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Session programme

Session programme: pressing and tackling to win the ball

Session

England Football Learning

5 mins - Nov 4, 2024

Programme intentions

This six-week programme aims to help your players:

develop their confidence to tackle
win the ball back effectively
decide when and how to press
press high up the pitch as a team to break to score.

If you're short on time, this structured training programme can be used as is. But to make it more effective, adapt it to suit your players and the space you have.

If you like this idea, download the whole programme and give it a go. And don't forget to share your experience on the England Football Community. We'd love to know how you got on.

Week one: read and react

Split players into pairs and set up small gates with cones. One player starts with the ball in their hands and passes to their partner across the gate. Then, the partner dribbles to a cone while the thrower attempts to get there first.
Set up three pitches: long and narrow, long and wide, and short and wide. Each pitch should have an end zone. Run 1v1 scenarios in which the attacker aims to reach the end zone. Vary the scenarios up using the tips further down the page.
Progress the session by setting up a pitch with goals at either end. Have a 5v5 with six neutral players outside the pitch who help the team in possession. Scoring a regular goal is worth one point. If the ball is regained and a goal is scored within four seconds, it is worth five points.

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Tactics board: week one

Looking for more detail? Check out Matt's tactics board video. You can also get more information about the first week of the programme here.

Week two: tag and tackle to win

Set up a square with a small gate in one corner and a larger gate opposite. Two players start behind each gate. When a player on the yellow team claps, they run and try to make it through the opposite gate for three points. Meanwhile, their opponent tries to stop them by tagging them for one point.
Create an area with a safe zone in the middle. Place two ‘sharks’ in the other zones. Players work in pairs to cross the ocean without being tagged. Sharks get a point for stopping them. The pairs get a point if they succeed but stop in the middle and three points if they succeed without stopping.
Match players up 1v1 in the area. One player starts with the ball and the other must win it back from them. If they win it, they need to try to keep it. Whoever has the ball at the end of the two-minute game wins a point. Play again with the other player starting with the ball this time.
Set up multiple pitches with goals at each end. Have a 2v2 in each. All teams start with ten goals. If a team scores, they don’t add to their tally – they take a goal off the opposition. Play for up to five minutes. Whoever has the highest total of goals left at the end wins.

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Tactics board: week two

Looking for more detail? Check out Stacey's tactics board video. You can also get more information about the second week of the programme here.

Week three: press together to win

Three teams have different coloured bibs tucked into their side. Each team protects a ball and chases another team. Tagging their ball earns a point. Players can defend their ball by stealing an opponent's bib. The opponent then has to balance on one leg for the same amount of seconds as their age.
Set up two pitches with a goal at each end. Have an even-sided game of handball on both. The aim of the game is to throw the ball into the opposition's goal. The players can pass to their teammates and run with the ball. The ball can be won back by intercepting the pass or by tagging it.
Move on to regular football. If you win the ball in the opposition half and score, it's worth three goals. Then, add a rule: if you win the ball and score within five seconds, roll a dice to determine how many goals it is worth. Finish where each player is responsible for one opposition player.

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Tactics board: week three

Looking for more detail? Check out Matt's tactics board video.You can also get more information about the third week of the programme here.

Week four: pressing as a team

Set up a pitch for a 3v3. It needs mini-goals at each end and a halfway line. If players press, win the ball in their opponent’s half and then score, it’s worth three goals. If they win the ball in their own half and score, it’s worth one. Set up multiple pitches if you have the players and space.
Each team has a half but must keep at least one player in each. Using only their hands, players pass the ball to keep possession. The number of seconds they have it equals their goals. They can use bounce players for support. Opponents must press, intercept, and bring the ball back to their half.
Play a small-sided game on a pitch split into thirds with goals and keepers at each end. Teams get five goals for winning the ball in the final third and scoring. Three goals for doing that from the middle third. And they get one goal for doing that from their defensive third.
Use the same pitch as the activity before. Place six footballs around the area. Each team then takes turns having six attacks. Once a goal is scored or it goes out of play, the team starts an attack with another ball. Once both teams have a go, total the scores up to see who won.

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Tactics board: week four

Looking for more detail? Check out Stacey's tactics board video. You can also get more information about the fourth week of the programme here.

Week five: hunt the ball

Set up two pitches with a goal at each end. Have an even-sided game of handball on both. The aim of the game is to throw the ball into the opposition's goal. The players can pass to their teammates and run with the ball. The ball can be won back by intercepting the pass or by tagging it.
Move on to regular football. If you win the ball in the opposition half and score, it's worth three goals. Then, add a rule: if you win the ball and score within five seconds, roll a dice to determine how many goals it is worth. Finish where each player is 1v1 against an opposition player.
Set up a pitch with goals at both ends and divide it into thirds for an even-sided game. After winning the ball in the attacking third, scoring is worth five goals, the middle third three, and the defensive third one. Refer to the "make it harder" session for progressions to this game.

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Tactics board: week five

Looking for more detail? Check out Matt's tactics board video. You can also get more information about the fifth week of the programme here.

Week six: 3v3 tournament challenge

Mark out different sized shapes on your pitch. These are castles. Choose four guards to protect them. Everyone else has a bib and tries to get into a castle without losing their bib to a guard. Players get a point each time they do this. If a guard steals a bib, they change roles with that player.
Create a pitch with a halfway line. In this part of the 3v3 tournament, if teams win the ball in their opponent’s half and score, they get three goals. If they win the ball in their own half and score, they get one goal. Ensure all teams get to play each other.
Split a pitch into thirds. Here, teams get five goals for scoring after winning the ball in the final third. Three goals for scoring after winning the ball back in the middle third. And one goal for scoring after winning the ball in their own defensive third. Ensure all teams get to play each other.
On this pitch, ask players to choose one of their teammates to be the golden player. If a golden player scores, it’s worth three goals. If anyone else scores, it’s worth one goal. Ensure all teams get to play each other. Ask teams to change their golden player each time they play.

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Tactics board: week six

Looking for more detail? Check out Stacey's tactics board video. You can also get more information about the sixth week of the programme here.

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