developing wing play

a GOOD DRILL FOR OUTLINING TO YOUNG PLAYERS THEir OPTIONS WHEN PLAYING AS A WINGER, DECISION MAKING AND CONFIDENCE CAN BE DEVELOPED IN THIS DRILL THROUGH REPETITION AND EXTENDING OR SUPPORTING PLAYERS BY MAKING AREAS BIGGER OR SMALLER AND INCREASING OR DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF TOUCHES ALLOWED WHEN IN THE WINGERS ZONE.

Set Up

Area: 35x45 with full size goals. Mark out 10 meter zones at each end of the pitch as shown bellow.

Teams: 5 v 5, each team consists of 1 goalkeeper, 2 central players and 2 wingers. Players cannot leave there allocated zones creating 1 v 1 situations on the wings. 

Play from the GK who plays out to his team mates who will then try and get the ball out wide as quickly as possible.

Options for wide players

• Take the player on 1 v 1 (close control, change of direction and acceleration) 
• Look to play a give and go with a central player and pass around defender 
• Look for an early cross
• Take the ball to the end line and look for a cut back

Important: It may be a good idea to slow this drill down and talk through the options open to the winger, run a couple of scenarios and then build up to open play. 

GOAL CAN ONLY BE SCORED BY FINISHING A PASS/CROSS FROM THE WINGER WITH 1 TOUCH. 

CONTINUOUS shooting drill

A great SHOOTING DRILL, SUITABLE FOR MOST AGES AND ABILITY LEVELS, CREATING SPACE FOR AN EARLY SHOT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS EXERCISE SO ENCOURAGE PLAYERS TO PLAY WITH CONFIDENCE AND SPEED

Set Up

Set up an area of 30x40 with 2 goals and goalkeepers. Divide the group into 4 teams of 3 players.

3 reds will line up to play 3 blues, the other 3 reds will wait behind the red goal and the other 3 blues will wait behind the blue goal.

From here it is simply a case of winner stays on - as each team aims to score, if the red team scores then that group of 3 will stay on and the two blue teams will swap and vice-versa. If the ball goes out of play at any moment, both teams will switch. 

Important: Make sure the coach has a large supply of footballs at the side of the field in order to play a ball into the field when a goal is scored or the ball goes out of play, this is a high tempo exercise, therefor do not have players chasing the balls.

Coaching points:

• Technical points for shooting
• Look to penetrate quickly and take every opportunity to shoot
• Create space by passing and moving or dribbling with the ball
• Keep players wide to create space (diamond formation)
• Goalkeepers are also free to shoot

Counter Attacking

One of Brian Clough's biggest strengths was his awareness, years ahead of his time in English football at least, of the potential of counter-attacking football. - Taken from an article in the Guardian Newspaper 22.1.2010 

Warm Up

Set up and instruction: As shown in the diagram, the green team must work hard to win the ball back and then transfer it up the field to their extra player. Once the ball is played long all the green players must rush to support in the new area of the field, while only 3 yellow players can follow the ball in an attempt to win it back. The process then continues and the first team to transfer the ball 5 times wins the game (or make 100 passes in possession) 

Area: Three 15x20 areas, the space can be increased for groups of larger numbers.

Coaching points:

• Verbal and visual communication 
• Look to penetrate quickly once possession is won
• Quick speed of play
• Support off the ball to keep possession and give the player on the ball options 

Progressions:

Limit players to play 2 touch.

Main Drill

Set up and Instruction: 

4v4 plus 2 target players outside the area.

Green v Yellow with complete freedom in the area, allocate each team a target player who they must get the ball to. Your team will get 2 points if you play the ball to your target player from your own half and only 1 if you are in the attacking half when passing to your target. Once the target player gets the ball, he/she will then play out to the other team and the game continues. 

Play for points. 

Coaching points:

• Look to play long immediately but short if necessary 
• Play patient and look for opportunities to develop, don't play hit and hope!!
• Once a target player has the ball in possession, look to support quickly with useful angles of support 
• Communication

Conditioned Game

Set up and Instruction: 

40x60 area, play 5v5 with GKs and 4 target players. One a team wins possession, they should aim to hit the ball into 1 of their target players then run to support for a lay off and shot.

Scoring: 

1 point for a long ball into target player

+2 points if there is a successful lay off and shot.

Coaching points:

• Quick combination and finishing 
• Know when to go for goal and when to keep possession, don't waste chances
• Quick speed of play/decision making 
• Once retaining possession look to get forward quickly 
• Communication

Attacking the final third

BELOW IS A PRACTICE TO help your team penetrate through the middle and support the attacker in the final third.

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 40x40 into 4 equal areas

The game is 6v6 possession (red v green) with 2 neutral players who play for the team in possession (blue) 

Players can move freely around the whole area, however you can only make a maximum of 3 passes in 1 quarter of the grid.

Play 2 touch and 8 passes = 1 goal. 

Coaching points:

• Look to disguise your pass and run so not to be tracked by a defender
• Look for longer passes to break the pressure and keep possession
• Communication

Conditioned Game

Set up and Instruction: 

Use a 40x40 area, with a center line and 2 goals. Play 4 v 4 with 4 neutrals on the outside

Organize 3 v 1 in each area, with 3 midfielders in 1 area and an attacker in the other. Midfielders must play 2 touch in an attempt to get the ball up the field quickly, the striker has unlimited touches.

Neutral are limited to play 1 touch. 

Goals can be scored from anywhere on the field (not just the striker) 

Rotate teams frequently, winning team stays on.

Coaching points:

• Quick combination and finishing 
• Know when to go for goal and when to keep possession, don't waste chances
• Quick speed of play/decision making 
• Communication

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

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