Soccer Coaching Blog | Professional Soccer Coaching Advice

When Oscar or Eden Hazard are running with the ball watch how often they do a skill which fools the chasing player. They change direction or pace with simple movements like this reverse pass.

It is the speed of the initial reaction which makes all the difference when players lose the ball and the opposition counter-attacks. Running in counter attacking situations often means players are being chased by defenders. I get my players to prepare by playing this game. Not only does it get players to react quickly to a change in possession but it also involves a skill and a technique.

The skill is a reverse pass, followed by pressing the player on the ball – and the technique is both with and without pressure.

How to play it

• Put down two cones 20 yards apart – further/closer depending on the physical fitness of your players.

• You need players at each end of the exercise.

• Play starts at one end with a player running with the ball.

• When he reaches the far end, he passes to the player at that end with a reverse pass – he runs past the first player in the queue and use a backheel pass across the standing leg.

• The receiving player starts running to the opposite end, the player who has made the reverse pass must turn and give chase.

• When players get to the far end, the player with the ball reverse passes to a player at that end then turns and gives chase.

• The original chasing player joins the back of the queue.

Key coaching points

• When running with the ball, players should use the laces for each touch, making sure they run in a straight line.

• Players run as fast as they can, complete the skill and turn to give chase.

• Make sure your players put maximum effort into this exercise so they get all the benefits of fitness and skills.

Change the pass