2 v 1 Decision Making in Attack
Age Group: 9-10 years old Ability Level: Beginner Gender: Boys
Equipment Required: Bibs, balls, cones
Aim of Session: To increase decision making in youth players in 2 v 1 situations. Learn how to use the numbers advantage in attack, when to pass or dribble? Running of the ball? Angle of the pass?
Overview: 2 v 1 situations happen all the time during soccer games. Decision making in these situations is vital to exploit the other teams defense and capitalize on the numbers advantage by scoring a goal. Coaching points:
Player off the ball:
Get wide to stretch the defender
Be in a position where the player on the ball can see you
Move away to create a 1 v 1 for the player on the ball
Communicate
Player on the ball:
Decision making! Pass or dribble?
Fake to pass then dribble/vice versa
If you choose to pass stay open for the return
These concepts will be introduced gradually throughout the practice so not to overload the player with information and so they are given adequate time to work on each step, then hopefully with practice they will perform all of the above together to successfully go past there opponent in a 2 v 1 situation
Set Up
For this practice set up an area of 15x15 (may alter depending on age/ability of players), in the diagram I have 4 areas set up. In each area, on one side there are two goals at each side of the end zone - outlined by orange cones and on the other side there are small goals in the middle of the square. I have already set up my larger goals outside the practice area so I can introduce these at the end for the practice game.
Warm Up - Dribbling and Support Play
Instruction: Using two of the areas on the set up diagram (30x30square) have players in the square dribbling with the ball, working on close control, turns etc. On the outside have 2 or three defenders without a ball. On the coaches command the defenders must enter the box and try and steal the soccer balls and kick them out the square. This is good 1v1 practice. However when your ball is eliminated from the square you must quickly help a teammate out by supporting them and their ball (2 v 1) The exercise continues until the defenders get all the balls out the square. Change defenders each time.
Coaching Points: If your ball is kicked out the square react quickly to help a teammate. Call to let them know you are open. Pass and move, decision making.. pass or dribble?
Drill 1 - 2 Attackers v 1 Defender
Instruction: Blue players act as defenders first. A blue player makes a good pass to one of the 2 red players lined up and quickly shuts the player down. The two red players must combined to go past the defender and finish with the ball
under control over the blue players end zone (orange line in diagram). Give players a lot of shots to practice and switch players roles so everyone acts as attacking player with the ball, attacking player without the ball and defender.
Coaching Points: The attacker players will need to perform one of three things to go past a defender 2 v 1. A penetrating pass, a penetrating dribble, or a penetrating run.
Drill 2 - 2 Attackers v 1 Defender Progression
Instruction: Using the same set up as before we now make things more challenging and give the players more to think about to increase decisions making. When the attacking players receive the ball they no longer must get over the orange line, but must get the ball through the mini goals at the opposing players end. This will encourage the attackers to get wide so to stretch the defense. Introducing the offside rule at this point is a good progression. It is a simple set up to show young players if the ball is passed when the second attacker is closer to the goal than the defender he is off course offside. Focus on the defender - instead of just clearing the ball, when he wins the ball can he start an attack? Simulate this by making the drill flow more - If the defender wins the ball, whoever he dispossessed must retreat out the game and another blue player must quickly come in and support to reverse the 2 v 1 in the other direction.
Coaching Points: Every couple of drills stop the drill and ask the players was that a penetrating run, pass or dribble? To aid there understanding and show the effectiveness of these methods. Communicate! If you are open for the ball signal using your hand to show were you are going to run. Speaking to each other is also great communication but introduce hand signals so not to give your move away to the other team.
Drill 3 - Introduce GK
Instruction: Another progression is to introduce the GK (use as many goals as possible to ensure maximum participation). A before the defender plays in the attackers who 2 v 1 try and score a goal.
Coaching Points: Get wide, decision making (penetrating pass/dribble or run?), do not be offside and communicate. It is also very important to stress that the attackers must use this numbers advantage while it exists, do not give the defenders time to get back and re-group then the 2 v 1 opportunity is gone. Score quickly, at the coaches discretion set time limits.
Conditioned Game
Instruction: Play a small sided games so 2 v 1 situations occur frequently. The condition on the following game is if you loose possession you as an individual must run around an outside marker before returning to the game. This means a defensive player will be out of the game for 6-7 seconds leaving the attackers with a numbers advantage.
Coaching Points: Quick decisions, exploit numbers advantage.
Set up and Instruction: Create a 3x3 square, with attackers lined up in the corners (with a ball) and the defenders in the middle squares (without a ball). The attackers work anti-clockwise around the area going 1 v 1 against the defenders, if the defender wins the ball they swap with the attacker. Progression: Two attackers are now going to attack the defenders square, creating a 2 v 1 situation
