We already published some training drills planned by various coaches. On this post, I will introduce one of my own training drills. I picked this one mainly because it’s one of my favorites. Besides, it approaches training sessions from a different angle than the other ones already published on the blog.
Before analyzing the advantages and the disadvantages of this one, let’s explain the training drill in the first place:
Two mini teams face each other in this training session. The roles of the players in each mini team differ based on the basic tactical structure the team applies. Assuming we are talking about a team that applies a 4-4-2, the two training mini teams have to be structured as follows:
Mini team A (7 players):
- Goal keeper
- Four defenders
- Holding midfielder
- Attacking/Center Midfielder.
Mini team B (6 players):
- Two wings
- Holding Midfielder/Center midfielder
- Attacking midfielder
- The two main forwards of the team.
Field:
In principle, the field dimensions are governed by the quality of the players and how far they are capable of creating spaces, attacking spaces and covering spaces. The players passing quality and repositioning plays a role as well. The smaller the field is the more difficult the ball flow becomes. The larger the field gets the more difficult applying pressure to retain possession turns to be. That’s why it’s important to decide if the priority is to improve mini team (A), mini team (B), or to focus on a specific aspect of the game to improve. Then plan the field size accordingly.
What I recommend is to use ¾ field size including one of the two goals. On the other side –opposing the goal- We plant three mini goals using cones (See the picture).
Rules of the game:
Mini team (A) obviously represents the team defense core:
- Defense wise: their role is to defend in front of their keeper preventing mini team (B) from scoring goals.
- Offense wise: When they gain the ball (or in possession) they have to move the ball forward and they score when they walk the ball through one of the three mini goals on the other side.
Mini team (B) obviously represents the team offense core:
- Offense wise: They have to build up offense and score in Mini team (A) net.
- Defense wise: When they lose the ball, they have to put systematic pressure on mini team (A) and try to gain back the ball as fast as possible and as close to their opponent goal as possible.
Additional Conditions:
- While building up offense, team (B) is not allowed to pass the ball back across the half line the moment they pass it forward. They can only move the ball in the mini team (A) half. Defense wise, they are not allowed to stand between the cones acting as goal keepers. Last (B) player has to be on the same line with the deepest mini team (A) player.
- Team (A) players are not allowed to make no-sense clearance. They can’t score through long shots attempts or by passing the ball between the cones. They have to walk (with) the ball through the cones.
Advantages:
- Meets the key requirements for a successful training session. I will write an extended article about this one, but in brief, this session: 1) Create match resistance scheme. 2) Increase training efficiency both group based and by player. 3) Entertaining and challenging. 4) Fit the challenges of time. 5) Combine basic training needs and season matches set up. 6) Combine the various aspects of the game (Tactical, technical, mental and physical).
- Efficient: Unlike functional training drills, in this training drill you will not have players standing aside waiting their turn; and you will not have players who are contributing only to serve their teammates executing some drills. This training keeps all your players functioning throughout the training session. You will have 13 players training together in this specific drill, and you will have a space behind for another 5X5 training drill for the rest of the squad.
- Team-based improvement: This training drill tackles various departments that improve the overall functionality of the team. It improves the offense build up and finishing and it also improve the offense quality while contributing in retaining possession through applying pressure on the opponents to disturb their offense build up and regain the ball. As for the defense, it improve marking, communication and positioning while resisting an opponent attack while offense wise it improve the defense quality to move the ball forward and initiate attacks. In fact, the three tiny goals demonstrates the offense flow channels where the defenders drive the team offense through before handing the stick to the forwards while keep contributing with them creating attacks.
- Flexibility within intensity: Within the same department you can give specific instructions for the players to focus on specific aspects to improve. For example, you can decide whether you want the offense to attack through the flanks or the center, to be more direct generating fast counter attacks or patient attempting to keep possession. Shooting from outside the area, or penetrating into the box, etc… Defense wise you can decide if you want the defense to play the offside, zonal marking, man marking, high pressure, etc…
- If you do not have enough quality in your squad for an 11v11 training matches, this drill is the solution. It requires 12 outfield players (all your starters included) and it offer the same advantages of the 11v11 with more intensity.
Disadvantages:
- Requires some patience while set up: Do not expect it to work smoothly from the first minute. This kind of training drills exposes all the individual and systematic weaknesses in the team all at once. So, it may turn to be a bit messy at the beginning before the players digest the training game requirements and concepts. Its important to introduce the training drill by a lecture explaining the objectives of this session and pointing out the main focus and the basic roles you expect from each player and each mini team contributing in this training.
- This training drill acts more as a nutrition program for the team performance. But it can’t avoid the need of surgeries through different training drills from time to time. If there is a specific defect that you recognize during official games and you want to solve fast, then you may consider creating a different training drill to tackle that specific need, as this training drill work on various departments to improve in parallel rather being focused on one specific aspect.
Training duration:
This training drill must be given its fair time during the sessions. You don’t have to perform it on daily bases if you have some other drills to use but when you use it you need to give it at least 45 minutes. During preseason, there will always be a room for training diversities. But during the season, I recommend to consider this one as the fixed event between your training sessions’ variables. Because this way you can inject classical training requirements (Cross more, shoot, dribble, cover, etc…) and combine it with the build up for your following game. In case you are playing against a team that suffer weak right fullback for example, you can easily customize this training to focus on that detail. If the opponent shoots from outside the box then you need to take note about it for the training. And so on.
I usually apply this training drill (Folded team) for 60 % of the training session, then I unfold the two mini teams in one (11 players) to play against 11 players in a normal game for the following 40 % of the training session. With time, and as your players improve and get adapted to the tactical requirements of your system, and if you have enough quality in your squad to play 11v11 game, you can decrease the folded team time for the 11v11 games.
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