Designing a session based on the weekends game

Last Saturday was our first game of the season. Unfortunately we came up against a strong team with a few academy players who have been playing since September. It was a sticky pitch getting worse with every minute thanks to the wonder of the north-west rain. Now these all sound like excuses right? Well the opposition coach said it was the toughest game they had played this season and politely asked how our season was going. Well we've lost 2-0 today, I said, a decent start against a top opposition. 

So after the game you begin to think about what we can work on in training to improve our play. Though for long periods of the game we controlled possession and played some good, patient passing football we struggled to create many good chances in the final third. We had some good shots from distance and on many occasions a sticking ball caused us issues in clever through balls not reaching the target. Defensively we were good, the first goal conceded was a cross/shot which our keeper just couldn't reach and the second was hit from a good 15 yards like a rocket in the top corner. So I decided to look at combination play in the final third. 

In designing the sessions for the next couple of weeks I took a teaching view on the plan. I did a brain splurge on the topic and looked at the four areas we are focusing on PASS, MOVE, REACT, RECEIVE.

What I came up with is this:

So for a thirty minute session what do you do? I wanted to spend a few minutes talking defensive shape and how to move as a unit which went well. That only left about 15 minutes to work on movement in the final third. We spoke of individual movement of the striker dropping off to receive, I worked with both wingers on the timing of their runs and what their trigger points are for movement, also with the striker we worked on that shoulder check to see if he should hold, turn, play a 1-2 etc. To be honest there is about five sessions worth of stuff to work on with them just from one game. I think we may have to introduce another lunchtime session to have a chance.

In terms of YM3 I tried to challenge individuals but we had no time to play the whole part of the session, with the limited time I have it almost feels like the game tomorrow will be the whole part of this weeks training session!