2.01 BREAKING FREE AND COLLECTIVE PLAY
(h) BREAKING FREE BY THE LINE
Exercise in breaking free by the half-way line
Groups of three with one ball next to a line.
A. Assist player A, has the ball. Worker W must break free to be able to receive a pass. Defender D tries to make this as difficult as possible. When W receives a pass, the ball is played back to A. Change functions every minute.
B. Tell W not to start next to the line but to run towards the line from eight metres away. This exercise is meant to emphasise the importance of attackers not standing still by the line, thereby avoiding the possibility for defenders to jump in front and intercept the ball.
C. If the worker is not free, (s)he must accelerate faster. If this does not succeed, a change of direction is required, to the right, to the left, or back in the same direction. Either way, the attacker should break free from the defender to receive the ball.
D. Another way of breaking free is to run right next to the line. If the defender runs behind, the pass can be easily placed in front. If the defender runs in front, the worker simply has to change direction.