In this session filmed exclusively for CV Academy, Wolves Under-18 coach James McPike takes his players through a series of practices designed to develop their play in the attacking third.

The session starts with a warm-up led by academy sport scientist Jess Fay, before progressing into a 6v4 transitional rondo that introduces the themes of combining quickly in possession and pressing aggressively out of possession. That leads into a multidirectional gate game, in which teams earn points for combining to play through gates in wide or central areas. McPike then leads a game conditioned to encourage the players to work the ball into specific crossing or cutback zones, before individual development coach Rhys Carr takes a small-sided game designed to work on the themes introduced through the session.

It’s a very thorough and interesting session that gives a great insight into the coaching being done at another leading academy. We hope you enjoy it!

Please also click below to download the accompanying session plan in PDF form.