I'm not sure what are the best practice plans or sessions to look at in the catalogue that help youth players (U14-U17) develop the competencies and confidence in dealing with "direct attacks"? Any recommendations? I'm based in the US where many of the teams opt for a kick and rush or very direct-back to front style of play, particularly on poor playing surfaces. The game model is pretty prevalent in the mens NCAA competitions too not just the youth level. It can be particularly "effective" (I guess depending what you are trying to achieve with your team's development) in the 12-15 years old stage where huge physical maturity differences exist. It's a lot of what the kids experience each week out of possession so I would like to help raise their competencies and confidence in this area. Aerial Duels skills, protecting depth as a unit, back line height control, selective pressure on long passers (CBs and keepers) from a mid block, 2nd ball structures and efficiency. I know that's a lot - and a simple, ugly football problem - but many opponents choose to play this way through to higher levels of game, so feel like my development plan needs to dedicate sufficient time to it. Thanks!

New Game Practice: Playing Out and Through | 7v7 Back Three 

Now we're starting to bring it all together.

This 7v7 game practice focuses on the central positions and building relationships between players to play through with a back three. If you have been working through the technical and skill practices, this is where you will start to see those building blocks take shape in a more complete environment.

Available for subscribers now 👇

https://tactxcoach.com/programs/playing-out-through-7v7-back-three-game-practice

Any questions, drop them below 👊

New Game Practice: Playing Out and Through | 6v6 Back Three 

The latest game practice is now live for subscribers.

The 6v6 is conditioned to encourage build-up play with a back three, with scenarios that replicate what players will face on matchday. As always, we recommend pairing it with the technical and skill practices on the same topic to get the most out of the session.

New Game Practice: Playing Out and Through | 5v5 Back Three

If you are playing a back three, this one is for you.

The 5v5 game practice is built specifically for coaches running a back three and works best alongside our technical and skill practices designed for the same system. We recommend pairing it with technical practice 6 onwards and skill practice 6 onwards to get the most out of the session.

Available for subscribers now 👇

New Game Practice: Playing Out and Through 

We recommend using this practice with the technical and skill practices as part of a wider session. The practice uses the scenarios from these practices in game situations where you can see it all come together if you want to build with a back three. 

You will notice we encourage the coaches to play a ball straight in when the ball goes out of play, or a goal is scored. This keeps the flow of the practice and encourages the players to adapt to a different phase of the game (for example, attacking organisation into defensive transition).

New Skill Practices: Playing Out and Through 

Back with another two. Skill practices 9 and 10 are now live for subscribers as we keep building out the playing out and through series.

Available for subscribers now 👇

Skill Practice 9
Skill Practice 10

Any questions, drop them below

New Skill Practices: Playing Out and Through 

The collection keeps growing. Skill practices 7 and 8 are now live for subscribers as we continue to build out the playing out and through series.

Available for subscribers now 👇

Skill Practice 7
Skill Practice 8

Any questions, drop them below 

New Practices: Playing Out and Through 

Three new practices are now live for subscribers.

Technical practices nine and ten continue to build out the series, and alongside them we have released skill practice 6, which is a brilliant one for any age group. It goes into great detail on how to build with a back three, making it a really useful session whether you are working at grassroots or academy level.

Available for subscribers now 👇

New Content: Build Up Play & The Defensive Midfielder 

Three new pieces are live, and they tie together nicely and are available for subscribers.

Technical practices seven and eight continue the build-up play series, with each one adding another layer to the collection we have been putting together across the playing out and through theme.

Alongside that, we have published a blog on the in possession phase of the defensive midfielder. If Rodri's performances in the World Cup have caught your attention, this one is worth your time. It sits within a broader set of blogs that reflect the education and game model that runs through everything we do at Tactx. 

https://tactxcoach.com/programs/defensive-midfielder-in-possession

New Practices: Playing Out and Through 🧱

Two new practices are now available for subscribers.

The 6v6 game practice continues to build on the patterns and principles of playing out and through, while technical practice 6 takes a new direction, moving from a back four to introducing the principles of playing out and through with a back three.

Available for subscribers now 👇