Soccer Coaching Blog | Professional Soccer Coaching Advice


Shape up your team
June 26, 2013, 1:30 pm
Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Fitness, Soccer News, Soccer Refereeing, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management, Soccer Training | Tags: , , , , ,

davidscwnew

Changing team shapes by changing the number of players during a game is a fantastic way to get your players to keep their concentration and adapt the team shape and tactics to suit the situation.

I have used this exercise with my players for the past two training sessions because it gives me lots of coaching points that I can get across to my players as the game progresses.

How to play it

  • Set up as shown in the first picture, with four teams of two players (blacks, whites, grey shirt/grey shorts and grey shirts/grey shorts), plus two neutral keepers.

  • Start the game with four teams of two playing with one ball.

  • Players can score in either goal. If the ball leaves play, pass a new one in immediately.

  • On your call, two teams immediately join together (for instance, “blacks and whites”) and the game continues in a 4v4 situation. Both these teams now join forces to play against grey/whites and grey/greys.

  • Play for 10 minutes changing player combinations at regular intervals.

Technique and tactics

  • Keep the game moving fast.

  • Players should mix passes by either playing them to feet or into space.

How to develop it

  • You can overload the game against one team – for example, “whites, grey/ whites and grey/greys” would play against the black duo.
Leave a comment


Play out from the back
May 15, 2013, 1:01 pm
Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Fitness, Soccer News, Soccer Refereeing, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management, Soccer Training | Tags: , , ,

davidscwnewOne of the things that is important in playing out from the back is the pass from the goalkeeper out to a defender in space. This is an important part of the tactic. A pass that puts the defender under pressure will usually end up in disaster.

A good first pass and the defenders are on their toes ready for the ball.

Play this game which keeps the defenders on their toes but gives them a target to aim at.

Pitch size: 30 x 20 yards (minimum) up to 40 x 25 yards (maximum)

  • One full-sized goal
  • One keeper
  • Two teams of four players
  • Three mini target goals
  • One team starts the game as the attacking team.
  • One team starts the game as the defending team.
  • The keeper starts the practice with the ball in his hands.
  • The defending team must attempt to pass out of defence and into one of the mini goals in order to score a goal.
  • The attacking team must try to win the ball and shoot into the net to score a goal.
  • The game is played for 10 consecutive balls.
  • The two teams then reverse roles for a further 10 balls.
Leave a comment