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, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Fitness, Soccer News, Soccer Refereeing, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management, Soccer Training | Tags: coerver, drills, futsal, sessions, skills, technique, turning
Great way to coach turning with this simple session you can use to coach your players – it also makes a good warm up.
How to play it
• Set up an area measuring 20×5 yards, as shown, with two cones marking the midway length point.
• The player in the middle receives a pass from the front player in the top line – this man then follows his pass.
• The middle player must make a turn, pass out, then follow his pass to join the group at the bottom.
• The player who originally passed from the top line now becomes the new middle player.
• For the next part, a pass is fed in from the bottom line.
• The process continues with the player in the middle receiving the pass, but his ‘turn and move’ must be different to the one used by the player before him.
• There are many ‘turn and move’ choices, including:
- An open body turn
- Opening legs and flicking the ball in between
- Open legs and dummying Making a Cruyff turn
• The practice continues until all players are suitably warmed up in passing, controlling, turning and moving on.
Technique and tactics
• Players must be on their toes at all times.
• You’re looking for imagination in terms of how they turn.
• The quality of passing to and from the middle man is essential if this warm-up is to maintain its momentum.
Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Coaching, Soccer Fitness, Soccer News, Soccer Refereeing, Soccer Skills, Soccer Team Management, Soccer Training | Tags: back to goal, score, shoot, shoot across goalkeeper, turning
By David Clarke
Young attackers often find it difficult to turn and shoot when they receive the ball with their back to goal, because they are unsure what is behind them and where the goal is. They will often play it back into midfield rather than go themselves.
What you need to do when you are coaching attackers is to make it second nature for them to be able to receive the ball and immediately turn. This means they need to be aware of their position on the pitch in relation to the goal at all times.
This is a great drill to make attackers aware of the goal and where they have to turn so they can shoot – you can advance it to include other elements like lobbing the goalkeeper, or you can make it easier by not having a goalkeeper. It is a very versatile drill for the coach.
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Use an 18 yard area for each attacking set up
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Run two shooting sessions at the same time using the two goal set up in the diagram so your players are getting more time on the ball.
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The player at the front of the queue on each side plays the ball into an attacker positioned side-on to the passer and with their back to goal.
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The attacking player lets the ball roll across their body, takes one-touch to play the ball into position before turning and shooting with their other foot.
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The attackers shoot to score by hitting the corners of the goal. Repeat the session for each player.
How to advance it
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You can add a defender to close down and pressure the attacking player.
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Tell your attacking player they must play the ball with both feet – one to control and one to shoot.
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Instead of a first time shot, get your attackers to run one-on-one with the goalkeeper and try to score.
Change it so they have to lob the goalkeeper
Get your goalkeepers to stand a yard off their line and tell your attackers they have to turn with the ball and try to lob the goalkeeper. This makes it harder for your attackers to score.
Key coaching tips:
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Tell your players that each part of the session is important – concentrate on passing a good ball to the attacker so they can control it easier and concentrate on the turn and quality of the shot whether they are trying to lob the goalkeeper or drive it low into the corner of the net.
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Highlight the turn to your attackers. Show them how it must be done, and stop the session if they are not doing it right. You can use one of your more skilful players to show them if you cannot do it yourself!
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Tell them they must be quick so that in a match they can create a shooting opportunity.
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