BUILDING PLAY INTO
THE FINAL THIRD
AG E P H AS E : U 1 7 +
SESSION PLAN
SESSION OVERVIEW BUILDING PLAY INTO THE FINAL THIRD
LEVEL PART 2: 10v11 ATTACK v DEFENCE KEY
• U17-First team • This is an attack-versus-defence practice that uses the Ball movement
visual aid of a curved line to help with the positioning of
the possession team’s back four. Player movement
SESSION OBJECTIVES • This positioning allows the team to be patient in without the ball
possession, but with a high ball speed.
To develop a team’s ability to build possession to enter • Setting the practice up as an 10v11 increases the Player movement
the final third, including: complexity and difficulty of the practice. The ability with the ball
to change the speed of the attack will be tested in
• Recognising when to be patient in possession to a matchlike situation.
unbalance the opposition’s shape
• Improving players’ understanding of how to increase
the tempo of their play once they have broken the PART 3: 11v11 GAME Players
opposition’s defensive lines
• This is an 11v11 game played on a pitch split into equal
thirds. A curved line is drawn in the middle third to act Cones
PART 1: 3v2 INTO 4v3 BREAKOUT GAME as a visual aid for the back four of the coached team.
• Any goal is worth the number of passes the scoring
Flat marker
• This is a breakout game that introduces the idea of team makes in the middle third during the build-up.
being patient in possession. This encourages patient and progressive play into
• A restriction on the players in the possession zone the final third.
forces them to find the perfect opportunity to play Cones with
into their forward players. flat marker
• This practice always has an overload in favour of
the attackers, so they can gain success and build
confidence in the principles being coached. Goal
Mini-goal
Mannequin Pole
Football
AGE PHASE: U17+
3v2 INTO 4v3 BREAKOUT GAME BUILDING PLAY INTO THE FINAL THIRD
FUNCTION 1
7
• This is a breakout game played on a pitch of 45m x C
50m, with an initial possession box of 25m x 20m. There
10
is a goal with a goalkeeper at one end, and three mini-
goals at the other, as shown in Diagram 1. 5
8
• The practice starts with the coach (C) playing a ball into
45 metres
the possession box, which features a 3v2 situation in 9 4
favour of the team attacking the main goal. 4
• These players are trying to work the ball into their front 6
three. Any pass by the #10 or #8 into the front three 8
must be played off one touch.
• Once the ball is worked into one of the front three, one
defender and one attacker from the possession box can 11
join in what then becomes a 4v3 to goal. This is shown
in Diagram 2.
• Diagram 1 shows the team attacking centrally before 50 metres
playing wide to get a cross in; Diagram 2 shows the
team attacking wide.
• If the defending team wins possession, they attempt to 2
7
score in any of the three target mini-goals.
C
DEVELOPING THE PRACTICE 10
5
8
• Progress the practice by rewarding the attacking team
with three points if they are able to score within five 9 4
seconds of breaking out of the possession box. This 4
will encourage the players to increase the tempo of the 6
game once they have broken a line. 8
• Reward the attacking team with two points if they are
able to score from a one-touch finish.
11
AGE PHASE: U17+
3v2 INTO 4v3 BREAKOUT GAME BUILDING PLAY INTO THE FINAL THIRD
COACHING DETAIL:
TECHNICAL
PATIENCE IN POSSESSION QUALITY OF FINAL BALL
• When the attacking team has the ball in the possession • Players should focus on the quality of the final ball. They
box, they need to be patient to find an opening that will always have an overload with an extra attacker, so
allows the attacking midfielders to play off one touch the final ball should find the spare player if the correct
into the front three. decision is made and the ball is played with the correct
• Moving the ball with limited touches and good ball weight and accuracy.
speed will disorganise the opposition and create
opportunities to play into the front three. RUTHLESS FINISHING
• When the attackers get a chance to finish, the coaches
INCREASE THE TEMPO should demand that moves are finished ruthlessly.
• Once the players have broken out of the possession • Players should be encouraged to finish firmly into the
box, the speed of play should increase. This will reduce corners at the earliest opportunity.
the opportunity the opposition has to recover behind • Coaches should warn against complacency and drive
the ball. this aspect of training through the tone and volume
of their voice.
AGE PHASE: U17+
10v11 ATTACK v DEFENCE BUILDING PLAY INTO THE FINAL THIRD
FUNCTION 1
7
• This is a 10v11 attack v defence game played on two-
2
thirds of a full-sized pitch. There is a full-sized goal with
goalkeeper at one end, and four mini-goals at the other. 2
8
The dashed line going straight across the pitch denotes
the attacking third. 3 11
• A curved line should also be marked out across the 3
pitch, as shown in the diagram. This acts as a visual aid 5
for the back four on the attacking team of 10 to take 8 9
their positions. It should allow quick passing, but also 5 9 4
quick counter-pressing if this team loses the ball.
• Five lanes are also marked out, as shown in the diagram 4
10
– these act as visual aids for the channels the attacking 6
team should be inhabiting. 6
• The attacking team, here attacking right to left, is set up 7
in a 4-3-3 formation. The defending team is set up in a
10
4-4-2 shape. 4
2
• Play always starts with the one of the centre-backs on 3
the attacking team, who are attempting to score in the
goal by breaking the opposition down through patient 5 11
build-up.
• If the defensive team wins possession, they have 10
seconds in which to score in one of the mini-goals. This
will encourage them to be direct and attempt to attack
the space left when the attackers are building play into
the final third.
• This time restriction will also allow the attacking team
to have more attacking reps, as the defending team
won’t be attempting to keep the ball for long periods.
• Progress the practice by altering the formation of the
defending team – to a 3-5-2, for example. This will give
the attacking team a different challenge.
AGE PHASE: U17+
10v11 ATTACK v DEFENCE BUILDING PLAY INTO THE FINAL THIRD
COACHING DETAIL:
IN POSSESSION
CIRCULATE POSSESSION FLOOD THE BOX
• The attacking side should be encouraged to circulate • After the attacking team has increased the tempo, they
possession to find the opportunity to disrupt the should look at flooding the box. They should aim to
defensive team’s structure. have a minimum of four players entering the box, and
• Using the curved line for the back four to take their attack four different zones: front post, middle of goal,
positions will enable them to make short passes that far post and cut-back zones.
make it hard for the defensive team to react to. • Explaining these zones to all the players will make it
• When the opposition are slow in sliding across the easier for them to run into the zones, and also for the
pitch, the opportunity to play around or through them passing player to know where their teammates will be
will arise. making their runs.
INCREASING THE TEMPO CLOSE THE CURVE
• When the attacking team have broken a line or are • When the attacking team loses possession in the final
forward-facing, with only the defensive line in front third, they should look to close space quickly. Being in
of them, they should increase the tempo. good starting positions on the highlighted curve will
• This can be done through fast dribbling, limiting help with this.
touches to play forward, and fast runs forward to • The team should be prepared to counter-press, as the
exploit space behind the opposition. distances between players will not be too big. This will
allow them to be connected when possession is lost.
AGE PHASE: U17+
11v11 GAME BUILDING PLAY INTO THE FINAL THIRD
FUNCTION
7
• This is an 11v11 game played on a full-sized pitch. Equal
thirds are marked on to the pitch as shown, along with a 3 2
curved line in the middle third. 11
• This line acts as a visual aid for the coached team’s back 10
four, in terms of the positions they should take up when 6 8 6
their team has the ball. 9
• The attacking team, here playing right to left, is set up 9 4 4
in a 4-3-3 shape. The defending team plays in a 4-4-2. 10
• Normal football rules apply, and the focus is on the 6 7 5
team attacking in the 4-3-3 – but if either team scores,
the goal is worth the number of passes that were made 8
in the middle third during the build-up to the goal.
3
• To progress the game, alter the formation of the 2
defending team to pose different challenges for the
attacking team. 11
• To progress further, remove the curved line to take away
the visual aid for the attacking team.
AGE PHASE: U17+
11v11 GAME BUILDING PLAY INTO THE FINAL THIRD
COACHING DETAIL:
IN POSSESSION
OWNING THE PITCH FORWARD RUNS
• In order to build play into the final third, the attacking • Forward runs are vital to getting success when
team should be encouraged to ‘own the pitch’. attacking. If there are no forward runs, the defenders
• This means that they shouldn’t be afraid to use all areas will find it easy as the play is always in front of them.
of the pitch to dominate possession when building play • Runs from attacking midfielders, wingers or the striker
and moving the opposition. should look to get behind the opposition. This will cause
• Doing this will create gaps in the opposition’s structure them to drop and create more space for the team to
that will enable forward passes. build play patiently.
EXPLOIT SUPERIORITY FINDING THE CORNERS
• Once the attacking team has disrupted the opposition’s • When finishing, the players should be encouraged
structure, there will be numerical, positional and to find the corners with power. This will give the
qualitative superiority. goalkeepers less chance of saving the ball as it will be
• Attackers should identify where and when they have out of their reach.
their superiorities, to allow them to progress play and • Using the inside of the foot to do this will give a larger
create goalscoring opportunities. area to contact the ball and give more consistency
and control on the finish.
DON’T TURN BACK
• Once the attacking team has broken a line and
found superiority, the player in possession should be
encouraged to keep the forward momentum.
• If the team turns back, this gives the opposition an
opportunity to reorganise and get numbers back behind
the ball – which makes it harder for the attacking team
to score.
AGE PHASE: U17+
