Pass and receive

David Baird Soccer Coach

Twitter: @DavidBairdSC
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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.