SKILLS ENDURANCE WARM UP 

@DavidBairdSC

A few highlights from the teams warm up in preparation of a game the next day: 

Receiving Open Body

& Playing a Weighted Pass

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A session for small sided teams (8 v 8) looking at angles of support and playing a weighted pass so you and your teammates can move the ball quickly

Coaching Points:

Specifically for my team I look at the shape of my 3-1-3. No matter how you look at the diamond, we are moving it across the field then up the field as quickly as possible, I keep the player in juggling and speak about space and distance and the CM connecting all the triangles on the field

Progression 1:

Notes:

Check to each side of your maker to move the ball quicker and split the diamond, speak about pattern of play... right back, to right winger, back to the full back, hit the striker, recycle and play it again.

Conditioned Game:

Overlapping Full Backs

By David Baird

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A phase of play to encourage wide players to create space and allow full backs to join in the attack with an overlap.

Coaching Points:


CM: check to show feet and check your shoulder to see the field. Receive on the back foot and play quickly.


Wide player: Check behind the ball (no square passes) shape your body to see the field and the overlapping run, receive back foot and play front foot


Full back: Run at an angle to give the passing player a target to hit, ball comes in first and run onto the ball with a positive first touch



Progression 1:

Conditioned Game:

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First Time Shooting

by David Baird

A session for first time shooting, the weight of the pass must be stressed when assisting the shot and the technique for striking the ball cleanly with power and accuracy:

• Put your laces through the ball
• Knee over the ball
• Strike just below the center of the ball
• Head down, shoulders slightly back
• Standing foot - have your toe in line with the back of the ball
• Swing from the hips
• Opposite arm to foot comes up as you strike for balance 

Drill 1:

Drill 2: 

Drill 3: 

Conditioned Game: 

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@DavidBairdSC

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Turning Session for Young Players

by David Baird

Drill 1:

Drill 2: 

Drill 3: 

Drill 4: 

Quick Passing in Tight Areas

By David Baird 

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I used this session with a good U10 team to encourage pulling the other team down and combining to get forward once we had done so.


Warm up:

Drill 1: 

Progression: 

Conditioned Game: 

More: Soccer Drills and Sessions

1 v 1 training for young players

By David Baird

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A session to encourage young players to go past defenders




Successful 1 v 1 formula

• Close Control
  
• Change of direction
  
• Change of speed
  

Close control – use the front of your small toe to approach the defender, touch the ball with every step you take

Change direction – come in slow (60%) and straight (commit defender), perform a change of direction, scissors, step over, fake take etc

Change of speed – slightly bigger touch to take you in the direction that you want to go, accelerate at 100%


Progression 1:

Progression 2:

Progression 3:

Use the teammate as a diversion or if they are in a better position to get past the defender pass the ball


Progression 4:

Passing and Moving 2

By David Baird

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A session to encourage young players to pass, move and support the ball




Passing:

• Inside of the foot
  
• Punch through the ball
  
• Head down
  
• lock ankle – push your toes towards the sky
  
• Aim with standing foot and hips
  

Progression 1:

Progression 2:

Progression 3:

Notes: Support play, always show your feet to the ball and get into open space. 

More Drills: Football drills and sessions

Crossing and Finishing Drill 

Progressions:

1. Add 1 defender in the box
2. Add 2 defenders in the box 

by David Baird

More: Football Drills and Sessions

Soft Touch, Quick Strike

By David Baird

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A session to improve functional play of the striker 








Progression 1:

Progression 2:

Progression 3:

Progression 4: 

The Weighted Pass

This is a simple drill that I was explaining to a friend, just uploading this so he can see it.
I often progress this to a race between the 4 teams (or however many you have) once the receiving player gets through the gate, the next pass can be played, first to 30.

Getting the ball wide and delivery

This session looks at phases of play to get the ball wide.

Movement off the ball is vital to get into goal scoring positions.

By David Baird





After a good warm up start with the following drill:

Instruction:
The blue team will perform the phase of play, once the shot on goal has been taken, the white team should start as the blue team make their recovery run back to their starting positions. The aim is to complete the phase successfully, avoiding the traffic of the returning players. Speed of play challenge – complete the phase and shoot before the other team are back on their markers


Coaching:
Encourage the winger to check away from the play then back, asking for the ball to feet. The defender should play the wingers back foot so he can play 1 or 2 touch into the striker who should have also have checked away then to the ball, moving the defender away momentarily.
The return ball should be played in front of the winger.
Midfielder should time his run to just inside the box for a cut back and first time shot. Attacker should be the back post option – staying onside and looking for rebounds


Progression 1:

Conditioned Game:

More: Football drills and sessions

Play Striker, Set Midfielder, Unlock a Wide Player to Goal

by @DavidBairdSC

Progression 1:

Conditioned Game: 

More drills and sessions by David Baird soccer coach: Soccer drills and sessions

Changing the point of attack

by  @DavidBairdSC

Attacking Combination Play 

David Baird

@davidbairdsc 

Drill 1:

Drill 2:

Progression:

1. Insert a defender to play 3 v 1 to goal
2. The defender who plays the ball in then follows the ball into the play (recovery run) to create a 3 v 2. The attackers must combine quickly and use the momentary numbers advantage to shoot quickly 

Conditioned Game:

TIKI TAKA 2

(SESSION)

Coaching Points:

• Make eye contact when passing
• Weight and accuracy of pass
• Supporting angles
• First touch
• Quick combinations
• Awareness of space and other players
• Attempt to play 1 or 2 touch, high tempo! 

Warm Up

Explanation: The players form a circle, the player who starts with the ball will pass to a team mate of his choice. The 2 players on either side of the receiving player come out to show for a pass. One will receive and pass to the other who plays the ball across the circle to the next player. The sequence continues, players do not follow their passes. 

Progression - Instead of showing in the center of the circle, the player on the right overlaps the receiver, the ball is played to the player in the center and then in front of the overlapping player so he can play it first time across the circle. (Switch to left player overlap)  

Drill 1

Explanation: Create a circle made up of two teams (red and yellow used here) each team has a ball and is working on their own drill avoiding the other team at work. Each team has 2 of their players starting inside the circle 

Routine - A ball is played to the deepest player in the middle, that player then sets to his other team mate in the middle who will pass the ball to the outside of the circle to start the sequence again. All players follow their pass. The other team are doing the exact same thing. 

Drill 2

Explanation: With the same set up as above we now turn the drill into an opposed drill by removing 1 ball. When the ball is played in it is 2 v 2 in the middle and at any time if the ball is played out the passer will follow the ball out and the receiver will come in with his first touch. 

Conditioned Game

Explanation: A full game, however a goal will only count if it is scored as a result of 3 one touch passes.

Questions or feedback about this session, please contact me on Twitter: @DavidBairdSC