Small sided game – Third man
Tactical drill oriented to use, when attacking, by the third man and useful to practice the way of defending it.
Conditioned Game: Defending in middle block
For a slow defender, the body orientation when facing a through ball is key in order to beat a faster forward. Your player’s mental quickness when making the right decision about the body shape will them improve against the through balls.
Small sided game – Free man
Tactical drill oriented to use, when attacking, the third man and to practice the way of defending it.
4 Squares – Positional Game – 4 Goals
A tactical polarized drill based on the rational occupancy of the field. This is a good introduction to the position game for different playing systems.
Supports: Superiority/inferiority
Ball retention, body orientation (One of Guardiola’s biggest obsession) to receive the ball from the exterior neutral player who has advantage through the guided discovery learning method. The defensive anticipations will make the attackers be on the right body shape to retain the ball and switch the play.
Offensive and Defensive Transition 3 Teams
To practice both the momentum when losing the ball and when winning it back is key. It makes us be better on the offensive and defensive transition. We will use this drill as a tactical situation to activate the defenders’ press after losing the ball and for the team that has just win the ball back to play quick and easy.
Rondo Third Man
A rondo with a small numerical superiority which will make our players play with the third man. Every time this third man situation is done, it will generate an advantage in the drill which will reinforce the learning of this concept.
Numerical Advantage and Zonal Marking
A partial structure with a specific work for the defensive players. What we used to do with boring and ineffective attacking actions against the defenders, we do it now with a useful and attractive game for the players.
Offensive Vigilance and Free Man
A dynamic and safe way for attacking is either to find the third man or to be aware of where the defenders are (offensive vigilances). At the same time, you will have to find the appropriate distances so your team not always pass the ball to the closest players but also finds the mid-distance players, with the objective of braking the lines. In this drill, the defensive players practice the moment of activating the pressing in a coordinated way.
Anticipation, Man to Man Marking and Losing own Marker
It is not easy for a coach to teach the player which is the appropriate moment to make a run to lose the defender, to teach which is the speace where he has to run to, etc… what if you create a situation where the player is able to identify it and solve it by himself?