IN POSSESSION

PROFESSIONAL PHASE POSITIONSPECIFIC.COM

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CENTRE
MIDFIELDER
DEFENSIVE

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 CONTENT
PAGE
PAGE CONTENT
LINK
01 - 03 FRONT & CONTENT PAGE

04 OUR MISSION

THE HISTORY OF ‘THE DEFENSIVE

05 - 06
MIDFIELDER’

07 - 09 THE DIFFERENT STYLES OF ‘THE

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER’

10 - 13 THE 4 MOVEMENTS TO CREATE

SPACE

14 - 15 POSITION SPECIFIC PRACTICE DETAIL

16 - 17 POSITION SPECIFIC PRACTICE DESIGN

SESSION 1 - MOVEMENTS TO WIN

18
THE SPACE WHEN UNDER PRESSURE

19 PRACTICE 1 - TECHNICAL

20 PRACTICE 2 - 1v1 SKILL

21 PRACTICE 3 - 7v7 GAME

02
 SESSION 2 - MOVEMENTS BETWEEN
22
AND BESIDE THE CENTRE-BACKS

23 PRACTICE 1 - TECHNICAL

24 PRACTICE 2 - 4v4 SKILL

25 PRACTICE 3 - 11v11 GAME

26 SESSION 3 - MOVEMENTS BETWEEN &

BEYOND TO EXPLOIT SPACE | SHORT PASS

27 PRACTICE 1 - TECHNICAL

28 PRACTICE 2 - 4v2+2 SKILL

29 PRACTICE 3 - 6v5 GAME

SESSION 4 - MOVEMENTS BETWEEN &

30
BEYOND TO EXPLOIT SPACE | LONG PASS

31 PRACTICE 1 - TECHNICAL

32 PRACTICE 2 - 6v7+2 SKILL

33 PRACTICE 3 - 11v11 GAME

34 - 35 PARTNERSHIPS

03
 OUR MISSION
WHO WE ARE…
Qualified coaches with 30+ years of experience who
like to share ideas from our coaching journey.

WHAT IS OUR PERCEPTION…

There is a lot of excellent online content, however, it is
usually just a session with no coaching detail or
without a coaching process and this is what we would
like to change.

WHAT IS OUR SOLUTION…

Our content is designed to help coaches working at all
levels. Our focus is to add more detail to every practice
and show a clear process on how to deliver a training
session. With better understanding, this will improve
coaches, teams and players.

DELIVERING OUR CONTENT…

We want to share as much coaching information as
possible through ebooks, videos, blogs and
personalised plans.

OUR FUTURE…
More engagement, more ideas, more simplicity, more
clarity & more love for the game.

We hope you enjoy the journey with us….

04
 HISTORY
THE HISTORY OF THE DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER

It’s a really difficult task to establish exactly when a specialised

‘Defensive Midfielder’ came into football. In the late 1800s and
early 1900s when football was more about attacking and many
teams played the 2-3-5 system, the defensive midfielder did not
exist; back then ‘centre-backs’ only became ‘centre-backs’ when
teams started experimenting with a centre forward dropping
deeper into midfield so a ‘centre-back’ at that point was a
midfielder dropping deeper as well.

Jonathan Wilson writes in his book Inverting The Pyramid, the

centre-back was then "the fulcrum of the team, a figure far
removed from the dour stopper he would become. He was a
multi-skilled all-rounder, defender and attacker, leader and
instigator, goal-scorer and destroyer". Yet, as Wilson says, the
centre-back would eventually become a dour stopper, the
precursor to the specialised defensive midfielder. The ‘wing
halves', the other two members of the midfield three were more
defensive, as they were required to pick up the opposition's
inside forwards, but even they were expected to contribute going
forward, with the only purely defensive players being the two
full-backs.

It wasn’t until the 1960/70’s when a defensive midfielder started

to become recognised but it still wasn’t a specialised position and
initially the defensive midfielder was more known as a
‘destroyer’ and usually played in a midfield two alongside a
‘creator’. The main job of the ‘destroyer’ was to break up the
opposition's possession, regaining the ball and playing it to the
‘creator’ who would keep the ball moving to start attacks. Early
examples of ‘destroyers’ would be Nobby Stiles, Herbert Wimmer
and Marco Tardelli, later examples of this in a midfield two in the
late 1990s would be Dunga and Didier Deschamps.

05
 Around 2003/04 we started to see tactics change and teams go to a
back four, midfield 3 and a need for specialised defensive
midfielders. These players are midfield players who’s main focus
was to help the defenders protect the goal. Defensive midfielders
usually patrol the area of space in front of the back four to screen
passes into the opposition's strikers or to pick up strikers who drop
deeper into awkward positions for the centre-backs. They may also
cover positions of players who travel forward with the ball or travel
forward to join in attacks.

Claude Makelele was one of the original defensive midfielders in a

midfield three especially for Chelsea in 2005/06 and later for Real
Madrid. Makelele was a new breed of specialist as he possessed all
the skills of a ‘destroyer’ but could also produce some of the skills
that would be associated with a ‘creator’ and could play in the
defensive midfielder position on his own. Makelele’s style and this
type of hybrid midfielder would shape the future of the position and
players who played in it.

In the modern game, this position in a midfield three has had a

huge significance. The majority of the most successful teams over
the last 15 years have had a specialised defensive midfielder
whether playing the position on their own or alongside a more
attack-minded midfielder as a two and with more and more
possession-based styles this position will be around for a long time.

“I play in a position that demands hard work

and generosity and little glamour, but i like it.
Its my job and I like it. I would rather
intercept and steal 10 balls than shoot. That’s
what I’m here for, to make everyone else’s job
easier”
- SERGIO BUSQUETS

06
 STYLES
THE DIFFERENT STYLES OF A DEFENSIVE
MIDFIELDER

All Rounder - Sergio Busquets APPS GOALS TROPHIES

Date of Birth - 16/07/1988 373 9 29

Age - 31
Height - 189cm
Current Club - FC Barcelona 116 2 2
Nationality - Spain
Arriving on the scene in 2008/09 in Pep Guardiola’s first season
Sergio Busquets has established himself as a truly world-class
defensive midfielder. He is one of the best examples of this new
type of defensive midfielder as he has incredible in possession and
out of possession qualities keeping him as a regular at FC
Barcelona and Spain for the past 10 years while playing the
position on his own. Busquet's character and attitude also makes
him a stand out as this position requires discipline and a selfless
nature to put the team first.

"The coach knows that I am an obedient player who likes to help out and if
I have to run to the wing to cover someone's position, no problem”
- Sergio Busquets on his attitude

Defensive Midfielder/Centre- APPS GOALS TROPHIES

Back - Javi Martinez
201 22 0
Date of Birth - 02/09/1988
Age - 31
Height - 192cm 146 9 18
Current Club - Bayern
Munich
Nationality - Spain 18 0 2

07
 Javi Martinez burst onto to the scene at a 17-year-old signing for
Athletic Bilbao from Osasuna and immediately imposing himself on
La Liga. Martinez is excellent in possession but particularly good
out of possession. His height and athleticism allow him to be an
excellent protector of the space in front of the centre-backs
whether a team is attacking on the ground or aerially which also
makes Martinez very comfortable playing as a centre-back.
Marcelo Bielsa arrived at Athletic Bilbao at the start of 2011/12
season. Bielsa is considered as a pioneer for the use of a holding
midfielder in the defensive line during games depending on what
system the opposition is playing. Martinez was perfect for this role
as he was able to drop in between the centre backs out of
possession and step forward back into to midfield in possession.

“Bielsa taught me a lot, how to play as a centre-back and to learn a

different style of football, everyone should work with him at least once in
their life” - Javi Martinez

Deep Lying Playmaker - APPS GOALS TROPHIES

Andrea Pirlo
57 6 1

Date of Birth - 19/05/1989

Age - 41
22 0 0
Height - 177cm
Current Club - Retired
Nationality - Italy
28 6 0

Andrea Pirlo had an

outstanding 20-year career at 284 32 9
some of the biggest clubs in the
world. His technical ability and
vision were what made him 119 16 7
such a special talent. Pirlo
started his career as an
attacking midfielder but was 60 1 0
later deployed as a deep-lying
playmaker.
116 13 1

08
 This type of defensive midfielder played more of a holding role and
is usually someone who specialises in technical skills and has a
unique range of passing rather than the traditional defensive skills
that the majority of players playing in the defensive role have. Pirlo
was an expert at setting the tempo for the teams he played for, he
was able to retain possession, build attacks through short passes
and find the killer passes through the lines or longer passes in
beyond to create attacks. In Italy, the deep-lying playmaker is
known as a “regista”.

“Pirlo is a silent leader. He speaks with his feet” - Marcello Lippi

Coming Soon

09
 MOVEMENTS
When working with our defensive midfielders we like to make sure
they have a clear understating on WHEN, WHERE and HOW to
move to create space for themselves or a teammate.

After many years of using a trial and error process we now work
through 4 simple movements:

1) SHOW AND LINK

‘Show and link’ is where our defensive midfielder operates beyond

the oppositions attacking line while constantly offering good
supporting angles for our goalkeeper, centre-backs and full-backs.

In the animated video, we have only used 3 of the 6 scenarios that

we like to use on a regular basis. Please check the table below and
the Figs on page 11 to show you all 6 scenarios:

PLAY ANIMATED VIDEO CLICK HERE

Oppositions CF presses Oppositions WF jump

1 GK - DM - CB 4 CB - DM - FB
our GK on their own presses our 2nd CB

Oppositions WF jump Oppositions WF & CF

2 GK - DM - FB 5 FB - DM - CB
presses our CB press our FB & CB

Oppositions CF presses Oppositions WF & FB

3 CB - DM - CB 6 FB - DM - WF
our CB on their own press our CB & FB

10
 1 2
GK - DM - CB GK - DM - FB
The oppositions CF presses The oppositions WF jump
our GK on their own presses our CB

3 4
CB - DM - CB CB - DM - FB
The oppositions CF presses The oppositions WF jump
our CB on their own presses our 2nd CB

5 6
FB - DM - CB FB - DM - WF
The oppositions WF & CF Oppositions WF & FB press
press our FB & CB our CB & FB

11
 2) DROP BETWEEN

This is when our defensive midfielder drops between our 2 centre-

backs to create multiple scenarios for the team:

1) Dictate the tempo from our defensive line (quarterback)

2) Allow the full-backs advance
3) Allow one of the centre-backs to fix the space (Step into
midfield)

PLAY ANIMATED VIDEO CLICK HERE

3) DROP BESIDE

Our defensive midfielder drops into the space down the side of our
centre-backs (full-back position).

This movement offers the same outcomes as when he/she drops

between the centre-backs but offers different passing lines/
rotations ahead of the ball.

PLAY ANIMATED VIDEO CLICK HERE

12
 4) ROTATION

Our defensive midfielder tends to look to rotate with the two

advanced midfielders when the opposition uses a man to man
system in midfield.

PLAY ANIMATED VIDEO CLICK HERE

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN WORKING ON THE 4

MOVEMENTS AS A COACH?

• Think About what triggers you want to use to set up one of the 4
movements, this can be through specific patterns or focused
more around what the opposition are doing?

• Think About how you can get the ball and the receiving player to
arrive at the same time?

• Think About what movements you want in front of the FREE

PLAYER when they are in possession?

• Think About what the structure looks like behind the ball just in
case you lose possession?

13
 POSITION SPECIFIC
PRACTICE DETAIL

When putting together the detail for our position specific practices
we like to use 4 simple steps:

• Step One - we select which player and position we are going to be

working with.
• Step Two - we choose what we feel are the 4 key areas that is
required to play in that position.
• Step Three - we add the outcomes (sub principles) that will bring
out each key area throughout the practice.
• Step Four - we then design the practice.

Below is our position specific tool that we like to use for each
practice. This helps us design each practice, while also making it
easier to work through the key coaching outcomes.

POSITION
SELECTION
CENTRE MIDFIELDER
DEFENSIVE

MAIN PRINCIPLES - 4 KEY AREAS

SCANNING MOVEMENT RECEIVING RELEASING

SKILLS SKILLS SKILLS SKILLS

SUB PRICIPLES - OUTCOMES

- BALL - BEYOND
- OPEN BODY - PASSING
- DEFENDER - BETWEEN
- CLOSED BODY DETAIL
- NEXT MOVE - BESIDE

14
 We believe that every player should be working through a process
to help them gain possession of the ball. Below is what we feel is an
ideal process:

SCANNING SKILLS - it’s important that the

SCAN

player is always scanning and taking in key

information to help with their next move.
Coaching Language - can the midfielder see the
BALL, see the DEFENDER & see the next
MOVE…
TIP - encourage the midfielder to get an extra
scan in when the ball is traveling; see if the
picture has changed

MOVEMENT SKILLS - after scanning the

MOVE

player should now make the correct move to

create space for themselves or a teammate.
Coaching Language - look for the space BEYOND,
BETWEEN and then BESIDE…
RECEIVE

RECEIVING SKILLS - if the player has scanned

and used the correct movements, the player
should then have an opportunity to move onto
the ball with an open body shape to progress.
Coaching Language - back foot to go forward or
switch the play. Front foot to protect and find an
exit route…
RELEASE

RELEASING SKILLS - if the player has worked

through the process successfully they should
have a good idea of when, where & how they are
going to release the ball. This could be a 1, 2 or 3
touches with a clean pass.
Coaching Language - see it early, do it quickly
and do it with quality…

15
 POSITION SPECIFIC
PRACTICE DESIGN

In this part of the book there is 4 full training sessions with 3

practices per session focused around the defensive midfielder.
We have also added a variation of practices to help give you a better
understanding of what it looks like when working with different
numbers and age groups within your session.

TECHNIQUE
Technical practices are constant practices that involve a
player repeating specific movements with the aim of
acquiring, refining or maintaining a good understanding of a
specific technique. Elements of competition and challenges
may be built into constant practices to increase a players
motivation.

SKILL
Skill practices are variable practices that can change all the
time and don’t follow a usual pattern, good examples of this
are 1v1/2v2/3v3 and so on.
There are 5 different types of duals:

1 - Defender (s) in front face to face

2 - Defender (s) behind
3 - Defender (s) on the side or shoulder
4 - Recovering defender (s) from different angles
5 - Aerial duals including the scenarios above

16
 GAME SCENARIO PRACTICES
Wave Games - are two-directional practices, involving a
minimum of 3 teams of players. A wave game can range
from unopposed to opposed, based on demand. Teams are
arranged within the game to ensure the continuous
repetition of both attacking and defending functions.
Phases - are a practice situation utilising the full width of
the pitch but with reduced length, it involves teams of
players attacking or defending and is ideal for developing
unit and team tactical understanding.

Functional Games - involve practicing the demands of a

specific position. This can be for both individual players
and team units. Functional games should take place in the
area of the field where that scenario would occur in a real
game.

Small-Sided Games - are practices with a small number of

players on each side, for example 7v7 or 8v8. Small sided
games can also provide a good opportunity for more
centred learning around a particular unit of the team or
part of the game.

Practice design model:

S G
EXTR
A
LL

K
FU

A =
I M
L
L
E

17
 SESSION 1
MOVEMENTS TO WIN THE SPACE WHEN UNDER
PRESSURE

PRACTICE 1 - TECHNICAL

PRACTICE 2 - 1v1 SKILL

PRACTICE 3 - 7v7 GAME

DIAGRAM KEY
PLAYERS 01 05

NOTE: PLAYER MOVEMENT

We have attached a link at
the bottom of each practice MOVING WITH THE BALL
to allow you to see the
BALL MOVING
animated version.
BALL

18
PRACTICE 1

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS TO WIN THE SPACE - TECHNICAL
PRACTICE

SCAN RECEIVE

• Can the • Open body

Defensive- shape to play
Midfielder see sidewards or
the BALL and forwards
see the next
MOVE

MOVE RELEASE

• Vertical • 1, 2 and 3
movements touches
• Horizontal • Show and link
movements combinations
• Diagonal • Smooth passing
movements techniques to
make the next
pass playable

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome NOTE
• Divide the square into 4 sections as shown in the fig Try to make sure the
players work at a
• x6 players - x5 players on the outside and x1 in the middle high intensity…

• Supply of footballs
#ReplicateTheGame

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• The midfielder looks to receive the ball inside the square and play out to a different player on the
outside. He/she then moves and follows the same process for 1 minute
• Encourage the players to work through the individual process, SCAN, MOVE, RECEIVE and
RELEASE with quality before looking to introduce the movements and the show and link
combination
• Start to work through the individual movements before receiving each pass. Players on the
outside must exchange a minimum of 1 pass before looking to playback into the midfielder (This
gives him/her time to work the movement)
• It’s important when working through the movements you try to get the player and ball to arrive
at the same time. CLICK THE LINK AT THE BOTTOM TO SEE THE MOVEMENTS

19 https://youtu.be/J_T04vMfDto PLAY
PRACTICE 2

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS TO WIN THE SPACE WHEN UNDER
PRESSURE - 1V1 SKILL PRACTICE

SCAN RECEIVE

• Can the • Closed body to

Midfielder see protect the ball
the BALL, • Open body
see the shape to find
DEFENDER the link pass
and see the
next MOVE

MOVE RELEASE

• Vertical, • 1, 2 and 3
horizontal and touches
diagonal • Show and link
movements to combinations
try win the
space • Smooth passing
techniques to
make the next
pass playable

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome NOTE
• Divide the square into 4 sections as shown in the fig Try to make sure the
players work at a
• x6 players - x4 players on the outside and x2 in the middle competing in a high intensity…
1v1 dual
• Supply of footballs #ReplicateTheGame

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• 1v1 dual practice for 40 seconds.
• The two players in the middle competing are looking to achieve as many points as they can in 40
seconds.
• 1 point for every successful link pass (3rd man)
• 3 points for the player who has possession of the ball after 40 seconds.
• Change player roles.
PROGRESSIONS
1) 2 points for a 1 touch link pass | 2) 2v2 if you have extra players

20 https://youtu.be/kwV1Qpg3HJI PLAY
PRACTICE 3

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS TO WIN THE SPACE WHEN UNDER
PRESSURE - 7v7 GAME PRACTICE

SCAN RECEIVE

• Can the • Closed body to

Midfielder see protect the ball
the BALL, • Open body
see the shape to find
DEFENDER the link pass
and see the
next MOVE

MOVE RELEASE

• Individual • 1, 2 and 3
movements to touches
win the space. • Show and link
VERTICAL, combinations
HORIZONTAL
and
• Smooth passing
DIAGONAL techniques to
make the next
pass playable

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome
• Add a square inside the middle of the pitch dimensions as shown in the Fig
• x2 big goals - Supply of footballs in each goal
• x14 players - x7 whites including GK and x7 reds including GK

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• WHITES and REDS objective is to score in the oppositions goal. All restarts are from the
goalkeepers
• All the players are allowed to move anywhere on the pitch apart from the x2 midfielders who are
locked in the central square
• 1 point for scoring
• 3 points if a team links the play through their midfielder and scores

21 https://youtu.be/YViPAxO7TEA PLAY
 SESSION 2
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BESIDE THE CENTRE
BACKS

PRACTICE 1 - TECHNICAL

PRACTICE 2 - 4v4 SKILL

PRACTICE 3 - 11v11 GAME

DIAGRAM KEY
PLAYERS 01 05

NOTE: PLAYER MOVEMENT

We have attached a link at
the bottom of each practice MOVING WITH THE BALL
to allow you to see the
BALL MOVING
animated version.
BALL

22
PRACTICE 1

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BESIDE THE CENTRE
BACKS - TECHNICAL PRACTICE

SCAN RECEIVE

• Can the • Open body

Defensive- shape to play
Midfielder see sidewards or
the BALL and forwards
see the next
MOVE

MOVE RELEASE

• Movements • 1, 2 and 3
BETWEEN touches
and BESIDE • Smooth passing
the centre- techniques to
backs make the next
pass playable
• Disguised
passing
techniques

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome NOTE
• 3 receiving areas as shown in the fig Try to make sure the
players work at a
• x3 mini goals high intensity…

• x5 players - x3 whites and x2 reds

#ReplicateTheGame
• Supply of footballs

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• WHITES objective is to fill all 3 receiving areas in any pattern, receive a pass from the coach and
then look to score in one of the 3 mini goals with a forward pass (WHITES can circulate the ball to
move the REDS)
• REDS objective is to slide and screen the 3 mini goals and try to stop the WHITES from scoring
(Intercept and play to the coach)
PROGRESSION
• Add an extra RED defender who presses the WHITES defensive line

23 https://youtu.be/KfHuDxCCO6Y PLAY
PRACTICE 2

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BESIDE THE CENTRE
BACKS - 4v4 SKILL PRACTICE

SCAN RECEIVE

• Can the • Open body

Defensive- shape to play
Midfielder see sidewards or
the BALL, forwards
see the
DEFENDER
and see the
next MOVE

MOVE RELEASE

• Movements • 1, 2 and 3
BETWEEN touches
and BESIDE • Smooth passing
the centre- techniques to
backs make the next
pass playable
• Disguised
passing
techniques

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome NOTE
• 3 receiving areas as shown in the fig Try to make sure the
players work at a
• x3 mini goals high intensity…

• x8 players - x4 whites including GK and x4 reds

#ReplicateTheGame
• Supply of footballs

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• WHITES objective is to build through one of the 3 zones before looking to score in one of the mini-
goals. Defensive midfielder drops to create a 4v2 scenario when building.
• REDS objective is to slide and screen the mini-goals with 2 players while also pressing the
WHITES defensive line with the other 2 players.
• If REDS win the ball they look to score in the big goal.

24 https://youtu.be/5katW-3QUio PLAY
PRACTICE 3

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BESIDE THE CENTRE
BACKS - 11v11 GAME PRACTICE

SHAPE SPEED

• Set up to build • See it early

• Maintain shape • Do it quickly
to play • Ball speed
• Move within
shape

SUPPORT SUPPLY

• Angles - • Find the free

opposite player
diagonal to ball • Quality of pass -
where possible where does
• Movement - your team mate
beyond, need it
between and
beside

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome
• 3 receiving areas as shown in the fig
• x2 big goals
• x22 players - x11 whites including GK and x11 reds including GK
• Supply of footballs

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• Normal game rules apart from one condition, all restarts are from the WHITES goalkeeper. This
will give you plenty of opportunities to see if your defensive midfielder can recreate the same
movements within a 11v11 scenario.
• 1 point for either team when they score. 3 points for the WHITES if they successfully build
through one of the 3 zones and then score.

25 https://youtu.be/HH7ogFPB4BM PLAY
 SESSION 3
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BEYOND TO EXPLOIT
SPACE WITH A SHORT PASS

PRACTICE 1 - TECHNICAL

PRACTICE 2 - 4v2+2 SKILL

PRACTICE 3 - 6v5 GAME

DIAGRAM KEY
PLAYERS 01 05

NOTE: PLAYER MOVEMENT

We have attached a link at
the bottom of each practice MOVING WITH THE BALL
to allow you to see the
BALL MOVING
animated version.
BALL

26
PRACTICE 1

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BEYOND TO EXPLOIT
SPACE WITH A SHORT PASS - TECHNICAL PRACTICE

SCAN RECEIVE

• See the BALL, • Open body

see the shape to
DEFENDER & receive to play
see the next forwards
MOVE • Receive insides
• Scan at the of feet/back
small goals as foot
you move onto • Use both feet
the ball

MOVE RELEASE

• P1 - movement • Passing
between to techniques
receive • Punch passes
• P2 - movement • Play with
beyond to quality
receive
• Timing of
movement

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome NOTE
• Use cones to set up the pitch as shown in the Fig Try to make sure the
players work at a
• x2 two small goals or gates and x1 mannequin high intensity…

• x3 players minimum (x1 DM and x2 CB’s)

#ReplicateTheGame

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• PART 1 - practice starts with the two CB’s exchanging 3 passes and the DM moving diagonal to
the ball and between the mannequin and small-goals.
• After the 3rd pass between the CB’s the ball is played into the DM to receive and play into the
small goal on the diagonal.
• PART 2 - practice starts with two CB’s exchanging passes and the DM moving opposite diagonal
to the ball and between a mannequin and the small-goals.
• During the transition between pass 2/3, the DM will move in front of the mannequin to then move
beyond to receive and play into the mini-goal they are moving towards.
• Repeat parts 1 and 2 for 4 minutes before changing positions or players.

27 https://youtu.be/LODarKJJRtc PLAY
PRACTICE 2

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BEYOND TO EXPLOIT
SPACE WITH A SHORT PASS - 4v2+2 SKILL PRACTICE

SCAN RECEIVE

• See the BALL, • Open body

see the shape to
DEFENDER & receive to play
see the next forwards
MOVE • Receive insides
• Scan at the of feet/back
small goals as foot
you move onto • Use both feet
the ball

MOVE RELEASE

• P1 - movement • Passing
between to techniques
receive • Punch passes
• P2 - movement • Play with
beyond to quality
receive
• Timing of
movement

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome NOTE
• Use cones to set up the pitch as shown in the Fig Try to make sure the
players work at a
• x1 large goal high intensity…

• x8 players - x4 whites including GK, x2 reds and x2 yellow target players

#ReplicateTheGame

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• 4v2+2 skill game.
• WHITES look to build and play into target player (YELLOWS)
• REDS look to defend and counter-attack if they win the ball - 2 points if REDS score
PROGRESSIONS
• Add extra RED players so the degree of difficulty increases for the WHITES.
• If WHITES play into target players they can play straight into REDS for transition scenario.
• When the WHITES successfully play into the target players they instantly defend the big goal.
REDS and YELLOWS combine to create a 4v3 scenario against the WHITES.

28 https://youtu.be/53I36hkkxkc PLAY
PRACTICE 3

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BEYOND TO EXPLOIT
SPACE WITH A SHORT PASS - 6v5 GAME PRACTICE

SHAPE SPEED

• Set up to build • See it early

• Maintain shape • Do it quickly
to play • Ball speed
• Move within
shape

SUPPORT SUPPLY

• Angles - • Find the free

opposite player
diagonal to ball • Quality of pass -
where possible where does
• Movement - your team mate
beyond, need it
between and
below

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome
• Use cones to set up the pitch as shown in the Fig
• x2 large goals
• x11 players - x6 whites including GK and x5 reds including GK

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• 6v5 Game Practice
• WHITES look to use overload to build and score for 1 point
• REDS look to defend out-numbered
• If REDS win the ball they can counter-attack and score for 2 points
PROGRESSIONS
• Make the game even numbers (6v6), this challenges players movement and ability to find the
FREE player with a direct pass
• Under-load WHITE team for chaos factor

29 https://youtu.be/T8hLTKvA0f8 PLAY
 SESSION 4
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BEYOND TO EXPLOIT
SPACE WITH A LONG PASS

PRACTICE 1 - TECHNICAL

PRACTICE 2 - 6v7+2 SKILL

PRACTICE 3 - 11v11 GAME

DIAGRAM KEY
PLAYERS 01 05

NOTE: PLAYER MOVEMENT

We have attached a link at
the bottom of each practice MOVING WITH THE BALL
to allow you to see the
BALL MOVING
animated version.
BALL

30
PRACTICE 1

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BEYOND TO EXPLOIT
SPACE WITH A LONG PASS - TECHNICAL PRACTICE

SCAN RECEIVE

• See the BALL, • Open body

see the shape to
DEFENDER & receive to play
see the next forwards
MOVE • Receive insides
• Scan at the of feet/back
receivers foot
movement • Use both feet

MOVE RELEASE

• Movement • Passing
between to techniques -
receive long passes
• Timing of • Driven aerial
movement passes
• Can it be played
so receiver
doesn’t break
stride?

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome NOTE
• Use cones to set up the pitch as shown in the Fig Try to make sure the
players work at a
• x1 large goal, x7 mannequins (cones if unavailable) high intensity…

• x8 players minimum including x1 GK

#ReplicateTheGame

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• Practice starts with the two CB’s exchanging a pass and the DM moving diagonally to the ball
(opposite side)
• DM receives the ball with an open body shape and plays an aerial driven pass working left to
right - work the same way for x4 passes and then work right to left for x4 passes
• Pass 1 - wide to LF/RF to receive and cross/finish with opposite wide player
• Pass 2 - to CF/CAM making a run into half-space to receive and finish
• Pass 3 - to CF/CAM making run into half-space to receive and finish
• Pass 4 - wide to LF/RF to receive and cross/finish with opposite wide player

31 https://youtu.be/D3qf6ZphUzs PLAY
PRACTICE 2

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BEYOND TO EXPLOIT
SPACE WITH A LONG PASS - 6v7+2 SKILL PRACTICE

SCAN RECEIVE

• See the BALL, • Open body

see the shape to
DEFENDER & receive to play
see the next forwards
MOVE • Receive insides
• Scan at the of feet/back
receivers foot
movement • Use both feet

MOVE RELEASE

• Movement • Passing
between to techniques -
receive long passes
• Timing of • Driven aerial
movement passes
• Can it be played
so receiver
doesn’t break
stride?

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome NOTE
• Use cones to set up the pitch as shown in the Fig Try to make sure the
players work at a
• x3 scoring zones high intensity…

• x14 players - x2 yellows acting as centre-backs, x6 whites and x7 reds

#ReplicateTheGame

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• Practice starts with the two CB’s (YELLOWS) playing into the WHITE team
• WHITE team look to build play into a player moving beyond and receiving in one of the scoring
zones - ideally with an aerial driven pass if possible. 1 point for each of the wide zones and 2
points for the central zone - once WHITES have scored practice starts again with YELLOWS
• REDS cannot retreat into scoring zones (possible progression) but can intercept passes. WHITES
can use offside line as reference
• If REDS win possession they can play into the YELLOWS for a point or dribble over practice start
line - 1 point for a pass into YELLOWS and 2 points for dribbling over the line
• Individual Challenge - point system for DM assisting with aerial driven pass

32 https://youtu.be/GVl1d5DHpX4 PLAY
PRACTICE 3

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
MOVEMENTS BETWEEN AND BEYOND TO EXPLOIT
SPACE WITH A LONG PASS - 11v11 GAME PRACTICE

SHAPE SPEED

• Set up to build • See it early

• Maintain shape • Do it quickly
to play • Ball speed
• Move within
shape

SUPPORT SUPPLY

• Angles - • Type of passes

opposite • Find the free
diagonal to ball player
where possible
• Quality of pass -
• Movement - where does
beyond, your team mate
between and need it
below

SET UP
• Area size can be adjusted on age group or physical outcome
• Use cones to set up the pitch as shown in the Fig
• x2 large goals and offside line
• x22 players minimum including x2 GK's

PRACTICE ORGANISATION
• 11v11 game practice
• WHITES look to build up and score - if WHITES score they keep the ball and if they miss REDS
start the practice from the offside line
• REDS look to press high and score - must keep a high defensive line
• Offside line - WHITES cannot arrive before the ball and REDS cannot retreat until the ball has
crossed the offside line
• SCORING SYSTEM - WHITES - 1 point for normal goal, x2 points for an aerial pass beyond and
goal, x3 points for aerial pass from DM and goal
• SCORING SYSTEM - REDS - x2 points for pressing and scoring, x1 point for building and scoring.

33 https://youtu.be/0490TNZrOuk PLAY
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