DIEGO SIMEONE “EVERYONE TOGETHER, EVERYONE TALKS”
WEEKLY
SOCCER COACH INSPIRE Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy
BELIEVE
December 3, 2014 Issue 397 $6.99/£4.99
< DIEGO SIMEONE: ATLETICO MADRID’S 4-4-2 SPECIALIST
SUCCEED TOUGH, FOCUSED AND TACTICALLY PERFECT
CLEVER POSSESSION GAMES SPEED AT TRANSITION PRESS AND COUNTER ATTACK FUN SESSIONS
FIVE MINUTE WORKSHOP > HEADER SIT UPS > BIB PULL AWAY
STYLE OF PLAY
> ZONAL KEEP BALL > SIX-BALL POSSESSION > FUN QUICK-PACED ENVIRONMENTS
E U S S I S I H T H T I INAR W FREE WEEAB ly ATTACK d ea d a : M A E T T C E F R E TE THE P HOW TO CR
POSSESSION TECHNIQUE PUTTING SKILLS UNDER PRESSURE
Contents
A Letter To The Parents xx
DIEGO SIMEONE “EVERYONE TOGETHER, EVERYONE TALKS”
WEEKLY
SOCCER COACH INSPIRE Learn • Train • Develop • Enjoy
BELIEVE
December 3, 2014 Issue 397 $6.99/£4.99
< DIEGO SIMEONE: ATLETICO MADRID’S 4-4-2 SPECIALIST
SUCCEED TOUGH, FOCUSED AND TACTICALLY PERFECT
CLEVER POSSESSION GAMES SPEED AT TRANSITION PRESS AND COUNTER ATTACK FUN SESSIONS
FIVE MINUTE WORKSHOP > HEADER SIT UPS > BIB PULL AWAY
STYLE OF PLAY
> ZONAL KEEP BALL > SIX-BALL POSSESSION > FUN QUICK-PACED ENVIRONMENTS
ISSUE INAR WITH ATHIS FREE WEB dEAdly ATTACK CREATE THE PERFECT TEAM: HOW TO
POSSESSION TECHNIQUE PUTTING SKILLS UNDER PRESSURE
Soccer Coach Weekly Issue 397
Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford GU5 0AB, UK.
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Watching Swansea City in the English Premier League this season I have been very impressed with their kick offs which play the ball high and wide into attacking zones where the players can immediately attack the ball and start in a very positive way. I am a great believer in positive play from the kick off, but have met resistance from the parents of players who are used to seeing a pass-backinto-midfield scenario on the TV. A couple of seasons ago I was trying a new kick-off with the Under-10s, with mixed success. Like Swansea we practiced kicking balls towards the opposition corner flag and follow in with two fast players. If the ball goes out near the corner flag the opposition have to take a throw-in from a very defensive position, which immediately tests them because they are on the back foot. If the attackers get to the ball before it goes into touch they are in a good position to create something. If the defenders get there first they’ll need to link-up well to get the ball up the pitch, so there are positives all round. The tactic worked well in our own division, but we were drawn in the cup against a very strong team from a higher division, and found ourselves 3-0 down at half-time. When we kicked off for the second-half my players’ parents
“The commotion and mixed messages meant my players became confused and lost the ball” began complaining about the tactic. This was not what I wanted. If something is not working we take it back to our training sessions and address it there. The commotion and mixed messages meant my players became confused and lost the ball. I was not happy with the parents’ reaction so I sent out this letter: Dear all, Please can I remind you that the boys spend a lot of time preparing for situations in matches. Sometimes tactics don’t work on the day. This is not an open invitation for parents to shout at players. They are Under-10s and are learning with every step they take. In our last match there was an unpleasant chorus of disapproval at the rugby style kick-off we used on the day. This is just one of a number of things
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we are experimenting with and, whilst not a typically English style of kick-off, it has been proven to be very effective by youth teams in France and Spain. That it wasn’t working on the day did not in any way have a detrimental effect on the team, but shouting at and confusing the players did. Please come to see me if you have any problems with the way the team are playing. Thank you however for your support, David It achieved what I wanted and I received a strong and positive response from the parents.
David Clarke
In this issue... 3 the inspirational coach
Tough, focused and tactically perfect
4 on or off?
Possession game – keeping the ball is vital to success of the game
5 organise defence to counter
Make 4-4-2 work for your team
6 five minute workouts
Header sit-ups and bib pull away
7 style of play
Focus training on how you want to play
8 zonal keep ball
Possession under pressure
9 six ball possession
Who can keep the ball the longest? Issue 397
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DIEGO SIMEONE Roy Hodgson Diego Simeone checks out and Gordon his players in Strachan prepare training for battle
The Inspirational Coach According to Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, Atletico Madrid play like their manager Diego Simeone – tough, focused and tactically perfect
A
rgentinian midfielders know how to tackle – and they know when to tackle. Think Javier Mascherano, such a good tackler he plays centre-back for Barcelona. He started out, much like the manager of Atletico Madrid Diego Simeone, as a defensive midfielder where he harassed the attacking players of his opponents. Simeone too was a fantastic tackler. He has instilled this into his team, coaching them in the defensive tactics he has always been so good at himself. If you look at his team they play his favoured 4-4-2 to perfection. They stay compact with the two strikers dropping deep to prevent the ball being played through the centre of the pitch. An important part of their play is to keep narrow with the wide midfielders tucking in and the wingbacks staying tight to the centre-backs. And the one thing that comes up during every report on a Simeone team is how hard working they are. They are astonishingly good without the ball, keeping the two banks of four tight SoccerCoachWeekly.net
together to prevent teams like Barcelona playing through them. This is where the tackling comes in with Atletico often winning the ball in their own half and unleashing fast counter-attacks, catching their opponents out with aggressive forward play to score against the run of play. Simeone has created this mentality at the club where the whole group lives his idea, his tactics. Unlike a lot of top managers he works very hard on the training pitch – Atletico play like they train, driven by their manager. What is interesting about the Atletico midfield is that they are set up in a similar fashion to Spanish teams like Barcelona – but whereas Barcelona’s is an attacking ideal, the set up for Atletico is a defensive one. They dominate the zone to block attacks and set themselves up for the counter, whereas Barcelona will set up like that to keep possession of the ball. In attack they use very quick combinations to set up counter attacks, quickly getting wide or deep into the opposition half – rarely keeping the ball
for long, their speed catches out the best defences. Simeone has proved to be an outstanding coach with a prefect strategy for his team, dominating games without the ball, forcing play, enticing moves then taking the ball up the other end in a flash. It is a strategy that works well in grassroots when youth teams play against stronger teams. But it takes a lot of work and discipline. Check out the sessions that follow and give your team some of the attributes of Atletico Madrid.
Words and activities by:
David Clarke
“Everybody at Atletico sits together at a long table. This way, they can’t avoid looking at each other in the face. There are no secrets. Everybody together, everybody talks. This sends a message” DIEGO SIMEONE, ATLETICO MADRID Issue 397
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diego simeone
On Or Off? This is a favourite game of mine in which players do anything they can to keep the ball or they get substituted – watch how creative your players become so they don’t get subbed
WHY USE IT
This is all about players getting out of tight situations with possession of the ball. After a few games watch how creative your players become when faced with losing the ball.
Play a normal game with players trying to keep possession and score goals
Here the pass is intercepted by the defender so the player who lost the ball must swap with the substitute
S
SET UP
HOW TO PLAY
Split your players into two teams of five players. You need a keeper, 3 outfield players and a substitute on each team. Play a normal game but the twist is that if a player loses the ball – it goes out of play, a pass is intercepted, gets tackled – they are immediately switched with the substitute. Play continues while changes of players are being made so one team could have only 2 competitive players if the changeover is slow. Score a point per goal and an extra point for 5 passes. You can add rules like if a player is tackled he has 10 seconds to try and win the ball back before being substituted.
S
s yd 30
You need balls, bibs, cones and goals. Mark out a 40x30 yard area with a goal at each end. We used 10 players in the session.
s 40yd
Players must look to use the ball intelligently and not hang onto it allowing opponents the chance to tackle them S
S
Here the player who is tackled has 10 seconds to quickly try and win the ball back or he will be substituted
During substitutions play goes on giving the opponents an overload situation as well as the ball S
TECHNIQUE
The session involves intelligent passing, dribbling and shielding, as well as clever ideas such as playing the ball off an opponent to win a throw-in and keep possession.
S
Activity by: David Clarke
Player movement SoccerCoachWeekly.net
Ball movement
Shot
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DIEGO SIMEONE
Organise Defence To Counter Diego Simeone organises his 4-4-2 formation so the defence is a solid two banks of four which can hit the two forwards with accurate passes when they win the ball
WHY USE IT
A strong defence is a great foundation to launch counter attacks. In Simeone’s Atletico team the strong tackling defensive set up wins the ball and wins games by capitalising on counter attacking.
The defending team must all be in their own half in separate boxes – if a player vacates a box another defender can then drop in.
Play starts with the goalkeeper of the attacking team playing out to a team mate.
SET UP
HOW TO PLAY
Split your players into two teams of six players. The defending team plays in the half with the squares in it and only one defender can be in each square at any one time – they can move squares but a player must vacate the square if the team mate enters it. The attacking team can only shoot from their opponents half of the pitch and they must make three passes before they can shoot. If the defending team wins the ball they counter attack quickly and must score within three passes or the ball is given back to the attacking team.
s yd 30
You need balls, bibs, cones and goals. Mark out a 40x30 yard area with one half divided into nine equal squares and a goal at each end. We used 12 players in the session.
s 40yd
The attacking team must make at least three passes before they can shoot at goal.
Here the defenders are pressing and forcing play to try and win the ball.
The defenders counter attack – when they win the ball they must score within three passes.
TECHNIQUE
Defenders should use the halfway line as the first point of pressure but the key areas defenders must protect are those spaces immediately in front of and behind their team mates. They have to make decisions about when to tackle and when to drop deep. On the counter they have to be switched on to quick passing and not get caught on the back foot.
Player movement SoccerCoachWeekly.net
Ball movement
Shot
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WORKSHOP
5 Minute Fitness: Header Sit-Ups > Working in pairs This five minute fitness drill can be used during your training sessions for a quick break to help coaching points sink in, or as an incentive for a drinks break. This exercise can be between two players or the coach and a player. The working player must swap quickly with the server to get the most benefit for both players.
How to do it The working player must lie down on their back with hands behind head and knees bent.
Players work in pairs with one throwing the ball for their partner to head back
The working player should lie on his back hand behind his head with the legs bent at the knee
The server throws so the working player can sit up and head the ball back. Start this one off with the working player doing five headers then quickly changing with the server. Work for one minute then rest for one minute over five minutes.
The player sits up and heads the ball firmly back to the server
5 Minute Fun: Bib Pull Away > Movement, agility and shielding How to do it Each player must put a bib in the back of their shorts.
Players must run and dodge each other in the area as they try and pull the bib out of each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shorts
The players must move around the area and try to pull someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bib away. They must also try to protect their own bibs. If your bib gets pulled away you are out of the game. The player who is left after everyone else has lost their bib is declared the winner.
SoccerCoachWeekly.net
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POSSESSION Roy Hodgson A poor first touch will and Gordon often result in Strachan prepare losing the ball for battle
Style Of Play How does your team play? The focus of your sessions should take into account the way you want your team to play in their next match
O
ne thing you can be sure of is that parents and coaches alike will be discussing formations and styles of play on the touchlines of youth matches all around the world. Often that will depend upon the players and the formation that the coach (and the parents!) are comfortable with. So how do we choose the way the team plays? I like my teams to keep possession and move forward quickly building from the back, but also to attack like a Diego Simeone team on the break (see page 3). Everything should be done at speed so training sessions must be focused on that scenario. For a possession-based game players need to be competent with ball control and decision making. Poor first touch or taking the wrong decision to dribble or pass will result in losing the ball. Many coaches start out developing a possession game, but they are tested when a turnover in their defensive third becomes costly. SoccerCoachWeekly.net
When this happens, players need to be encouraged to stay the course, they need to adapt to this style of play for their own development. When possession is the focus in the youth system, players become superior in ball control, composure, and decision-making in their later years. Think Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Arsenal, Ajax, Spain and Germany. All these teams play out from the back and move upfield with the ball. It cuts out that awful long ball game so many youth teams resort to. The sessions that follow this page from Theresa Echtermeyer at Real Colorado, help you to coach your teams to keep the ball under pressure from the opposition. It is when teams are under pressure that a possession game is truly tested. Practice is vital but always remember â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a possession-based game will bear fruit even if at first winning takes a back seat. A long ball game has limited use as players get older, because it is
predictable and teams can cover the pass. It also becomes less effective as size advantage evens out. Also, players should be allowed to switch positions throughout the season. If we label players early on and they join a team that already has players in the position they have played in, they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t adjust to another position, and will end up on the substitutes bench.
Words by:
David Clarke Activities by:
Theresa Echtermeyer, director of recreational coach and player development, Real Colorado
10 THINGS TO WORK ON IN TRAINING
> One and two touch > Keep the game simple > Keep the ball on the ground > Accuracy and quality of the pass > First touch into space > Perception and awareness > 1v1 situations > Individual transition > Shooting > Be prepared to take risks
Issue 397
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
PRESSURE
Zonal Keep Ball
www.nscaa.com
This is a great game to get players holding onto the ball when under pressure with plenty of passing options around them. Players learn to look for the easiest passing option
WHY USE IT
The game gives attackers many opportunities to pass and receive the ball in a ‘live’ situation – great for working on technique and problem solving in a fun, quick-paced environment.
You need balls, bibs and cones. Mark out an area 40x20 yards split into two outer zones of 15 yards and a centre zone of 10 yards. We used 12 players in the session
HOW TO PLAY
Split your players into three teams of 4. Each team is given a designated ‘third’ to start in. The two end thirds are the attacking/possession teams. The team in the middle third is the defending team. The session starts with a pass to one of the attacking teams. The defending team scores a point if they get the ball back to the middle third or to the coach. The attacking team gets a point if they make 5 consecutive passes. When the defending team wins the ball and gets it to the other outer zone they swap with the team they won the ball off.
s 15yd
s yd 20
SET UP
One defender from the centre can go and try to win the ball – if they win it and can pass to a teammate they get a point, if they kick the ball out no points
The game starts with a pass into the attacking team who must try and make 5 passes
s 10yd s 15yd
This time the coach allows 2 defenders to enter the attacking team’s area to pressure and try to win the ball
If the defending team wins the ball they pass it to the team on the opposite side to the attacking team
TECHNIQUE
Coach is looking for attacking players to move off the ball and get into good angles of support. Look for defenders to isolate players 1v1 and take advantage of technical errors. Activity by: Theresa Echtermeyer
Player movement SoccerCoachWeekly.net
When the ball is lost the defending team in the middle swaps with the team they won the ball off
Ball movement
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
PRESSURE
Six-Ball Possession
www.nscaa.com
Great fun with this game against the clock â&#x20AC;&#x201C; how can the team in possession keep hold of the ball? Pressure versus possession ... see which players keep the ball the longest
WHY USE IT
s yd 15
Players learn to play away from pressure and to battle to keep possession. Extra pressure due to the clock. Transitions are quick and players are put in game like pressure scenarios. Most importantly this game is FUN!
The game starts with a pass into the possession team with the first of six balls and start your watch
SET UP
You need balls, bibs and cones, in a 20x15 yard grid which is expanded to 20x25 as the session progresses. We used 9 players in the session.
HOW TO PLAY
The other two teams line up and go one at a time to pressure the defending team Now play the session with defenders working in pairs giving the attackers more pressure s yd 18
s 23yd
Experiment with different numbers try 4 attackers with 3 defenders pressing to see what difference it makes
Make the area slightly bigger so the attackers have more of a chance
s yd 20
You need three teams of 3 players. The coach has 6 balls and serves them one at a time. The coach times how long it takes for all 6 balls to be used. When the defender clears the ball out of the grid he needs to run to tag the next defender in line who goes to try and win the next ball. This goes on until all 6 balls are used. The other two teams take their turns to try and beat the time in possession. Then try the same session with 2 defenders in a 3v2 and finally try different combinations like 4 attackers versus 3 defenders.
s 20yd
TECHNIQUE
The coach is looking to see if players are executing proper technique and making good tactical decisions. How is their first touch? Are players communicating? Are players confident on the ball?
s 25yd
Activity by: Theresa Echtermeyer
Player movement SoccerCoachWeekly.net
Ball movement
Shot
Run with ball Issue 397
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WEEKLY
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