Attacking Organization – How to beat a Medium Block through the center

How to beat a medium block. Our days, more and more teams are using a medium or low block to defend. This has the benefit of better protecting their own goal but also this is a great way to take advantage of open spaces in case of counterattacks. Teams with big ambitions for fighting for trophies or teams who have as their main attacking way of play the ball circulation, will need to find ways to beat a medium block. This can be done either from the flacks or through the center.

The way of beating a medium block is taken by watching Roberto De Zerbi teams.

Below you can find one exercise, a Phase of Game type, where you can train your players how to beat a medium block through the central axis.

Description

The Blue team has to progress through the zones and score. They must find the player in ZONE 3 (acting as #10). The player has the below options:

• Play a layoff pass to a teammate in ZONE 2 who will make a penetration pass to a winger or the Striker who runs behind the defenders (Pass-Back-Through | Third Man concept)
• Receive, turn, and pass forward or exist the ZONE with 2 touches

The defending Red team must recover the ball and score in any small gate using maximum 5 passes

Rules:

• When the Blue team enters ZONE 3 they have 5 seconds to finish the action
• In ZONE 1 maximum of 2 defenders can enter
• All the Red defenders remain in their zones except the jumping defenders from ZONE 2 to ZONE 1

*When a team beats the medium block must quickly move forward to score

Objectives on how to beat a medium block drill

• Vertical play
• Movements from the two holding midfielders (#6 and #8) to find space to receive a pass
• #10 move to create passing lines for a vertical pass
• #10 quickly decide what actions to make (Lay off, turn with the ball, progress forward, pass)
• Quick pressing after losing the ball

Progression

• Allow 1 or 2 Red defenders to enter ZONE 3 from ZONE 2 (backtracking defensive behavior) when the ball enters there (more difficult)
• Allow 1 Red defender from ZONE 4 to jump on the #10 in ZONE 3 when he receives a pass

Check the book “How to train Positional Play – 15 exercises” for more drills