COUNTERATTACKING

Breakout
This session pits the patience and possession skills of Barcelona against the danger of the
killer counterattack. See if your players can score a breakaway goal

WHY USE IT Serve a ball to one team

who must make five
To make a success of passes before they can
counterattacking, players launch an attack into the
must be able to recognise outer zone
the moment of transition
between defence and attack
quicker that the opposition.
They should then move
quickly to take advantage
of it. 10yd
s
30
yd

SET UP
s

Set up a playing area of
50x30 yards split into three
zones, with an outer zone of
10 yards and a middle zone
of 30 yards. We’ve used 18
players in two teams. You
will need balls, bibs, cones
and goals.
s
30yd
If the passing team make
10yd
s five passes or if their
opponents win the ball the
zones are lifted and any
player can go anywhere
Here the opposition
win the ball and
launch an attack

HOW TO PLAY
Play an 8v8 in the centre
zone, with breakaways into
the outer zone. The server
plays a ball to one of the
teams who must make five
passes before they can
break into the outer zones.
The other team can attack With quick movement
the outer zone if they win the players catch their
the ball. Play three balls to opponents off guard and
the passing team then swap. make a success of the attack
by scoring a goal
Serve three balls to
TECHNIQUE each team so both get a
chance to counterattack
This is an advanced session
and there are a number
of coaching points to look
for. The passing team must
be patient and try to keep
possession before launching
an attack but the onus is
on their opponents who
only need to win the ball
to attack. Count how many
times the opposition win
the ball and the success
rate of their attacks.

Player movement Ball movement Run with ball Shot

Issue 309 SOCCER COACH WEEKLY 5