Playing Out of The Back In The 4-4-2 Diamond Formation: Arsenal FC Training Exercise

Exercise) Arsenal FC – Playing out of the Back 7 v 5:  

The blue team of 7 players is trying to score one of the two smaller goals. The ball starts with the keeper as the blue team attempts to build possession out of the back in the 4-4-2 diamond specific formation. The blue team is restricted to 2-touch, as they focus on opening up the field and circulating the ball. If the red team wins possession, they have a maximum of 5 passes to shoot. By making red team shoot within 5 passes, it keeps the majority of the training focused on the blue team, so they can train working the ball out of the back. The drill provides realistic and meaningful repetitions for the blue team with the objective of working the ball out of the back in the natural set-up of the 4-4-2 diamond. Set the red team up in a 2-1-2 and blue team in 2-3-2 realistic to the 4-4-2 diamond set-up.  Variation: have red team press 3 high and leave 2 back only, add another player to the red team to make it 7v6.  If the blue team is maintaining possession well the last phase would be 7v7 (actually 8v7 because the blue team has a keeper to play with). 

arsenal7v5