Tempo Possession Conditioning

Objective

• -Build endurance inside a football practice
• -Keep decision quality high under fatigue
• -Avoid running without a ball

Setup

1. 1A large possession area with two teams and neutral players in a 38 x 32 yards area.
2. 2Set a visible timer or have an assistant count aloud from the side of the area.
3. 3Balls with the coach, two sets of bibs.

How to play

1. 1Play possession in four-minute blocks with 90 seconds rest.
2. 2The team out of possession must press for the full block.
3. 3Rotate the neutrals so nobody rests inside the block.
4. 4The clock starts the moment the first pass is played in.
5. 5The sequence must reach the end action inside eight seconds or the rep is void.

Progressions

• +Cut the clock to six seconds
• +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

• -Stretch the clock to twelve seconds
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Reps finished inside five seconds score double
• -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Walking in possession
• -Individual pressing that wastes energy
• -Slow, sideways passing that burns the clock