CONTROL AND SHOOT

Look to shoot early and at every opportunity around the box - if you don't buy a ticket you can't win the raffle

Warm Up

Players move freely around a large area, start with the players passing and moving using 2 or 3 footballs and gradually add more balls to increase the passing tempo. 

Players should re-act to coaches commands such as, 2 touch passing, step over then pass, turn and then pass, pass and then press the ball

Include dynamic stretches while off the ball, side steps, knees up, heels up etc. 

Coaching points:

• Receive the ball side on 
• Aim with the non kicking foot pointing to the intended target
• Keep your head steady and eye on the ball
• Play the ball at an angle which is easy for the receiving player to control  

Main Drill

The ball starts with the player beside the goal, who passes the ball out wide. The wide players will then play into the striker who is standing in the box allocated just outside the penalty area. 

The striker takes their first touch out of feet (out of the box) and strikes on goal.

The sequence starts again from the other side this time.

Rotation is simple, follow the ball to the next station, striker gathers the ball after his shot and joins the line next to the goals. 

Coaching points:

• Speed and accuracy of pass
• First touch should be forward and into space, setting yourself up for a shot 
• 'Check' into an area of the box as if to create space for receiving the ball
• Striking technique, keep head down and put laces through the ball, aiming away from the keeper and into a corner

Progressions:

• Ball can be varied between played into the strikers feet or in the air for him to control
• Passes can apply limited pressure to the receiving player

Conditioned Game

On a 40x40 pitch, play 5 v 5 with 2 wall pass players at each side of the goals.

To score a team must play the ball to a wall player then shoot and score first time with the return.

Players play 2 touch and the wall players only have 1

Coaching points:

• Speed and quality of pass 
• Create space to receive 
• Receive to play the ball forward
• Look for early delivery into the wall player with speed and accuracy 
• Striking technique

Pass and receive

David Baird Soccer Coach

Twitter: @DavidBairdSC
Facebook: DavidBairdSC
Blog: http://davidbairdsoccercoach.blogspot.co.uk/

Warm Up

Players stand 10 yards apart, with each player standing behind a gate. The player who starts with the ball will pass through his partners gate. The receiving player will take 1 touch to the side of the cones and pass through his partners gate, the process continues working on a good first touch out of your feet and into space then an accurate pass to your partner. 

Make sure players are using the inside of their foot to pass and receive and encourage players to work both feet

Progression: 

• Ask the player passing the ball to now call out right or left. The player receiving the ball must take his first touch in that direction and then call out right or left when passing back to his partner. 

Coaching points:

• If moving to the right of the cone, use the inside of your right foot to push the ball slightly to the side and pass with the inside of your right foot
• If moving to the left of the cone, use the inside of your left foot to push the ball slightly to the side and pass with the inside of your left foot
• Don't take a first touch that is too big or too small, focus on getting the ball slightly in front of your kicking foot making it easier to pass the ball
• Passing - aim with standing foot (toe pointing to target), lock the ankle and pass through the centre of the ball.
• Call the name of the player you are passing to/receiving the ball from 

Main Drill

Split an area of 20x20 into 4 grids (perhaps larger for players of lesser ability) . 

Each team has a player in every grid and there are 2 players of each team on the outside of the square, to start with both teams have a ball.

The yellow team move their ball with 2 touch passing from side to side, while the red team move their ball with 2 touch passing from end to end. At least 3 passes must be made in the center before hitting a target player.

Progression: 

• Competition - which team can transfer their ball from one target player to the other 5 times first?
• 1 touch

Advanced Progression:

• Remove one of the balls and play competitive, players cannot leave their gird and the team to get from 1 of their target players to the other the most wins. You may want to add a coach as a neutral for  this game in the middle of the grid

Coaching points:

• Weight and accuracy of passes
• First touch must be good in tight areas. Take your first touch into space away from pressure and the second touch should be a pass
• Play 1 touch where possible
• Players must be moving to create space in order to receive the ball
• Communication

Conditioned Game 

6 v 6 directional end zone game.

Teams play possession with an aim of passing the ball into the end zone where an approaching player can run onto the ball and receive it.

If the player is already in the end zone when the ball is passed call this offside.

Coaching points are the same as above, however tell players not to force going for the end zone, pass and move keeping possession and when the chance is their to play someone into the end zone take it. 

WORKING ON YOUR FIRST TOUCH

@DavidBairdSC

Warm Up

Mark out a diamond using cones approx 15 yards apart. The ball will start at one end and is played anti-clockwise, with all players receiving and passing with their right foot. Players follow their pass. 

At each side players should receive the ball side on and aim to take their first touch through the gate. At each end players should receive the ball from one side of the marker and move the ball across to play out the other side (again working on right foot). 

Progression: 

• Use two footballs simultaneously
• Change to working clockwise, to work on receiving and passing with the inside of the left foot

Coaching points:

• Weight and accuracy of all passes, play the ball to the receiving players back foot
• Body position and movement when receiving (side on, receive with the back foot and use the inside of your foot to control the ball)
• Check over your shoulder before receiving
• First touch forward into space
• Call the name of the player you are passing to/receiving the ball from 

Main Drill

Within an area of 20x20, play 3 v 3 with a neutral player at each end of the area. 

The object of the game is for a team to get the ball from one neutral player to the other as much as possible while keeping possession. 

Neutral players should be looking to support the play at all times. Play at high intensity for 3 minutes. Rotate neutrals at the end of each game. 

Progression: Play 2 touch

Conditioned Game 

3 v 3 (blue v red) with 2 neutral players (yellow) who play for the team in possession. 

Players pass and move aiming to keep possession and a goal is scored if a player can take their first touch through one of the red gates. Neutral players can't score.

Progressions: 

• Play 2 touch
• 5 passes = 1 goal
• First touch through the gate = 2 goals

Quick combinations towards goal (drill)

This drill should be carried out at pace with 1 touch passing where possible. 

questions or feedback about the blog? find me on twitter @davidbairdsc

Set Up

Mark out a 20 x 20 square with players in each corner; in the center should be two target players, I have put the target players in different colors to help explain the drill but this is not necessary.

Explanation

The red player on the outside starts with the ball and plays to a target player of his choice. Here he plays to the green player who quickly plays to the other target player who plays the ball back into the path of the player who started the move. On receiving the ball that player will play it to the next red player who will repeat the sequence. 

The next red player must play his first pass to the target player who did not receive the first pass last time (yellow) who will then play to green and back to the red player who has moved into a position to pass to the next red player in the sequence (here we are working anti-clockwise)

Then progress the drill by adding a goal and a goalkeeper. The red player will play into a target, who plays the ball into the other target who then must find the run of the red player towards goal. 

Remember the next red in the line must play the first pass to the other target player. Which encourages movement off the ball from both players in the center. 

Static defenders can be added to this drill to make it more realistic and make players aware of the offside line when combining to goal (time your run to stay onside) 

Coaching points:

• Movement in the center - check to the ball if it is your turn to receive and the player not receiving should get into an angle to support his team mate for a quick pass
• Receive the ball open body - make sure you can see where you are receiving the ball from and where you are going to play the ball to. Allowing quick movement of the ball (1 touch)
• Play the ball in front of the moving player so he can run onto the ball and play first time
• Firm and accurate pass so the receiving player can play first time
• Communication - call for the ball.