Supporting the striker (3v2) 

Coaching points:

• The following drills are designed to get the ball into the striker quickly and encourage wide players to support with pace and good movement to achieve a shot on goal. 
• Angle of support - make sure you are available for a pass
• Play the ball in front of the supporting player so they can run onto it
• Receive the ball side on so you can quickly play the ball into the path of the supporting player (give and go)
• Look for rebounds 

Warm Up

Mark out a 12x12 box which the striker (red) will look to move around in and show for the ball. A blue player will play the ball into the striker and then both blue players will make runs towards goal looking for the return ball. 

The striker must decide who's path to play the ball into - that player will have a shot and his team mate will look for rebounds - next to players will go.

Striker - check to the ball and call for it, receive side on and quickly play into the path of a supporting blue.

Progression: 

• Overlap runs
• The blue line of cones acts as the offside line
• Play to red, drop back to blue who plays the other blue through on goal
• BE CREATIVE! 
• LOTS OF COMMUNICATION! 

Main Drill

3 v 2 continuous to goal. The Gk for the blue team starts by playing the ball into the strikers feet, once this pass is played the 2 blue players will come to support, at the same time the red player will recover back to create 3 v 2 to goal. Once the play breaks down the players can line up behind the other goal and the opposite Gk will start the drill again.

Rotate the 2 central players accordingly 

It is an idea to have a supply of footballs in the goals for quick re-starts 

Remember:

• Support quickly
• Stay wide to stretch the defense 
• Shoot when given the opportunity
• Pass or cut back when necessary (player always look to support in goal scoring positions)
• Look for rebounds 

Conditioned Game 

3 v 3 in the center with 1 v 1 in the end zones. The team in possession look to play the ball into their striker, from here 2 players of that team can go and support and only 1 player of the other team is allowed to get back and help defend creating a 3 v 2 to goal.

Once that play breaks down it should leave the other team an opportunity to attack quickly and create a 3 v 2 at the other end.

Look for quick solutions, play direct in front of a supporting team mate so they only need 1 or 2 touches to get a shot on goal

Individual defending 

Coaching points:

• Look to contain or intercept as oppose to risking a tackle that you might not win
• Contain the striker - be tight and don't let him turn, stay low and side on, showing the player wide and away from goal
• Show the striker onto your strong foot
• If you are 100% sure you can win the ball - take the ball! Otherwise contain
• If you win the ball, look to mount an attack

Drill 1

In an area of 20x20 yards, set up a small goal at one end and 2 small goals at the other. The players line up in between the two small goals.

Here the defender (red) passes the ball through the attackers legs (blue) then both players chase to win the ball. The striker aims to turn the defender and finish into 1 of the goals on the side that has 2 goals. The defenders main aim is to stop the striker scoring, however if the defender wins the ball he should aim to play the ball into the goal on the other side (playing the ball up the field accurately to start an attack)

Drill 2

Split the playing area into 3 equal zones and set up 1 v 1 in each zone. The red team will play the blue team at a game of possession - players cannot leave their allocated zones. A goal is scored if a team can successfully play through all three zones, keeping possession. The 1 v 1 contest will work on the basic defending elements - marking, tackling, intercepting. This drill also helps defenders technically as in possession they must control the ball under pressure and play away to a team mate. 

Drill 3

5 v 5, with 2 players of the defending team in the end zone. The team of 5 (red) aim to complete 10 passes which is equal to 1 goal in this game. If the team of 3 (blue) win the ball, they must aim to get the ball to one of their players in the end zone to which is equal to a goal in this game. Switch players in the end zone and rotate attacking and defending team as necessary 

Quick recap - The defenders job first and foremost is to prevent the opposition team from scoring, if an attacker has the ball under control avoid diving in attempting to win the ball (the chances are if the striker is in control of the ball he can move it quickly and get past you). Look to contain the player and show him away from goal, which will give your team mates time to get back and defend. When winning the ball, coach defenders to be confident and look to play the ball to a team mate as opposed to a long hopeful kick up the field. 

Questions about this drill, find me on Twitter: @DavidBairdSc 

1 v 1 Finishing Session

 Coaching points:

• Create space with feints and turns
• When striking the ball keep your head down and knee over the ball - kick through the ball
• Use team mates around you for give and goes
• Communication 

Warm Up

This exercise takes place in an area of 20 x 20 with a 5 yard end zone which contains two goals. The striker (blue) starts with the ball and is positioned a couple of feet in front of the defender (red). The striker will play the ball into the coach (green) then immediately follow his pass for the return, at the same time the defender will rush out to defend.

From here it is simply 1 v 1, with the striker looking to get past the defender and into the end zone to finish into 1 of the 2 goals. 

If the defender wins the ball he can score into either goal. 

Main Drill

For this drill, have 2 teams (red v blue) with both teams behind a cone and the players numbered 1 to 4. The coach will start the drill by passing the ball into the playing area and calling out a number, the corresponding blue and red player will come out and play 1 v 1. The aim is to find space and try in score into one of the opposing teams goals. 

Progress the drill by calling more than 1 number and creating 2 v 2s and 3 v 3s etc.

Dimensions: 25 x 25 yards

Conditioned Game

In a playing area of 30x25 create a 5 yard scoring zone at each end with 3 goals. The teams play 4v4 and can only score when they get into the opposing teams scoring zone (defenders can follow attackers into the scoring zones to prevent goals). 

Progressions: 

Teams now must score outside the scoring zone

1 touch finish

2 touch open play and 1 touch finish

Quick recap - When 1 v 1 to goal create space with change of direction and change of pass then look to get your shot away early, low and hard, into a corner away from the goalkeeper - be alive for rebounds. 

Questions about this drill, find me on Twitter: @DavidBairdSc 

The killer pass

Coaching points:

• Firm accurate passes with the inside of the foot (then move into space)
• Look to receive the ball with an open body so you can see the field around you and with the back foot (the foot that is furthest away from the ball)
• Don't loose possession, lots of movement off the ball and remember you can pass back
• Communication 

Warm Up

The player at the front of the red line starts with the ball, on the coaches command he will play a wall pass with the green player then pass the ball through the red gate to the first yellow player, once the pass has been made the red player (acting as a passive defender now) approaches the yellow forcing the yellow player to make a wall pass with the green and the sequence continues.

Main Drill

This drill is started with the green player having the ball at his feet (defender) the defender will dribble and stop the ball in front of the yellow player (attacker).

When the ball has been stopped the yellow player will instantly start to dribble and the green player will sprint around the red cone and come onto the field to defend. The game is 1 v 1 with the yellow player aiming to knock over a blue cone before the defender wins the ball. (No players are allowed in the end zone containing the blue cones)

Dimensions: 25 x 20 yard grid with a 5 yard end zone

Notes: Once the play has ended players should rotate lines. 

Conditioned Game

In an area of 30 x 25 mark out the set up above with a 5 yard end zone at each end of the field that has 3 small goals behind it. The game is played 3 v 3 in the central area with 1 player behind the 3 mini goals.

The teams play 3 v 3 and you can only score when you get into the other teams end zone, however you can not score into a goal if the player is standing behind that goal, therefore you must find a quick killer pass into an empty net before the other teams end zone player gets behind that goal.

Quick recap - 3 v 3 open play, any member of any team is free to go anywhere on the pitch but you can only score in the other teams end zone and into a goal that does not have an opposing player standing behind it

Progression: 

Now tell the player behind the goal that he can come into his teams end zone as an option for a pass - whoever passes to this player will swap roles with him. In defense he must be behind the goals but in offense he can come and support. You should encourage young players to be patient and not to force the killer pass, if going back and keeping possession is the sensible thing to do then keep possession and wait to create the opportunity to make the killer pass 

Questions about this drill, find me on Twitter: @DavidBairdSc