Ryan Giggs Attack Against Defence

INPARTNERSHIPWITH

WALES Overview time to develop the players Ryan Giggs This session is all about attack and the way of playing. Time is against defence in various limited with the national team Attack against situations. Because the and we must accept we cannot defence defending team is facing an do all the things we would like. overload, it is important for It would be amistake to burden SET-UP AREA them to work together in the the players with too much Up to half apitch best ways possible. The real information, so we must choose EQUIPMENT test for the attacking team is to our priorities and be creative. Balls, bibs, cones, poles, 2full size take advantage of their overload We try to be as efﬁcient as goals, 2small goals and to show they can ﬁnd the possible in how we set up our NUMBER OF PLAYERS free player to create as many Up to 13 players +2goalkeepers training sessions. That means scoring chances possible. most of the time we focus on KEY SESSION TIME Ball Search aline: 18mins Working with anational team more than one objective in movement Player 6v5 +keeper: 15mins is very different from working the exercises we choose. We movement 7v6 +keeper: 15mins at aclub, where there is more organise the session so that, Dribble

1a 8 17 8

The red defenders press to overturn possession. If they win the ball they can attack the unguarded goal 22

The attackers combine to get the ball to their team mate A waiting attacker at the other end of the pitch. plays astarting They must then switch the pass to the free blue direction of play and attack player at the end the goal with the keeper with the keeper

33 for example, one coach will focus on environment where players want defenders and 1goalkeeper on the the aims in defending and attacking to give everything to win games. pitch, lined up in starting positions transition and the other coach will We would run these activities two down the centre of the pitch, as focus more on the aims in attacking or three days before agame, as shown [1a]. Another attacker and 3 and defensive transition. In this way they provide avery efﬁcient way of more defenders wait for their turns we try to use our limited training making our playing principles clear. at the side. The goalkeeper is at the time in the best way possible. end that the attackers must try to We try to make all of our exercises What do Iget the players to do? score in. The other goal is unguarded as competitive as possible and to Search aline and is for the defenders to score in. do everything at match speed and We set up an area of 33x22 yards with Play starts with aserve from the tempo, as it must be challenging two full size goals and two 8-yard end waiting attacker to the free attacker for both teams. This will create an zones. We begin with 4attackers, 2 at the end of the pitch with the

4 AUGUST 2018 www.elitesoccercoaching.net INPARTNERSHIPWITH

RYAN GIGGS: ATTACK AGAINST DEFENCE

KEY Ball 1b movement Player 8 17 8 movement Dribble

Only the goalkeeper is allowed inside the end zone The attacker who received the pass in diagram 1a now switches the direction of play and attacks the other end 22

The ﬁrst attacker must leave the pitch The once the direction halfway of play switches, line is the making it a3v2 attack offside line

goalkeeper. The four active attackers smaller to make it more difficult, (the blues) must combine to get the “We try to make all or we could limit the amount or ball to the other side of the pitch, of our exercises as touches taken. We could change while the defenders (the reds) it to allow one defender to sprint must try to prevent this for as long competitive possible back and support his team mates, as possible by keeping the middle making the attack 3v3 instead of closed and forcing the ball to the and to do everything 3v2. We could also change the rules sides. If the defenders overturn at match speed and so goals for the defenders count possession, they can try to score in double –this would make it even the unguarded goal. They can use tempo, as it must be more important for the attackers to the help of the goalkeeper if needed. challenging” react quickly after losing the ball. Once the ball has reached the attacker in the opposite half, the has been agoal or if the ball goes What are the key things to look out first attacker has to leave the pitch out of play, the attackers rotate by for? and his team attacks the end where moving one position down the line. We want to see the attackers doing the ball started –it’s a3v2 against Switch defenders after two attacks. the simple things well, with good the defenders and the attackers passing, control and movement. must try to score past the keeper, How do Iprogress the session? Attackers should be brave in as shown [1b]. Only the keeper their decisions but precise in the is allowed in the end zone. There are afew options to keep execution. We also want to see the It’s important that the coaches keep the exercise challenging for both attackers giving passing options score. It’s about attackers against teams. To challenge the defenders, to team mates and they should defenders, so it’s all about winning! we can make the playing area never be in the same line –when The halfway line serves as the offside wider, and instead of afull size goal, a team mate in front moves left, line. Play for 18 minutes. After 9 we could use two small goals. the player should go right. minutes, switch the side where the To challenge the attackers, we Attackers have various options first pass comes from. When there could make the playing area that we want to see employed:

5 AUGUST 2018 www.elitesoccercoaching.net INPARTNERSHIPWITH

RYAN GIGGS: ATTACK AGAINST DEFENCE they should look for the forward WhatdoIgettheplayerstodonext? Play starts with akick or athrow pass when possible or switch the Attack vdefence: 6v5 +keeper from the keeper toward the play to create a2v1 situation, or they Next we progress to abigger space attackers. At the same time the should dribble to pass or overlap. with more players involved. The defenders will push up towards When the attackers lose the ball, basic principles stay the same the defensive line. Attackers we want to see quick reactions but because of the increase in must react to the advantage the because there is no time for numbers it becomes more complex overload situation gives them and disappointment –they should and much more game-related. try to exploit the space behind immediately put pressure on the We set up on half of the pitch the defence, as shown [2]. ball or the closest opponent. If they with afull size goal at one end The defenders must try to block the can’t win the ball back, they should and two small goals at the other. attacks and win the ball, creating stop the pass forward, force the ball Poles on either side of the pitch chances to score in the unguarded wide or back and stay involved. mark the defensive line. small goals on the halfway line. When the defenders win possession We are using 1goalkeeper and We usually play in blocks of four one- and transition to attack, we want 11 outfield players split into a minute attacks. If the ball goes dead, to see them looking for aquick defending team of 5(the reds –lined as long as the time for an attack has forward pass, but if the pass isn’t up in aformation of 4defenders not run out, we would play asecond on, they should keep hold of the ball, and 1midfielder) and an attacking ball in to the attackers. We want to using the keeper if necessary, and team of 6(the blues –with 3 have as many attacks as possible create the option to play forward. midfielders and 3forwards). and we like to keep the pressure

As the keeper plays the ﬁrst ball, the defenders (the reds) should Play starts push up to the with the keeper defensive line kicking or throwing the ball towards the attackers (the blues)

Here the attackers take advantage of their overload and try to exploit the space behind the defence

The defenders must try to block the attack. If they win the ball they must try to score in the small goals on the halfway line

6 AUGUST 2018 www.elitesoccercoaching.net INPARTNERSHIPWITH

RYAN GIGGS: ATTACK AGAINST DEFENCE on the defenders. We would play The attackers should try to keep goalkeeper to the attacking team. three blocks, so around 15 minutes, the ball speed high but also change The formation is altered so they have rotating players every minute. the tempo, accelerating at the right 2 full backs and 2midfielders instead moments. If the attackers have of 3midfielders. The defending What are the key things to look out the ball on one side of the pitch, team now has an additional player in for? we want to see them switch the midfield. We also remove the small play as quickly as possible to get We want to see the defenders goals on the halfway line, replacing the wingers into 1v1 situations. keeping it compact. When the ball them with the extra goalkeeper. moves, the defenders should move The wide players should look to The exercise starts with akick or a too, making the space small and cross early, firing the ball between throw from the defending team’s keeping the attackers away from the defenders and the goalkeeper goalkeeper toward the attackers. the goal for as long as possible. and supporting attackers should At the same time the defenders will be ready to make the runs to push up towards the defensive line. If acentral defender needs to the front and back posts. step out to keep pressure on the The attackers must try to score in ball, the other three defenders the goal and, as they are now playing will make the space small behind How do Iprogress the session? with two full backs who overlap on him. If necessary, the holding Attack vdefence: 7v6 +keeper the wings, they will create more 2v1s midfielder can drop into the The principles remain the same, with the defenders, as shown [3]. If back line when adefender needs but we change the basic set-up the defenders win the ball, they pass to step out or is outplayed. by adding an outfield player and a it to the keeper on the halfway line.

Play starts with akick or athrow from the keeper toward the attackers (the blues). At the same time the defenders push up to the defensive line

The defending team (the reds) must try to win the ball and pass to the goalkeeper on the halfway line

“When the attackers lose the ball, we want to see quick reactions because there is no time for The attackers are now playing with 2full backs, disappointment who overlap on the wings to create more 2v1s with – they should the defenders immediately put pressure on the ball”

7 AUGUST 2018 www.elitesoccercoaching.net