Midfield pressure exercise question

[andrew crollardParticipant]

I was chatting with the GU14 coach at my club about the midfield pressure exercise. Something that we pondered on, is why use puggs instead of stationary target players? It would seem to accomplish the same idea, only with the added benefit of the visual cues for the defenders about cutting out passing lanes to players instead of the blob of a goal. As the kids age to somewhere in the U14-18 range and have done the basic drill many times, you could allow for some movement of the target players to better-simulate game situation.

I suspect your answer is something along the lines of “less is more”. But if my players (university women, not my U14s) already understand the pressure/cover system while cutting out passing angles, my progression seems like a logical “next step” for this drill. With your older teams who have this drill down, do you scrap it and instead work choreography with the full team while pressing? Some other progression?

Gary or Brian, thoughts?

• This topic was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by  andrew crollard.

[Eric DykesParticipant]

It will interesting to see what the brothers think, but my guess is that these drills can be modified as long as your getting the desired outcome and the spirit of the drill is there.

I think target players is a great idea. Id even consider target players with my U10s.

At U10 we run a 3-2-2 with my group (ran 3-3-1 at U9- now our kids have been exposed to both width by formation and now they have to learn to attack and defend space wide- I think this knowledge is vital). Most teams we play run a 3-3-1 (we have a strong advantage in the middle and a weakness with width- kids are learning how to create width with the outside backs entering the attack and checking back to the ball). We have struggled with the outside back rotating late on foot to foot switched and the opponents outside mids have had time to turn and attack our goal which creates big problems for us. Im considering running the drill with the two outside grid requiring the players to sink back into a balance position when the ball is away and anticipate the switch and quickly apply pressure on the outside back as the ball rotates to their side. The middle grid will have a 2 v 1 as one quick pressures the ball and the other provides support and looks to get in the passing lane in the direction the center player is facing. Same concept, same spirit, modified to fit our current system.

[Jay FreymillerParticipant]

Probably because you don’t have nine midfielders on a U11 team. I would assume the other players are doing position specific work at the same time.

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