Possession Through the Thirds

Session

Session: AO.069

Exercise Objectives

Organisation

Diagram 1. Set-Up Arrangement

Set-Up

Instructions

Teams must play through each third of the field in order to score. i.e. a team cannot play directly from the defensive third of the field through to the attacking third without it being touch by a midfield player. The team in possession must play through each third.
When a GK keeper for either team has possession of the ball players must return to their designated starting third for play to resume (i.e. 3 defenders back to the defending third, 2 midfielders back to the midfield third, 2 forwards back to the attacking third). Players may then move freely once the ball is passed from the GK.
Offsides apply in the final (attacking third) only.
Centre Back (CB) passes out to the Right Back (RB).
The RB then must play either back or sideways in their own defending third, or (as shown above with a pass to CM2) pass into the midfield third to a midfield player to develop possession.
CM2 then looks to play forward into S3, at which point the team has successfully played through each third and can score.

Scoring

Coaching Points

Players need to use movements to create space to support with good passing channels and angles.
Support should be not only in front, but, behind and to the side also.
If forward play is not available safe passing should be encouraged and patience in build up.
Midfield players should work to create space to receive in an open position to see the rest of the field and forward positioning if possible.
The defending unit (back 3) should form a triangle when in possession to provide good supporting angle to support each other. The RB and LB should be split wide. The CB will generally be lower and the deepest player when in possession.
The midfield players should be split with one checking deeper than the other.
The strikers (starting in the attacking third) create space for each other and may need to check into the midfield third to receive. As with the midfield players their positions are staggered to maximize supporting positions.
Continued support as the ball moves between the players.

Progressions