Combination Play

Below is a practice to develop combination play towards goal, a high tempo is vital when delivering this session, always encouraging younger players to pass and move.

Warm Up

Set up and instruction: Split the group into 3 teams of 4 (yellow, blue and red). Two teams play against 1 team to keep possession. Here the yellow and red combine to keep the ball away from the blue team, if a team looses possession they swap roles with the defending team. 

Scoring: Award points for successful combination play, such as a give and go, overlap, short-short-long. 

Award a point every time a team makes 5 consecutive passes. 

Impose dribbling to commit defenders before passing and combining. 

Coaching points:

• Weight and timing of pass
• Support play off the ball, timing of runs and angle of support 
• Quick speed of play
• Communication

Progressions:

Limit the number of touches to encourage quick play.

 

Main Drill

Set up and Instruction: 

Split an area of 20x30 (depending on age and ability) into 3 zones with the middle zone being the largest. 
Play 4v2 in the middle zone, with a target player in each outside zone.

The aim is for the team in possession to get the ball from one target player to the other as quickly as possible.

At least 2 passes must be played in the center zone before looking for a target



Progress to the target players playing the ball into the middle to the players head, chest or feet. 

Coaching points:

• Look to disguise your pass and run so not to be tracked by a defender
• Be patient and let opportunities develop
• Communication

Conditioned Game

Set up and Instruction: 

Split an area of 44x60 (depending on age and ability) into 3 zones with the middle area being 24 yards and the end zones each 18 yards

Play 6v6 with Goalkeepers. 4v4 in the middle with a target player from each team in both end zones

The team in possession develops opportunities to combine with an attacking player. Once the ball has been fed into the attacker one player from the middle zone can go into the attacking zone and combine for a shot on goal.

Progression: 2 players support and 1 defender comes back to help. 

Coaching points:

• Change in rhythm in attacking to unbalance defensive shape
• Width in depth in attack to create space to combine and penetrate 
• Quick speed of play/decision making 
• Communication