DEFENDING IN

A 4-4-2 AGAINST
A 3-5-2
AG E P H AS E : U 1 2 - U 1 6
SESSION PLAN
SESSION OVERVIEW DEFENDING IN A 4-4-2 AGAINST A 3-5-2

LEVEL PART 2: 9v7 POSITION-SPECIFIC KEY

• U12-U16
SESSION OBJECTIVES
To develop a team’s ability to press high and win the ball
in a 4-4-2 shape against a 3-5-2 shape by:
• Developing the players’ understanding of their roles
and responsibilities.
• Placing the players in game-realistic situations to
allow them to gain repetition of pressing against
different formations.
TRANSITION GAME
Ball movement
• This is a position-specific practice with the addition of
a transition moment if the defending team doesn’t win Player movement
possession. without the ball
• An in-possession team is made up of a goalkeeper,
a back three, two wing-backs and three midfielders. Player movement
The out-of-possession team is made up of a goalkeeper, with the ball
a midfield four and two strikers.
• The defending midfield unit must work to maintain their
distances and remain compact. The far-side winger is
integral in keeping these distances compact, and will
Players
hopefully eliminate the 3v2 overload in the centre of
the pitch.

Cones
PART 1: 8v6 POSITION-SPECIFIC PART 3: 11v11 GAME
PRESSING PRACTICE
Flat marker
• This 11v11 game places an out-of-possession team in a
• This practice takes place on half a pitch. game-realistic environment.
• An in-possession team is made up of a goalkeeper, a • It challenges the defending team’s understanding of
back three, two wing-backs and a central-midfield pair. when to play zonally and when to play man-to-man. Cones with
An out-of-possession team is made up of a midfield • It will also challenge the back four’s ability to stay flat marker
four and two strikers. together and prevent balls being played easily into
• The in-possession team attempts to play out of their channels for the strikers.
own half and score by passing the ball into one of two Goal
target goals on the halfway line.
• If the defending team manages to win possession, they
attempt to score quickly. Mini-goal
• The coach works with the out-of-possession team
to develop their understanding of their roles and
responsibilities.
Mannequin Pole

Football

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

8v6 POSITION-SPECIFIC PRESSING PRACTICE DEFENDING IN A 4-4-2 AGAINST A 3-5-2

FUNCTION 1
1 A

• This is a position-specific pressing practice that takes

place on one half of a pitch. The pitch is split into five 2 B
A
vertical lanes, marked in line with the width of the
18-yard box and 6-yard box. Two target goals are placed
3
on the halfway line, as shown in the diagrams. A
B
• The in possession team – here, Team A – is made up of A
B
a goalkeeper, a back three, two wing-backs and two
central midfielders. They should position themselves
across all five vertical lanes, as shown in Diagram 1, with B
B
the wing-backs in the outside lanes and the outside A

centre-backs in Lanes 2 and 4.

• The out-of-possession (pressing) team – here, Team B – A
4
is made up of a midfield four and two strikers. B

• The ball starts with the Team A goalkeeper, as shown in

Diagram 1. They attempt to play out from the back and 5
A
score in the target goals.
• If the out-of-possession team manages to win
2
possession, they attempt to counter-attack quickly and 1
A
score past the goalkeeper.

DEVELOPING THE PRACTICE A

3
• As a progression, award the pressing team three B
points if they are able to score within eight seconds of A A
winning possession.
B

A
B
B
4 A

B
5
A

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

8v6 POSITION-SPECIFIC PRESSING PRACTICE DEFENDING IN A 4-4-2 AGAINST A 3-5-2

COACHING DETAIL: AGGRESSIVE PRESSING

OUT OF POSSESSION
PROTECT THE MIDDLE/FORCE PLAY WIDE
• The out-of-possession team should attempt to protect
the middle of the pitch.
• The two strikers should play narrow in order to direct
play wide.
• The midfielders behind should attempt to occupy the
middle three lanes when the ball is central. This should
direct the ball into the outer lanes (1 or 5), where the
ball can be pressed aggressively.
WIDE MIDFIELDERS
• When playing against a team that deploys a three-man
central midfield, the wide midfielders become vital to
protecting the middle of the pitch.
• This means that the wide midfielders should play
narrow, and position themselves in an area that allows
them to press the opposition wing-back if they receive
(as shown in Diagram 2 on the previous page).
• In this situation, the opposite winger needs to position
themselves more centrally in order to eliminate the
central overload.
• Once the team has decided to initiate a press, the whole
team must move as a collective.
• During pressing moments, players should be working
at maximum intensity to exert as much pressure as
possible on the ball-carrier and their teammates.
• The mentality to press aggressively is integral to
regaining possession.
COACHING DETAIL:
MANAGING THE OPPOSITION
CONTROL THE TEMPO
• The in-possession team should be encouraged to
circulate possession and pass into areas to entice the
opposition to press.
• Once the opponents have initiated a press, the
attackers should be challenged to increase the tempo
of their play in order to play away from pressure and
either find a teammate with a pass or the target goals
on the halfway line.

MAINTAINING DISTANCES/SHUFFLING SIDE TO SIDE

• The out-of-possession team should attempt to maintain
compact distances between and within units.
• The midfielders should shuffle from side to side when
the ball is switched by the opposition. Concentration
and high work rate are vital in maintaining these
distances.
• The winger on the opposite side of the pitch needs
to remain switched on to ensure these distances are
kept consistent.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

9v7 POSITION-SPECIFIC TRANSITION GAME DEFENDING IN A 4-4-2 AGAINST A 3-5-2

FUNCTION 1
1 A

• This is a position-specific transition game that takes A

place on one half of a pitch. A 15m-long end zone 2

features two 3m-wide gates placed just in from the

touchline. The playing area is split into five vertical A
3
lanes, marked using the width of the 18-yard box and A
B
6-yard box.
• The in-possession team – here, Team A – is made up of B A
a goalkeeper, a back three, two wing-backs and three B
A
central midfielders. The out-of-possession (pressing)
team – here, Team B – is made up of a goalkeeper, B B
a midfield four and two strikers.
• The ball starts with Team A, who attempt to play out A
4
from the back and release one of their wing-backs
B
through one of the gates – as shown in Diagram 1
– or play into their most advanced midfielder to slide 5 A
a through pass into the wide area for one of the wing-
backs to meet it after running through a gate. 2
1
• Both wing-backs and the attacking midfielder are
allowed into the end zone to try and score.
• Once this has happened, Team B should quickly collect 2
a ball from whichever gate has been played through and
A
start a counter-attack in a 6v5 situation. This is shown in B
Diagram 2. 3 A
• If the out-of-possession team manages to win B
possession, they should attempt to score quickly. B A

A B
DEVELOPING THE PRACTICE
B
A
• As a progression, award Team B three points if they A
are able to score within eight seconds of winning 4 A
possession.
• Limit so only one of the Team A wing-backs has to join 5
B
the attack. This reduces the overload on transition.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

9v7 POSITION-SPECIFIC TRANSITION GAME DEFENDING IN A 4-4-2 AGAINST A 3-5-2

COACHING DETAIL: AGGRESSIVE PRESSING

OUT OF POSSESSION
PROTECT THE MIDDLE/FORCE PLAY WIDE
• The out-of-possession team should attempt to protect
the middle of the pitch.
• The two strikers should play narrow in order to direct
play wide.
• The midfielders behind should attempt to occupy the
middle three lanes when the ball is central. This should
direct the ball into the outer lanes (1 or 5), where the
ball can be pressed aggressively.
WIDE MIDFIELDERS
• When playing against a team that deploys a three-man
central midfield, the wide midfielders become vital to
protecting the middle of the pitch, to eliminate the 3v2
overload in central midfield.
• One of the central midfielders will have to drop to deal
with the opposition’s attacking midfielder. This means
that the wide midfielder on the opposite side to the ball
will have to play narrow.
• The wide midfielder on the ball side should position
themselves in an area that allows them to press the
opposition midfielder if they receive it.
• Once the team has decided to initiate a press, the whole
team must move as a collective.
• During pressing moments, players should be working
at maximum intensity to exert as much pressure as
possible on the ball-carrier and their teammates.
• The mentality to press aggressively is integral to
regaining possession.
COACHING DETAIL:
MANAGING THE OPPOSITION
CONTROL THE TEMPO
• The in-possession team should be encouraged to
circulate possession and pass into areas to entice the
opposition to press.
• Once the opponents have initiated a press, the
attackers should be challenged to increase the tempo
of their play in order to play away from pressure and
progress into the attacking end zone.

MAINTAINING DISTANCES/SHUFFLING SIDE TO SIDE

• The out-of-possession team should attempt to maintain
compact distances between and within units.
• The midfielders should shuffle from side to side when
the ball is switched by the opposition. Concentration
and high work rate are vital in maintaining these
distances.
• The winger on the opposite side of the pitch needs
to remain switched on to ensure these distances are
kept consistent.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

11v11 GAME DEFENDING IN A 4-4-2 AGAINST A 3-5-2

FUNCTION A

• This is an 11v11 game played on a full-sized pitch.

A central zone is marked out as shown in the diagram, A
measuring the width of the 18-yard box and stretching B B
from one to the other. A
• The teams are set up in a 3-5-2 formation (Team A) and B
B
A

a 4-4–2 formation (Team B). B

• The central zone is to act as a visual aid for the A A

defending team.
• Throughout the game, the defending team should try B A B B
to have the same number of defenders in this zone as A
there are attackers. This is to try to prevent overloads
B B
being created centrally, and to force play wide.
A
• Otherwise, standard football rules apply.

DEVELOPING THE PRACTICE A

• Remove the central zone once the defending team

is showing a good understanding of how to prevent
attacking overloads in these areas.
• If Team B is able to win the ball back in the opposition
half and score within eight seconds of regaining
possession, they are awarded three points.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16

11v11 GAME DEFENDING IN A 4-4-2 AGAINST A 3-5-2

COACHING DETAIL: AGGRESSIVE PRESSING

OUT OF POSSESSION • Once the defending team has decided to initiate a
press, the whole team must move as a collective.
PROTECT THE MIDDLE/FORCE PLAY WIDE • During pressing moments, players should work at
• The out-of-possession team should attempt to protect maximum intensity to exert as much pressure as
the middle of the pitch. possible on to the ball-carrier and their teammates.
• The strikers should play narrow in order to direct play • The mentality to press aggressively is integral to
wide, while the midfielders should attempt to occupy regaining possession.
central areas. This should direct the ball into wide areas,
where the ball can be pressed aggressively.
COACHING DETAIL:
ZONAL/MAN-TO-MAN MARKING MANAGING THE OPPOSITION
• When play is building with the 3-5-2, the defending
team should initially start in a zonal marking system, CONTROL THE TEMPO
attempting to close off space and playing in zones. • The in-possession team should be encouraged to
• Once the ball moves wide and pressure is applied to circulate possession and pass into areas to entice the
the ball, the system should become more man-to-man opposition to press.
marking on and around the ball. This will put the • Once the opponents have initiated a press, the
in-possession team under more pressure. attackers should be challenged to increase the tempo
of their play, to play away from pressure and find a
MAINTAINING A BACK FOUR teammate with a pass or attack quickly forward.
• The defending team should attempt to maintain a back
four when defending.
• The full-backs should provide cover for the centre-
backs, to ensure that balls aren’t easily played into
channels for the opposition strikers.
• This will make it difficult for the opposition to exploit
space from corner runs from the strikers. It also allows
the centre-backs to be really aggressive when the ball
goes into a striker’s feet, as they know they have cover
around them.

AGE PHASE: U12-U16