The following session focuses on the ability of the team to react to win the ball back immediately or to recover behind the ball. “Gegenpressing” is German for ‘counter pressing’, a tactical philosophy that was popularized by Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool teams. Each exercise focuses on the principle and the practice slowly increases in difficulty and match realism to allow the players to pick up the key principles of the philosophy.

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1.

Setup:

6 v 2 rondos. 10 x 10 grids (x 2). Two goals on the side of each rondo box. 20 yards between each box. Add numbers as necessary.

Instructions:

6 v 2 rondos- Team of 6 in possession attempt to maintain possession. When winning the ball the 2 defenders attempt to play into the mini goals; the player who loses the ball and one to his left go to defend the opposite grid. If the team of 2 do not win the ball within 2 minutes, 2 new defenders switch in.

Coaching Points:

• Attacking transition moment- go to goal immediately.
• Immediate pressure when losing the ball to deny access to the mini goals.
• Recovery run to the opposite grid after conceding a goal (teaching the punishment when not counter pressing effectively)

2.

Setup:

6 v 3 possession; 20 x 20 field set up with a 5 yard triangle gate in the middle. Three teams of 3 work together with 1 neutral player in the middle of the 5 yard gates. 2 minute set, 1 min break, then new group defends.

Instructions:

3 teams of 3 set up as above with 2 teams working together to keep possession (6 v 3) and 1 in the middle of the triangle (if needed). The defensive group of 3 attempt to stop access through the gate. Playing through the gate win the attacking teams a point each. When defensive team wins the ball they play to a coach to win a point and a new ball is played in.

Progression: After each team has defended for a set, for the next three sets, when the defensive group wins the ball, they play to the other team of 3 and then transition out of the triangle gate and to the grid, while the team who lost the ball transition to defend.

Coaching Points:

• Pressure and covering angles- both players must communicate WHO is pressing and WHEN they are doing it.
• When a player presses, the 2nd defender should drop and screen forward passes.
• Counter press- immediate pressure to stop the ball getting out of the area; who will press? What do the other defenders do?

3.

Setup:

8 v 4 small sided transitional game. 30 x 20 yd area. Team defends for 2.5 minutes, then switches out (x 2 sets).

Instructions:

Two teams attempt to keep possession against one team who defends to win the ball (black and yellow vs red in diagram above). Two attacking teams attack for 2 mins; 1 pt for attacking groups for playing 8 passes; 2 pts for defensive group for winning ball and scoring a goal. Team who finishes with most points wins.

Coaching Points:

• High level of intensity from ALL players defending.
• Compactness and defend on cues.
• Balance when attacking (ensure you have players behind the play to defend in case you lose the ball).
• Counter press- immediate pressure to get pressure and cover around the ball when you lose it.

4.

Setup:

8 v 8 transition game- condensed field set up (70 x 50 yards). Balls start with the coach at the halfway line with the field split (5 v 4 in the attacking half), 2 v 3 in the defensive half. Each team gets 6 balls to attack with each set.

Instructions:

Balls start from the coach at the half way line with the attacking team attacking with a 5 v 4, leaving a 2 v 3 in the defensive half. If the attacking team (black in the diagram above) scores, they get a new ball back to attack again. When the defensive team wins the ball, they immediately transition into the attacking half with a dribble or pass. After dribbling/ passing in, one attacker and one defender can follow to recover (creating a 4 v 3 in favor of the counter attacking team).

The team has 15 seconds to shoot on goal. After counter attacking, roles are reversed and the red team attack the bottom goal with a 5 v 4 with a 2 v 3 in the defensive half.

Coaching Points:

• Balance when attacking- ensure at least one defensive midfielder and a wide player are withdrawn and ready to win the ball back if possession is lost.
• Counter press- immediate recovery and pressure to win the ball back when losing possession.
• Decisions include pressing to win the ball back or dropping to cut off passing lanes forward or out of pressure.
• Recovery runs when the ball is played forward.