Passing and Moving Session #2

"David Beckham is Britain’s finest striker of a football not because of God-given talent but because he practises with a relentless application that the vast majority of less gifted players wouldn’t contemplate."

- Sir Alex Ferguson speaking in 1999

Exercise 1

Set up and instruction: Have a large squared area with 4 corner target areas. Place players in the target areas without a ball. The rest of the players dribble around the area and look to find a free target player whom they pass the ball to, the player must then move to receive the ball in a different position.

Coaching points:

• Pass and control with the inside of your foot
• Receive the ball side on
• Look over your shoulder to ensure you are not marked before asking for a pass

Progressions:

Add a defender in the middle, if the defender wins an attackers ball they swap roles.

 

Exercise 2

Set up and Instruction:
Split players in to groups of two. Two defenders try to win a ball from one of the other groups of attackers.
Attackers must keep the ball away from the defenders.
Attackers can use target players to retain possession. Target players must pass back to the same team that gave them the ball.

Conditioned Game

Set up and Instruction: Add goals to two end-lines and play 4v4 plus two goalkeepers. Only the attacking team are allowed in to any of the corner ‘safe-zones’.

Control and Support Play

The following session includes exercises to aid players ability to control the ball; from there we look at controlling the ball and playing it to the supporting teammates who should be moving off the ball to help the player in possession.

 

Warm Up

Set up and instruction: Have a team of players in red, a team in blue and 2 yellow (neutral) players. The teams use there teammates and the yellow players to pass and move inside the area, focusing on their first touch. 

Coaching points: When receiving the ball, use the inside of your foot to control the ball and stop the center of the ball so the ball cannot bounce over or roll under your foot. Lock your ankle to you make a firm connection with the ball, stopping it instantly. Coach should demonstrate

Progressions:

1. Make sure your first touch is in front of you so you can then step onto the ball and pass
2. Challenge players to turn with the ball with their first touch
3. Play 2 touch - players must control then pass

Drill 1

Set up and Instruction: Split the team into groups of 3 or 4 players, with 1 ball per group. On the coaches command the teams work the ball from one side of the area to another, always using 2 touches, 1 to control and another to pass. Encourage creativity and imaginative combinations.

Routine: When the first pass is played, the receiving player controls the ball, other players move to support and receive a pass from that player

Coaching points for support run:

• Always be in a position to receive the ball, get there as fast as you can!
• Make sure you communicate to the player on the ball to let them know you are open
• Give the player on the ball options, run into a difference space from other teammates
 

Progression:

Insert 1 defender who will attempt to stop the team from getting from one side of the playing area to the other.

Drill 1 - Progression

Set up and Instruction: Play 2v2 with 2 yellow supporting players outside of the area, yellow players cannot be tackles. The red team start by playing the ball to a yellow and then showing support, the yellow will control and play back to the red team. If the red team is successful in scoring a goal against the blue defenders then the next 2 red players go, if possession is lost or a shot is missed, the next team become attackers.

Conditioned Game

Set up and Instruction: As in the diagram, set up each team with 2 defenders, 3 midfielders and 1 striker -  these players must stay in their allocated zones. The aim of the drill is to play the ball into the strikers feet and then 2 midfielders can go into the final third area and support. The striker must look to control the ball and play to a supporting midfielder (3v2). 

Progressions:

• Progress to a full game, re-iterating the technique for a good first touch and encouraging quick and effective support play

Pass and Move #1

The following session includes exercises to aid players ability to pass and move the ball with accuracy and the correct weight of pass. The practice starts with no pressure on the pass to build technique and confidence and progresses to playing in more game like situations.

Technical Warm Up

Set up and instruction: Set-up a square area and divide in to a 4 x 4 grid. Split group in to two teams and give each team one ball for every two players. Players can pass to any available teammate, but passes must go in to a different grid square.

Progressions:

• Players can only receive the ball in an empty square.
• Players must travel through 2 squares.
• Add defenders

Coaching Points: Pass with the inside of your foot, communicate with the player you are passing to, pass and move into space, receive the ball side on for quick release, firm and accurate pass by putting your foot through the ball. The coach should give a clear demonstration and explanation.

Drill 1

Set up and Instruction:  Pick up some of the markers to leave a 2x2 grid. In each quadrant play 3v3.

Teams score by controlling the ball on their opponent’s end-line.
Always restart with a pass.
Play first to five points and then rotate groups around the quadrants.

Start with a neutral player in each game to allow more passing opportunities.

Encourage players to move off the ball and find space and good positions to receive the ball, again communication is very important.

Coaching Points for 3 v 3:

Look to create space behind the defense and exploit the space with either a Penetrating Dribble, Penetrating Run or a Penetrating Pass;

• Penetrating Dribble- players off the ball moves away (diversion) to create1 v 1 situations
• Penetrating Run - players off the ball makes a cleaver run into space which will either set them free for the pass or act as a diversion for the player on the ball to dribble
• Penetrating Pass - player on the ball makes a pass around the defender for the player off the ball to run onto
• Decision making is key!
• As there is no numbers advantage here, patient build up play should be encouraged, players can give the player on the ball an option to pass back.

Conditioned Game

Set up and Instruction: Remove the grid markers and add two small goals to each end-line. Each team attacks a pair of goals on the same end-line. Players can only score from within the final third of the pitch.

Progressions:

• Add neutral players to allow more passing options
• Play 2 touch
• If a player has their pass intercepted, or plays the ball out of bounds they must sprint around one of their opponent’s goals before they can touch the ball again

 

Dribbling Session #1

The following session includes exercises to aid players dribbling abilities. The session helps to improve basic close control, change of pace and change of direction; progressing into using these skills in 1v1 and 2v1 situations

Technical Warm Up

 

Set up and instruction: Set up a square area with 2 gates on each side of the square. Use 4 defenders (1 defender to guard 2 gates.) Both defenders and attackers have a ball, the aim of the warm up is for attackers to dribble the ball through as many gates as possible (1 point for every gate you get through), the defenders get points for tagging attackers, but loose a point every time an attacker gets through one of their gates.

Progressions: Make the gates smaller and remove the defenders ball so they can now tackle the attackers

Drill 1

Set up and Instruction: Create a 3x3 square, with attackers lined up in the corners (with a ball) and the defenders in the middle squares (without a ball). The attackers work anti-clockwise around the area going 1 v 1 against the defenders, if the defender wins the ball they swap with the attacker. Progression: Two attackers are now going to attack the defenders square, creating a 2 v 1 situation

Coaching Points for 1 v 1:

• First touch must be forward
• Attack the defender and perform a skill to go past the defender, for the move to be successful it must be made up of three things
• Close Control, Change of Direction, Change of Pace
• Coach should give clear demonstrations and explanations of going past a defender 1 v 1

Coaching Points for 2 v 1:

Use the numbers advantage, to go past the attackers must perform either a Penetrating Dribble, Penetrating Run or a Penetrating Pass;

• Penetrating Dribble- player off the ball moves away (diversion) to creating a 1 v 1, see coaching points above
• Penetrating Run - player off the ball makes a cleaver run into space which will either set them free for the pass or act as a diversion for the player on the ball to dribble
• Penetrating Pass - player on the ball makes a pass around the defender for the player off the ball to run onto
• Decision making is key!

Conditioned Game

 

 

Set up and Instruction: Set up as above with two Goalkeepers added. Teams play 5 v 5, the aim of the conditioned game is to get through one of the gates and have an attempt on goal, players can dribble or pass to a teammate through the gates, once a player enters the end zone no defenders can follow him/her.

Progressions:

• Add neutral players to allow more 2 v 1 situations
• 2 touch finish inside the end zone
• Defenders can come into end zone and put pressure on the attacker





 

 

Movement off the Ball

Age Group: Various Ability Level: Intermediate Gender: Boys

Equipment Required: Bibs, balls, cones

Warm Up

Set up an area made up of 5 boxes, 4 boxes on the outside and one in the center. The drill is done with 5 players, have a player in each box. Looking at the red box - the player with the ball passes to another red player and after making the pass he changes box with another red player. The blue team are doing the same in their area.

Coach:

 

• Be aware and ready to move off the ball 
• Receive the pass across your body in order to see the entire playing area
• Regardless of movement, players should always be looking towards the center of the area and be able to see the ball 
• Communicate

Drill 1

Instruction: Now put both the blue and red team in the same area (5 boxes). Each team has their own ball and they are not trying to steal the other teams ball. The drill starts the same as above, but movement and finding space is now key, play the ball to a teammate and move into a new area, switching with the player in that area.




Progression:

Players may now move even if they are off the ball and not making a pass, communication here will be key to keep the ball moving quickly and freely. If a player makes a pass he must always switch areas.

Play 3 touch maximum 

Drill 2

Instruction: See the warm up exercise for the set up of this drill. In the diagram the blue team have the ball and are continuing with drill 1. Passing the ball and changing areas, the progression here is that 2 players from the red team will come into the area in an attempt to win possession of the ball. This is a 5 v 2 situation. The blue player who makes the pass must change position with any other blue player; always maintaining the balance of only one player in an area. Once the red team win possession they play across to their area and two blue players come across to defend.






Coaching Points:

• When maintaining possession always stay open to the field. Receive the ball across your body as much as possible
• As you move into another area always be able to see the ball
• This drill helps with mental recognition to always move after you pass

Conditioned Game

 

 



Instruction: The game is 5v2 in the playing area with the red team keeping possession. Once they successfully make 5 passes, the 2 blue players must stop pressuring the ball and the red players attack the 3 blue defenders outside the area and try and score. At any point if the blue team win possession, the red team must retreat and the teams switch roles, play first to 5 goals.

Coaching Points:

• It is 5 v 3 to goal, passing and moving with create the gaps to have a shot on goal!

Combination Play Session #1

Age Group: Various Ability Level: Intermediate Gender: Boys

Equipment Required: Bibs, balls, cones

Aim of Session: Fast, accurate combination play to split the defence.

Technical Warm Up

Have players in groups of 3 in an area of 25x30 with one ball per group. Players pass and move, creating 2 touch combinations and overlaps.

Coach:

• Play the ball quickly 
• One or two touch 
• Movement off the ball is essential, always be open and in a position to receive the ball
• Receive the ball side on
• Vary distance and types of pass
• Communicate

 

Combination Drill

Instruction: With the same set up as above, set up two attacking players (red) and one defender (blue) in each zone. Play a possession game. Players must stay in there zone and try and keep the ball away from the defenders while playing through the zones. Rotate the defending team.

Coaches Points:

Look at the movement and support in each zone 

Focus on passing and support angles

Work on mixed passing, long, short, direct etc

Progression:

Play two touch maximum

Combination  Conditioned Game

Instruction: Same set up as before including two goals and two goalkeepers. Players play the same as before but combine to shoot on goal.






Progression:

• Attacking players can now switch zones, but there must be 2 players from the attacking team in each zone, meaning they must be aware of the player movement around them and make off the ball runs to get into the zone that they must be in. This is an excellent progression to help support play, for example, if one red dribbles or makes a support run into another box, a player from that box must drop to support him.

Finish with a 4 v 4 game and 1 neutral player, no restrictions but encourage support play

Transition Session #1

Age Group: 12-13 Years Old Ability Level: Beginner Gender: Boys/Girls

Equipment Required: Bibs, balls, cones

Aim of Session: Encouraging quick transition play from defense to attack and building confidence in young players to do so.

 

Technical Warm Up 

Set up a 40x20 area, with players divided between the 4 outside cones. In this exercise the red players starts to dribble the ball, on his/her first touch, the blue player comes to put pressure on his/her dribble. Once the dribbling player passes halfway they play a diagonal pass into the other red team. The process continues. Encourage players to join the line diagonal from where the start to keep a smooth rotation and after 5 minutes swap the red and blue teams.

Coach:

• Be Positive 
• With first touch forward and into space 
• Attack the ball as it approaches you
• Correct weight of pass

Progression:

• Dribbling player must cut across the oncoming defender, again coach a positive attitude towards dribbling and passing forward.

Transition Drill

Instruction: Split an area of 60x40 into two halves. Play 7 v 7 in one half, there is a neutral goalkeeper in each half (represented in the diagram as 'R'). The team in possession must make 5 passes then play the ball into the goalkeeper on the opposite side of the field, at which point every player must transfer into that half. On a turnover the ball must go into the opposite goalkeeper.

Coaches Points:

Timing/type of pass and run 

Speed of transition, support early 

Movement off the ball is essential from all players to give options

Progression:

To transfer, you must play a teammate into the other half before it goes to the goalkeeper

You must dribble into the other half before it goes to the goalkeeper

Play 2 touch

Transition Conditioned Game

Instruction: Split a 60x40 area into thirds with a goalkeeper occupying a goal at either end. There is no tackling allowed in the middle zone and there should only be one player there at a time. The red team start with the ball and release a player into the middle third, this player plays into the final third and supports to create a 4 v 4 situation and the team aim to score. On the turnover the blue team release a player into the middle zone and make advantage of a 4 v 3, the sequence continues, play first to 5 goals.

Coaching Points:

Speed of play, fast!

Timing of pass and runs, movement off the ball to be available

Use the extra attacker for give and go's or diversion runs

Mindset - ready to change quickly from defense to attack when your team wins the ball

Progression:

• Attacker can drop into the middle zone to receive the ball, defender can go with him