SmartSessions
Ready-made soccer coaching plans
16 APRIL 2014 ISSUE 303
Advanced Skills
Counter What you tell your players
attack the session is about
1. Counter attacking to score.
Quick counter attackers can be lethal – use this session 2. Quick combination play.
to catch your opponents by surprise.
3. Forward runs off the ball.
Warm-up Session Development Game situation Warm-down
Session planner 10 mins 15 mins 15 mins 15 mins 5 mins
Activity Kit Outcome
Warm-up The players work on passing and forward runs using The
Ultimate Football Warm-Ups Manual, exercise 72
Session Balls, bibs, one goal, The players counter attack quickly to score a goal
cones
Development Balls, bibs, one goal, 2 The players counter attack in central and wide areas of the
mannequins/poles, cones pitch
Game Balls, bibs, two goals, The team is able to counter attack successfully in central
situation cones and wide areas of the pitch
Warm-down n/a Gentle jogging and stretching exercises
Where it fits What to think about
When the opposition attacks, they commit players
Individual skills: Passing short, mid and long, forward – so when you regain possession you often
receiving skills, movement off the ball, have a chance to exploit gaps in their defence.
communication, dribbling, crossing, shooting, The key to this is how quickly you make a forward
pass and have runners arriving into the gaps in the
receiving skills.
opponents’ defence. This type of football is known
Team skills: Communication, team work, as counter attacking and is used expertly by teams
combination play. such as Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Related Smart Sessions
3 Clever team attacking Get it now
31 Quick combination play Get it now
81 Fast breaks Get it now
Click “Get it now” to access related sessions
Click here to download the index
Soccer coaching plans you can take straight on to the field www.bettersoccercoaching.com
Session – 15 mins Counter
Mark out a 15-yard square 40 yards from goal. attack
Inside the box, play 3v3. The attack completes four
passes then two of them break out of the box to player movement pass
link up with the 2v2 on the edge of the area. shot
Can the attackers use their overload situation to
score?
Once the attack is completed. The two break out Quick combination passes
players go back into the 15-yard square and the
game continues.
Development – 15 mins
Add a coach to the side of one mannequin to serve
a second ball into the game.
Play 3v3 in the 15-yard square as before but this Play 3v3 in the 15-yard square. After four
time after the two players break out to create a passes, two players break out to create a 4v2.
4v2, the coach passes the second ball to the third
midfielder (the player who didn’t break out). This
midfielder waits for one of the four attackers to
make a run out wide, quickly switches play and Launch the attack with a forward pass
runs into the box to create a 4v2 counter attack
from a cross.
Once the 2nd attack is completed, the teams again
return to the square to restart the game.
Game situation – 15 mins
Play 3v3 in the 15-yard square. This time the
Mark out a 60x40-yard area using cones. Now split player who does not initially break is fed a
second ball and he creates an attack.
the pitch into two zones of 30x40 yards.
There are three teams of three players (red, whites,
blues) and three neutral players (blacks).
One neutral works inside one half as a centre Run forward to join the attack
forward. The other two neutrals go outside the N
opposite half as right and left wingers in a five-yard 5yds B R W
channel.
N
The red team start by attacking the blue team’s
goal. The red team uses the two neutral wide
players to provide crosses in a 5v3. The blue team 30yds
quickly counter attacks the whites using the neutral
forward to create a 4v3 situation in central areas. 5yds N
The game runs continually for four sets of three 30yds 30yds
minutes. The coach rotates the neutral team after The reds (R) attack, using the neutral players
each three-minute game. (N) at the sides. Then the blues (B) attack the
whites (W), using the neutral striker.
www.bettersoccercoaching.com
