Play Like England – Pressing
1. Warm Up – ‘Box Trap’ 20 minutes
- Numbers in the box can vary depending on age, ability and players available e.g. 4 v 1, 5 v 2, 3 v 1, 6 v 3
- Outside players combine to keep the football in the square
- Inside players look to press and spoil the ball
- If the ball leaves the square the ball is dead
- The player who made the mistake of giving away possession AND the player to their left go in the middle to defend
Competition
- 10 passes = goal for attackers
- If the defenders win possession in the first 7 seconds = 1 goal
- If the defender wins the ball cleanly and makes a pass to their team mate = 2 goals
- ADVANCED – if the attackers play a pass through the middle of the two defenders = -1 goal
Key Tips
- The nearest defender shuts down the attacker in possession
- The second defender blocks the attackers most obvious pass
- Press quickly with intelligence
2. Pressing as a unit – 20 minutes
- Numbers on outside may vary dependent on numbers available
- 3 v 1 in the middle box including the football which starts with the 3 attackers
- The defenders sole job is to spoil the ball and force it out the mini box
- Once the ball has left the mini box the attackers situated in the bigger box take possession of the ball
- This triggers the 3 players in the mini box to become active defenders and press the ball (these defenders are not allowed to run through the mini box again)
- The attackers (White in diagram) job is to keep possession and try to feed the ball into their playmaker who is inside the mini box as many times as possible
- The role of defender is to press the ball as a unit win the ball and keep possession against the overload
- If the ball leaves the bigger box, the practice restarts
- Coach ensures everyone rotates roles
Key Tips
- Press quickly and work hard
- Press TOGETHER
- The nearest defender presses the ball (whilst blocking the pass into the playmaker)
- The other 2 defenders support behind and block obvious passing lanes
- Maintain triangle press
3. Pressing from the front – 20 minutes
- 4 defenders start in the mini area as well as the attacking playmaker (Red in diagram)
- A back 3 on each side is put in place RB / LB / CB
- The role of Red players is to maintain possession and either switch the point of attack and play to the opposite 3 (pass down the sides) OR play into the playmaker who plays out to the other side
- The ball CANNOT GO ABOVE HEAD HEIGHT
- 2 defenders are assigned to defend north, 2 are assigned to defend south
- The defender’s role is to spoil the ball or force the attackers to play down the side: their PRIMARY OBJECTIVE is to stop the ball going into the playmaker
Adaptations
- START NON CONTACT to reinforce shape and principles of defending
- GRADUALLY ADD PRESSURE
Key Tips
- The nearest defender presses the ball down the line of the playmaker to stop the forward pass
- Closest defender also shows the ball player where to play with their open / closed body shape
- The secondary defender again blocks the pass into the playmaker and supports from a deeper position
- If the ball is played square, then roles reverse
- Press the ball aggressively ONLY if the ball player does not have controlled possession
