Football Association of Ireland

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Attacking Defending

3 + 2 v 3 Zonal Possession

A functional practice designed to improve players passing, decision making, movement, positioning and transition play.

Key objectives

Quality and selection of pass
Body shape/Receive on Back Foot /First Touch
Angles and Distance of support
Width and depth – Penetrating Pass
Awareness of space and defender
Transition to Defend – can we win ball back as quickly as possible
Transition to Attack – width and depth as quickly as possible

Organisation

Area: 30 x 24 metres
3 Blue Players + 2 Red Players v 3 Yellow Players (1 Red Player in each zone as seen above)
When is possession Blue Team play in triangle formation, if the Yellow Team win possession they play in a triangle formation also
Red Players always play with team in possession and can’t leave their zone
Blue team start the practice with emphasis on keeping possession and when the opportunity arises they can transfer the ball to the Red player in the other zone. After transferring the ball the Blue team and the Yellow team must also transfer into that zone
When not in Possession Yellows/Blues can leave their position and press to win the ball back
Have a supply of footballs to keep the practice continually flowing

Session details

Attacking
Defending

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Session plan

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