In the final part of our Melbourne Victory U20 sessions, UEFA A licensed coach, Dave Wright puts on a 10 vs. 10 phase of play. The theme of the session is defending deep in a 1-4-4-2 vs. a 1-3-5-2. Due to the number of players, the practice is executed in a 1-4-4-1 vs. a 3-5-2 with the goalkeeper playing as a keeper and centre back for the attacking team.
The defensive team are tasked with staying compact and preventing split passes, trying to force play to the outside and work in their units. Dave implements some individual challenges for players on both sides and shares what his key goals for this final part of the session are.
Dave works primarily with the two banks of four players and the goalkeeper on how to step, slide and drop relative to the position of the ball and starts with a couple of key constraints to scaffold the learning and allow the defensive team some success before taking the shackles off and allowing free play.
