Planned Outcome: Understand how our body positioning communicates with teammates.
Warm-up: (area: 20x30 - 30x40 yards). 10-15 minutes. Set up several 3v3-4v4 games as necessary for squad size. Play regular game without goalkeepers. 10 players – 3v3 and 2v2 12 players – 3v3 (x2) 14 players – 3v3 and 4v4 16 players – 4v4 (x2)
Training Activity 1: (area: 20x30 - 30x40 yards). 15-20 minutes. 3v3-4v4 games with rugby pass rule (passes can go only sideways or backwards). Progression: Forward passes can be played from your own half.
Training Activity 2: (area: 20x30 - 30x40 yards). 15-20 minutes. 3v3-8v8 games. You can start off with two smaller games before combining them to make one big game. Rule: If you receive the ball facing your own goal, then you have only one touch.
Unconditioned game: (area: 38x50 - 45x60 yards)
Additional challenges can be applied if desired. Don’t forget the cool-down (5-10 minutes). Rhythmic movements and static stretching.
Possible challenges: try to...
Receive with your back to goal.
Receive moving into space between two defenders.
Exploit gaps.
Use the one touch rule to your advantage.
Key questions:
How does the defence react when receiving with your back to goal or receiving while moving into space between two defenders?
How does this provoke the defence?
Where may this create space?
COACHING POINTSReading your teammates’ body position can let you anticipate what will happen next. In this way, the position of the body can act as a ‘trigger’ to cause the next action in a coordinated way.
KEY QUESTIONS
How does the defence react when receiving with your back to goal or receiving while moving into space between two defenders?
With your back to goal, defenders might move to get tighter on you to prevent you from turning.
Receiving while between two defenders can cause both defenders to move towards you. This can create a 1v2 situation where you need to escape from two defenders, but this can also help create space for teammates to get into with little pressure as the defenders have to adjust after their first movement towards you.
How does this provoke the defence?
Receiving with your back to goal can cause the defence to step higher to limit your space. This can help create space behind the defender or behind the defensive line for you or a teammate to run into.
Receiving between players can cause the defenders to shift and open larger spaces between them.
Where may this create space?
This might create space behind the defenders.
POSSIBLE CHALLENGES: TRY TO...
Receive with your back to goal – use this challenge if the forward players constantly receive on the half turn and try to dribble forward.
Receive moving into space between two defenders – use this challenge if a player consistently receives with their back to goal and uses their body to protect the ball.
Exploit gaps – use this to encourage the players making supporting runs to move into the gaps created. Use the one touch rule to your advantage – use this to encourage players to think about how their body position can ‘trigger’ certain actions from the opponent and how anticipating these actions can create an advantage
Use the one touch rule to your advantage – use this to encourage players to think about how their body position can ‘trigger’ certain actions from the opponent and how anticipating these actions can create an advantage.
Extract from page 68 &69 of The Soccer Sessions Book with Paul Robinson. Paul is a UEFA B and FA Youth Award qualified coach.
The book contains 87 prepared sessions based around the FA Youth Award. Each session has sample questions and challenges, to help the coach to facilitate their players' learning.
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