📋 Session Plan
U14+ Pressing Session
A 90-minute session for U14-U18 squads — building from the press triggers concept to a full 9v9 collective press, ending with realistic match scenarios.
A 90-minute session for U14-U18 squads — building from the press triggers concept to a full 9v9 collective press, ending with realistic match scenarios.
Two-touch constraint from minute 4. U14+ technique can honour it. Set the tone — discipline matters in this session.
Pre-pressing-session warm-up. Add the 'taggers' progression from minute 8 — bridges into defensive mindset. By minute 12 players are warm and competitive.
Even at U14+, refresh the basic press-triggers concept in a smaller-sided format before scaling to 9v9. The principles must be clear before complexity is added.
The session's centrepiece. Run all 4 phases. Build in 90-second water breaks between phases. The intensity is real — watch for fatigue-induced poor decisions, not just poor effort.
Free play to apply the pressing work. No constraints — just see if the press happens organically when triggers appear. Coach observes and notes for next session.
Use the analytical question: 'when did we press well today, and when should we have dropped instead?' Reveals tactical understanding.
Clear demonstrations and high energy. Keep the session moving with minimal queuing, and reinforce one or two key coaching points rather than overloading players with information.
Players standing in queues (set up enough stations to keep everyone active) and the session running too long on one activity (keep blocks tight and move on while engagement is high).
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Coaches tip: Post-session recovery nutrition matters as much as the drills themselves — MaxiNutrition's recovery range is built for exactly this.
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Building conditioning between sessions at home? DeerRun UK's home treadmills make it easy to keep up cardio work off the pitch.