36 May | June 2012

COACHING: U15 AND ABOVE

COACHING THE 4-2-3-1 With Wayne Harrison

The basic setup using

the 2-3-1, then the 4-3-1 of the 4-2-3-1

Allowing straight passes by players switching zones in front of the ball

- A shadow play with the 2-3-1 of the team (not yet including the back four and keeper). Basic practicing of passing and moving between units.

- Initially keep it short and tight for quick movement. There are four zones only as wide as the penalty area to play in.

- Have two groups of six players going one group at a time to keep the session fl owing. By the time the fi rst group is back to the start, the second group has gone and so on.

- Eventually go the full width of the fi eld with four zones.

- You can stop the action and show the changes in the interplay. As the passer is about to pass, STOP THE PLAY. Show all the positional changes and the potential passing options.

- Actually fabricate some of the movements to show how they can work.

- Showing a few options above for No. 6. No. 10 may interchange with No. 11 and go wide also.

1.

PART II

- A simple pass into No. 11 cutting inside will open up more possibilities as we develop the phase of play. No. 9 and No. 11 can attack (B) in a 2 v. 1.

4.

- A more elaborate development: No. 11 and No. 9 linking up to play overlapping fullback No. 3 in.

5. - New rule: Players can receive a straight pass if they change the zone in front of the passer. Here we have an interchange between No. 9 and No. 10. No. 9 must run in such a way that he times the run so the ball can run alongside him, and he does not have to receive and turn or receive with his back to play.

I f ( B ) s t a y s c e n t r a l a n d m a r k s N o . 6 , t h e n N o . 4 m a y b ef r e e t o r e c e i v e t h e p a s s .

If (B) stays central and marks No. 6, then No. 4 may be free to receive the pass.

37

Introducing both fullbacks to increase the number of options available with the 4-3-1

Moving into “false” or “in between” areas of the fi eld of play to create a diamond of support

Continued on page 38

2.

- Here are some potential movements in front of the passer, No. 8. All very simple, but they may cause chaos in the opponent’s defense. We know what we are doing in advance of the ball, the opponents do not—this is to our advantage. Continue the movements with the relevant passes and have a fi nish on goal.

- Bring in the attacking fullbacks. Now it is an 8 v. 6, or 8 v. 5 in the outfi eld. Now we can explore all the op-tions this formation o! ers for the attacking team. Once the phase play works well with this setup of an 8 v. 5, add more defenders to increase pressure

3.

Introducing Defenders

- More defenders in now. It is made clearer with the introduction of cones to represent the des-ignated areas we play in. Ideally, get a fi eld permanantly marked o! with grids if possible.

- In and around the area in front of the back four, but particularly the center backs in a back four, we have a great overload situation. Players are not in what would be called regular positions, and they are asking questions of the opponents around them.

- Potential movements of each player to confuse the opponents.

6. 7.- Here showing the o! -the-ball movement that creates all these options for No. 8 on the ball.

- Here we have the approximate diamond shape of the four linking players.

- When this is done quickly and through practice and ochestra-tion of these move-ments in training, it becomes second nature to the players, and they do it automatically.

- For the opponents, it should cause confusion, as they are not sure who picks upwhom.

Highlighting the diamond setup

38 May | June 2012

Change in shape as the players move forward, defensive midfi elder No. 6 drops in between the center backs as secu-rity for them, particu-larly if the opposition leaves two forwards up. Most often teams play directly through the num-ber No. 6 in this situation.Here two fullbacks break forward, the center midfi elder No. 6 stays in front as we have possession, and as soon as possession changes and opponents win it and look forward, the center midfi elder No. 6 drops back into the sweeper role.

If (B) stays central and marks No. 6, then No. 4 may be free to receive the pass.

Creating space behind the

back four and interchanging of positions of the

front four

Create four zones or corridors to play in across the fi eld and three zones up and down the fi eld.

11.

Part I was featured in the March | April 2012 issue.

More information can be gained on this system

of play by buying Wayne’s latest book: COACHING THE 4-2-3-1

It can be bought at Reedswain.com or on Amazon; also as an E-book.

You can contact Wayne at wayneharrison@soccerawareness.com

- Think about the questions you are asking the oppo-nents individually and collectively with this o! -the-ball movement. -- Who picks up overlapping fullback No. 2; defender (D) or midfi elder (H)? -- Who picks up overlapping fullback No. 3; defender (A) or midfi elder (E)?

8.

Progressive movements

-- Who picks up wide midfi elder/striker No. 7; defender (D) tracking inside with him, or central defender (C) if he moves into his area of infl uence?-- Who picks up wide midfi elder/striker No. 11; defender (A) tracking inside with him, or central defender (B) if he moves into his area of infl uence?-- Who picks up striker No. 9 coming short to receive to feet? Does center back (C) track him or does he pass him onto central midfi elder (G) or even (F) depending where No. 9 goes?-- In a split-second decision-making situation, if midfi elder (F) decided to track wide midfi elder/striker No. 11, who picks up No. 10?

- Through hours and weeks and months of practice, the players should develop these movements so they are automatic. They do not need to think about them previously, they just see the setup, like a mental image, and make the combina-tion movements.

- In a game, with the phase of play happening so quickly, it must be di" cult for opponents to know: Who picks up whom in that split second of decision-making?

- By the time a decision has been made, it will likely be too late, and we have the upper hand.

- Here (B) tracks No. 9 and leaves the space behind for No. 11 to run into. Of course (A) can track No. 11 also, but if it happens quickly enough No. 11 may catch (A) o! guard.

- Here that unselfi sh run has created space in the wide area that No. 7 has just come from, especially if defender (D) tracks No. 7 inside and into Zone 14. This leaves the outside area wide open to attack into.

- This is the beauty of playing through Zone 14; defenders have to decide: Do I track the player toward there; or do I pass them on, and who do I pass them on to?

- Hence fullback No. 2 gets a great chance to attack and get a cross into the box acting as an attacking and over-lapping winger.

- This interchange of positioning is what we are looking to create as much as we can within the team concept.

9.

10.