Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Fitness, Soccer News, Soccer Refereeing, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management, Soccer Training | Tags: one-two, overlaps, passing, receiving, running with the ball, screening, turning
Here’s a session, divided into two parts, that benefits players in three core elements.
At the heart of this is possession, but keeping the ball is only really useful if players know what to do with it, and that’s where patience and penetration come into play.
This practice also allows players to rehearse passing, receiving, turning, screening, one-twos, running with the ball and overlaps.
How to play it
Non-directional practice
This is an ideal start for getting younger players using combinations without having to get the ball to a designated target. It really cements the basics of support play, with overloads helping to create confidence in maintaining possession (see the top picture).
- Set this up so attackers have a strong overload (I use 11v5 in a 30×15 yards area, but you can use a smaller area with a 9v4 or a 7v3).
- Both teams must try to win the ball and keep possession of it – they’ll do this by supporting and communicating well with team mates at all times.
- Play for five minutes, switching players so that all get to work with and against the overload.
Directional practice
Now, the objective for both teams is to pass the ball to either of the target players, who are positioned in five-yard channels at each end of the area. Moving in to a directional practice replicates match-like demands of retaining possession and finding an end target (see the middle and bottom pictures).
- In the example given, this is 6v6 in the middle, plus two floaters (F) who always play with the team in possession (to make 8v6).
- If a successful pass is made to a target player, he passes the ball back to the team previously in possession and the other end is attacked.
- If play is turned over, the other team can now use the floaters in an 8v6, and attempt to feed the ball to either target man.
- Play for five minutes.
Technique and tactics
- Look for the creation of space (wide and deep), as individuals and as a team.
- Pass selection is important, with the focus on accuracy, weight and timing of the release.
Filed under: Dave Clarke, Posts From Dwyer Scullion, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Fitness, Soccer News, Soccer Refereeing, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management, Soccer Training | Tags: anticipation, attacking, clever, deep lying, defenders, one-two, smart, support
Intelligence on the pitch isn’t something that comes naturally to all players. Many will make good passes or strong tackles but won’t think about what follows. Smart players are those who learn there is more than one part to a move – they must link, support and anticipate.
It is through exercises such as this one that a player’s footballing intelligence can be enhanced – not just so they replicate moves well, but so they realise too that when they’ve made their contribution, the sequence continues to build.
How to set it up:
- Set up as shown in the diagram, with two players by the first cone (A). Five yards on, place another cone (B), then at right and left diagonals, place two more cones (C and D) 10 yards away.
Getting started:
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This part of the exercise is run without a ball.
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Setting off side by side, players sprint from A to B. They touch the cone at B and sprint to the diagonal cone on their side, touch that cone, then race back to the start.
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As soon as the outgoing player touches cone B, the next man in line begins his run.
Developing the session:
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For the second part, a ball is added.
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Two servers are placed two yards either side of cone B.
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Now, one player advances to cone A, passes to either of the servers, then sprints past B, where he receives the ball back in his stride.
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This working player dribbles to C or D before returning to the start.
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Swap the servers so each player has a go at both roles, and encourage working players to change the direction they take around the circuit each time.
Further progression:
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This time, we place a player on A and two on B, plus two men on C and D.
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The player at A passes to B, follows his pass and stops at the cone.
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The player at B turns to his right with the ball, dribbles for a short distance then passes to the player at C.
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This man receives the pass, dribbles to cone A, and begins the move again from the start.
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The player at B this time turns in the other direction and heads for D.
Why this works:
Research from Sport England has shown that the average number of times a youth player sprints during a match is 19. The average distance is 10 yards and the run is not in a straight line.
What is replicated in this exercise is passing and receiving, taking into account those sprint statistics for youth matches.
The formation of the exercise also mimics the attacking angles players will practise in matches. And the alternating between cones C and D ensures that players use both feet.
Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Skills | Tags: Arsenal, Barcelona, brazil, Chelsea, give and go, one-two, Real Madrid, wall pass
I was looking for a good example of a one-two/give ‘n’ go/wall pass and was scanning through some Barcelona, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Brazil matches to find one. The best one-two I found was this backheel, one-two, cross for a great headed goal.
However, it came from an U12 Signature team playing in Placentia, California.
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