MIDFIELDERS PROVIDING DEFENSIVE SCREEN

SESSION TITLE: MIDFIELDERS PROVIDING DEFENSIVE SCREEN

OBJECTIVES

• Train midfielders to slide and screen
• provide a defensive screen to back four in the defensive half
• Prevent attacking team from exploiting zone 14

ORGANISATION

Use the full width of the pitch with 2/3 length with an end zone at the end.
In the consolidation practice, the teams play in 11 v 10 with the Defending team playing in a 1-4-2-3-1 while attacking team play in a 4-4-2.
In the initial practice team, the attacking team’s full-backs are not involved in open play as they are stationed behind the end zone as feeders.

INSTRUCTIONS

To start practice, defending No 8 has the ball in middle third and attempts to slide a pass through to defending No 9 but is intercepted by Attacking No 5 and we are live.
Game restarts from the end zone with either full backs or feeder in function practice or from the feeder only in the phase of play.
The defending team score by running the ball under control over the end zone while Attacking team score in the main goal.

Midfielders providing defensive screen (function practice)

KEY COACHING POINTS

• Transition quickly to defensive shape
• Back four drop to prevent balls in behind
• Midfield recover and drop deep to prevent balls in between defensive and midfield lines
• Discuss recovery runs of 10, 7 and 11
• Get block set, players on toes and prepare to engage team at agreed line of confrontation (depending on manager tactics)
• 10 and 9 prevent forward play or make play predictable
• 9 use cover shadow to screen opposition central midfielders
• Discuss zone 14 area of the pitch
• Central midfielders screen the opposition centre-forward to prevent ball to feet
• Distances between midfield and defensive unit (vertical compactness)
• Distances between players in units (horizontal compactness)
• Concentration during opposition switch of play or change of play
• Players provide cover and balance to teammate engaging the opponent with the ball
• Move block forward during negative passes (backward or sideways)
• Slide to strong side when the ball goes wide and screen passes inside.
• Communication: show inside, outside, slide across
• Players in back line (GK and Back four) communicate with midfielders in front of you

PROGRESSION / VARIATIONS

– Progress to a phase of play by including the full backs

Midfielders providing defensive screen (phase of play practice)

Conditions to help practice include
– force attacking team to play into their attacking half within 5 passes or less
– Use of scenario: Defending team 2-0 up with 5 minutes to go and no need to commit players to attack while attacking team 2-0 down and need to get forward to score.

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