RESTARTS!

I was watching a Champion’s League game on TV this past week. There was a deciding goal scored on a restart… by a team that played for that tactic (dropped in to defend, hoped to counter attack, and possibly get a restart off of it if possible).
It made for an interesting game needless to say.

It reminded me of the importance of training restarts with any team that competes on a serious level.

Towards that end, I have included here a “players creed” for restarts that I used with one of the teams that I worked with. It helped focus them for these moments in the game, and helped us organize what we were going to do as a team.

It is a dangerous moment in the game. It requires above all concentration and quick, decisive action when the time is right.

I trust that the ideas contained here may help spark an idea of your own.

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I love restarts because it’s a test of focus, technique and mentality, and I have all 3 qualities. I know restarts can be THE DIFFERENCE, and I want it to be the difference. I know it could be the back breaker of my opponent. In fact, when the whistle is blown, I cannot wait for that ball to be served. I’m hoping that it will be served to me. If it’s defensive, my attitude is that I will do anything and put my head or foot anywhere to win it. If it’s attacking, I’m hoping that it will be served to me. I’m ready at every moment to do whatever I need to do to help my team score and win…dive, stretch, slide, whatever I need to do to get the ball on the face of the goal or in the goal. If the ball is over played, then I will organize and re-cycled.

BIG 5 MOMENTS:

1. After a goal is scored and after any break in the game (i.e. injury, substitution)
2. 1st 5 minutes of 1st half
3. Last 5 minutes of 1st half
4. 1st 5 minutes of 2nd half FOCUS! Put “the 5” up!
5. Last 5 minutes of 2nd half
6. After a stoppage of play

DEFENSIVE RESTARTS
=
ATTITUDE, DISCIPLINE and FOCUS

DEFENSIVE CORNER KICKS

• Avoid giving them up.
• Beware of short corner – we want 2 on the ball; organize early
• Combination Zone and Man-to-man
Zone: Man-to-man in your zone – get and stay inside players
On your toes, sideways on, head on a swivel
ATTACK IT; COVER
Man-to-man: get and stay inside your player-challenge
• Get back inside players if ball goes over your head
• GKs: Get what you can – everyone else box out
Language – “Keeper” or “Out”
• Post players:
• 1st line rushes; 2nd line covers
• Beat them in transition – get a goal off their CK!

Defensive Free Kicks (ISR: Inside Shooting Range)

• Avoid giving them up.
• Beware of quick kick – slow the ball, set up 7 yards away. GK yell how many you want in the wall.
• Have a person to set the wall off of so we can set it quickly – she raises her hand and the rest fill in.
• Forward sets the wall – 1.5 person overlap – then she either gets in the wall or rushes the ball based on what the GK wants.
• 2 person walls can set themselves and can break if need be.
• Wall is tough! Baby jumps.
• Make sure a player is outside the wall to watch for overlapping players and players running behind the wall.

DEFENSIVE Free Kicks (OSR: Outside Shooting Range)

• Distance – high restraining line
• Match up touch tight! Yell what number you have! Make sure every opponent has one
of us all over them.
• Track all the way, touch tight and inside your player
• Attack it, cover, box out
• A forward needs to front the ball so they cannot hit it on the ground.

DEFENSIVE KICK-OFFS

• Pay attention – “5’s” up
• Be perceptive as to what they might try.
• Collect it and re-serve it in their end.
• 1 forward rush the ball; 1 forward get back pass; CMs cover

DEFENSIVE THROW-INS

• Try to “lock it in” – it’s a great time to win the ball back with one of their players off the field.
• Match up, double back, no easy option
• Long-throw-ins: Front and back flicker
Match up
Avoid giving up throw-ins deep in our end by clearing far up field

ATTACKING RESTARTS
=
CREATIVITY, SIMPLICITY, and FOCUS

ATTACKING CORNER KICKS

• 2 players create wall in front of GK – DO NOT FOUL HER!
• 3 runners – near, far, slot
• 2 players on top of 18 – available for early service
• Server options: Driven far post
Driven near or slot
Early short service top of 18
Short CK overlap, 2v1 for service in the box
• Defenders: If they keep 1 high, we’ll keep 2 back
If they keep 2 high, we’ll keep 3 back
Sandwich attacker(s) – one in front seam, 1-2 behind goal sided
• GK - when countered, retreat to goal mouth with awareness of angle
• There are only 3 options we’ll accept: GOAL, Shot on Goal, Earned Corner Kick.
• Frame and Follow

ATTACKING ISR FKS

• Quick, if it’s on.

• Direct: Shot on frame
Driven w/ Right Bend w/ Right
Driven w/ Left Bend w/ Left

*Runner(s) over the ball should go in opposite direction of shooter in order
to unbalance GK

• Indirect: Touch, stop, shot right or left
To flank player, around outside of wall and across face of the goal
Bounce it off player in front or side of wall

DECEPTION, TIMING, and CREATIVITY!

• Get it on the face
• Frame and Follow
• Success = Goal – Shot on Goal – Earned Corner Kick

ATTACKING OSR FKS

• Spot the ball early, head up
• Options: Early short pass
Early wide pass
Allow / clear flank to create overlap
Draw target to you for long, penetrative pass on the ground
Service in the box - Wait for best headers to attack ball
- Prepare for 2nd ball
- Midfielder(s) / defender(s) give us good defensive shape to prevent counter

ATTACKING THROW-INS

* Regular throw-ins: Quick
Throw it to the player’s feet or chest (NO bounce to mid section)
Move away from the sideline - “Get out of it”
Double pass (throw it in and get it back)
Flick – throw it to head in order to get the ball out of an area
Defenders must expand deep on all attacking throw-ins

* Long throw-ins: Target gets high near end line and 6-yard box
Check to ball for flick
Secondary players prepare runs for 2nd ball

ATTACKING KICK-OFFS

In a Big 5 Moment, such as ‘Kick-Off,’ we will dump the ball in our opponent’s end to put the pressure of the game on them, in their defensive half!

At the Kick-Off:
1. Touch the ball forward
2. Lay it back to a midfielder who will prepare it for a long ball
3. Serve a long, lofted ball over the head of one of their wing backs

Set up one player on each flank along the sideline to chase and apply pressure to the wing back.

Two central players, immediately push forward to apply pressure in their defensive 1/3.

Lock it in their END!

100 Defense!

PENALTY KICKS

*Be decisive (Don’t change your mind in middle of approach to ball).
*Focus on what you can control.
*Relaxation, approach to the ball, surface choice, power vs accuracy, follow-through
*Be decisive
*EVERYONE be ready to follow-up the shot.