Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Passing Techniques (Start Time: 2024-09-20 18:00:00)

Technical Practice: Passing Techniques : Inside Foot, Clipped, Drilled (10 mins)

Session Structure

• 5 Players per grid (15 players)
• Time: 2 Minutes per grid, twice round (12 minutes).
• Playing area of 30m x 20m and which is split into thirds.

How it Works 

• An unopposed practice consisting of three patterns that help players learn passing techniques without opposition.
• Each practice can incorporate up to seven players, and can be replicated a number of times.
• Players will work in blocks of two minutes, in which they will use their right foot and left foot.

Pattern 1(see Box 1) Inside of Foot

• This pattern is focused on developing passing techniques with the inside of the foot.
• The ball is played into a central player, who makes an angle to receive the ball.
• This player then passes the ball to the opposite corner, to a player who sprints with the ball through the flat markers before joining the back of the line.
• As soon as the ball is with the final player, the next player in the line will go. This time, the ball goes to the other side and ends with the player in the other corner.
• When players go left, they should use their left foot.

• This pattern begins in the same direction, but with a focus on clipped passes.
• The ball is played into the central player, who will set the ball back.
• The player at the top should then clip the ball aerially into the final player, who then dribbles back.
• Players will then play towards the other side, using their left foot.

Pattern 3 (see Box 3) Drilled

• This pattern the ball is again played forward and set back.
• The first player will this time drill the ball with their laces to the end player.
• The central player will now follow the ball and play a one-two with the end player, before the end player then dribbles back again.
• As with the previous patterns, direction of travel should determine which foot players use.

• Can the players use the mannequins as a guide to pull away and receive (come away to create space)
• Change direction on coaches command
• How quickly can the team pass the ball around the box
• Play a 1-2 meaning a set back to play forward

Small Sided Game (20 mins)

Small Sided Game

• 2x GKs, 12x Outfield Players and 1x Magic Player (7v7+1)
• 75m x 30m (12m, 46m, 12m) - Split into 3 zones, two end zones of 12m depth and a central zone of 46m depth 

How it Works: 

•  This practice is a small sided game
• The constraints of the practice encourage a variety of passing techniques, with a focus on entering the end zones to score.
• Players must use an inside-of-the-foot pass or drilled pass to go between zones.
• If any pass into the end zone that leads to a goal is played with the inside of the foot or driven with the laces, the goal is worth two points.
• When a pass has arrived in an end zone, the receiving player can assist another teammate and does not need to score directly.
• A pass that is clipped from one end zone to another, and leads to a goal, will be worth three points.
• An example of Red Team creating an opportunity via a clipped pass into the far end zone can be seen in the diagram.
• This will encourage players to use a variety of passes and experiment with techniques under pressure.

Progression, Challenges or Targets

• Restrict players in each zone
• Remove the restriction so players can roam freely
• Limit or increase touches
• Add extra points for getting into the end zone
• Challenge players to use certain passes (e.g. punched passes)

 Coaching Observations

• Pass selection. Which pass type do the players use and when?
• Players need to find and pick the right moments to play forward passes, to unlock goals that count for double or triple.
• Forward passes and forward runs 
• Angles of player support.
• Player should find space and identify when teammates have time and space and play into the end zone.
• Players can try line-breaking passes to attack.