

18 min3 intervals · 5 min play · 1 min rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

On your 25W x 35L game field, set up two (13W x 20L) fields with a 4-yard space between. Place a small goal on each end line. When practice is scheduled to start & as soon as 2 players arrive, start playing a game. The game starts 1v1. As players arrive, the game becomes 2v1 then 2v2 up to 3v3. Once 1 field is at 3v3, start a second game on the field next to it.

Key wordsStep to the ballGet the ball

Guided questions

If you are the closest defender to the ball, what should you do?

Step closer to ball and pressure it.

When should you try to steal the ball from the opponent?

Do not let the player with the ball go straight to goal. If the opponent kicks the ball too far in front of themselves, step closer and try to tackle the ball away.

Coach note

Remember to focus on the team without the ball. At the first break, ask questions which generate thoughts about when to pressure the ball & when to tackle the ball. Second break, elicit answers from the same questions to determine the level of understanding from the players.

Core activity

3v3 Defend Your Goal

18 min3 intervals · 4 min play · 2 min rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

On your 25W x 35L game field with a goal on one end line & a 3 yard end zone on the other, play a 3v3 game. The focus team defends the goal & scores by stopping the ball in the opponent's end zone. The focus team can enter the end zone with a pass to a teammate or dribbling in. The opposing team scores in the goal. RULES: the team defending the end zone cannot wait in the end zone but can step in to defend a player trying to score. Play local laws/rules of the game other than scoring.

Key wordsStep to the ballGet the ball

Guided questions

If you are the closest defender to the ball, what should you do?

Step closer to ball and pressure it.

When should you try to steal the ball from the opponent?

Do not let the player with the ball go straight to goal.

How can you approach the player with the ball so you can get closer to the ball & protect your goal at the same time?

If the opponent kicks the ball too far in front of themselves, step closer and try to tackle the ball away. Bend your run so you block the goal on your way to the ball.

Coach note

This is a defending session so the coaching should be directed to the team without the ball & the decisions they need to make in order to pressure the ball & steal the ball while protecting their own goal.

Less challenging

2v3 Defend Your Goal

18 min3 intervals · 4 min play · 2 min rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

On your 13W x 25L game field with a goal on one end line & a 3 yard end zone on the other, play a 2v3 game. The focus team defends the goal with 3 players & scores by stopping the ball in the opponent's end zone. The focus team can enter the end zone with a pass to a teammate or dribbling in. The opposing team players with 2 players & scores in the goal. RULES: the team defending the end zone cannot wait in the end zone but can step in to defend a player trying to score. Play local laws/rules of the game other than scoring.

Key wordsStep to the ballGet the ball

Guided questions

If you are the closest defender to the ball, what should you do?

Step closer to ball and pressure it.

When should you try to steal the ball from the opponent?

Do not let the player with the ball go straight to goal.

How can you approach the player with the ball so you can get closer to the ball & protect your goal at the same time?

If the opponent kicks the ball too far in front of themselves, step closer and try to tackle the ball away. Bend your run so you block the goal on your way to the ball.

Coach note

If needed, 2 fields can be set up; same size as the first play stage. Simply add the end zone to one end. This game can be 3v2 or 2v2. Adjust the numbers based on the session goal & attendance. C C Week 8 FIVE ELEMENTS of TRAINING EXERCISE TRAINING SESSION SELF-REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. Organized: Is the exercise organized in the right way? 2. Game like: Is the exercise game like? 3. Repetitions: Are there repetitions when looking at the overall goal of the session? 4. Challenging: Are the players being challenged? (Is there the right balance between being successful and unsuccessful?) 5. Coaching: Is there the proper coaching based on the age/level of the players? 1. How did you achieve your goals in the training session? 2. What did you do well? 3. What could you do better?

More challenging

3v4 Defend Your Goal

18 min3 intervals · 5 min play · 1 min rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

On your 25W x 35L game field with a goal on each end line, play a 3v4 game. The focus team defends their goal with 3 players & scores in the opponent's goal. The opposing team players with 4 players & scores in their opponent's goal. RULES: Play local laws/rules of the game other than scoring.

Key wordsStep to the ballGet the ball

Guided questions

If you are the closest defender to the ball, what should you do?

Step closer to ball and pressure it.

When should you try to steal the ball from the opponent?

Do not let the player with the ball go straight to goal.

How can you approach the player with the ball so you can get closer to the ball & protect your goal at the same time?

If the opponent kicks the ball too far in front of themselves, step closer and try to tackle the ball away. Bend your run so you block the goal on your way to the ball.

Coach note

The team without the ball is the team to focus on. How can the cooperate to pressure the ball & steal the ball while protecting their ball.

Play phase

The Game - 4v4

20 min2 intervals · 10 min play · 2 min rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

In a 25Wx35L field & a small goal on each end line, play a 4v4 game with no goal keepers. Play for 22 minutes - 2 x 9-minute halves with a 2-minute half-time. Local rules apply. If the ball leaves the field, the coach can play another ball onto the field and the play continues.

Key wordsStep to the ballGet the ball

Guided questions

If you are the closest defender to the ball, what should you do?

Step closer to ball and pressure it.

When should you try to steal the ball from the opponent?

Do not let the player with the ball go straight to goal.

How can you approach the player with the ball so you can get closer to the ball & protect your goal at the same time?

If the opponent kicks the ball too far in front of themselves, step closer and try to tackle the ball away. Bend your run so you block the goal on your way to the ball.

Coach note

Depending on your local rules, coaches may introduce throw-ins, corner kicks & goal kicks if rules enforce. Remember to create a build out line for goal kicks and focus on the techniques needed to complete the task instead of the moment of the players on the field. The game must be played so try not to dwell on the restarts. C C

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Check your setup

Five elements of a training exercise

Organized — Is the exercise organized in the right way?

Game like — Is the exercise game like?

Repetitions — Are there repetitions when looking at the overall goal of the session?

Challenging — Are the players being challenged? Is there the right balance between being successful and unsuccessful?

Coaching — Is there the proper coaching based on the age and level of the players?

After the session

Self-reflection

How did you achieve your goals of the training session?

What did you do well?

What could you do better?