Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Next Level Coaching. Week 7
Session Collective
Peter Sturgess
Description
Week 7 begins with an activity that will add lots of touches, movements and decisions for the players to practice (Dribble or Pass). The perfect start to any session.
To revisit the important feature of breaking lines with a forward pass the second game is (Killer Pass). There are two versions so choose the one that will provide the best challenge for your players.
Another of my favourite games (Two Goals Each) concludes this week's session. Familiar themes are being revisited through different sessions so remember to reinforce key messages as you give players the opportunities to reflect and remember how success might have been achieved in previous weeks.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Organisation: The area is set up as shown but adapt the area size and the number of players depending upon the player's ability and levels of skill and understanding. In this version there are 7 players. A group of four YELLOW players and a group of three Blue players. The area for this is 20x15m.
How to play:
- In one half of the practice there is a 3v2 (3 YELLOW v 2 BLUE).
- One BLUE acts as a screening player and must patrol the halfway line and stop any passes going to the other YELLOW player who is situated in the other half.
- The game begins and the YELLOW team aim to keep possession whilst looking for the ""killer" pass that breaks defensive lines.
If successful this is what happens.
- The screening player on the halfway line can now go into the other half and becomes a "live" defender. This player is then joined by a teammate from the other half and the remaining BLUE player now provides a screening role.
- For the YELLOW team, two can join the player in the other half (maintaining the 3v2) and the remaining YELLOW player becomes the target for those breaking lines passes.
Please see video 1 for how the game works as the YELLOW team aim to keep possession and play those "killer" passes to their player in the other half.
This is a challenging activity so try to arrive at an area size that provides some success but not too much. Your aim is to get the "challenge point" just right so that success is earned as the players begin to take up better positions and make better decisions when on the ball.
To emphasise the "killer" pass that breaks lines insist on ground passes only. This is also a great activity for the screening player as they must know where the opponent in the other half is so that they can block any passing lines to this player.
In general the game raises levels of awareness and scanning and is a must for young players.
Option 1: Make the area bigger
Option 2: Reduce the number of players (5 in total (2v1, 1 screening, 1 in other half waiting for the killer pass))
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
This video shows a version that you might use if the challenge in video 1 is too much for your players.
It involves 6 players so there is a little more space and thinking time for the players.
This version also includes another option when trying to transfer the ball from one half to the other. Instead of the "killer" pass players can also run with the ball across into the other half if this is a good solution to the game scenario.
This is where you might ask the players to come up with as many different ways to get the ball from one half to the other to challenge their creative thinking.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
This is a great way to get players thinking and making decisions.
Organisation: the game is set up as shown, 4 goals and 3v3. The pitch size should be age and stage appropriate but give the players room to travel and dribble with the ball. Both teams have two goals to attack and two to defend. Start with 25x15m.
How to Play:
- Players must be in the shaded areas to score.
- If the ball goes out, use one of the balls placed around the pitch.
- Have multiple pitches set up so every player plays (you may have a 3v2 on one area depending upon numbers).
- Encourage individual time on the ball.
- Help players to notice which goal to attack
Encourage players to experiment and try different ways to be creative.
Challenges 1 - Try to stay on the ball until you can pass forward
Challenges 2 - Try to have as many touches as you can whilst keeping the ball for you team.
Option 1: This game can be played with and without GK’s.
Option 2: adjust the pitch size. Bigger will give more thinking time and space. Smaller will increase pressure and decision making.
Option 3: Play with a size 2 ball
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
This video shows what happens when the ball goes out of play.
- The other team keep the game going by using one of the balls placed around the pitch.
- Place the balls strategically (If you want lots of attacks to develop from deep areas, put more balls in these areas).
- Encourage scanning to identify the best goal to attack.
Play animation
Play step-by-step
Repeat (toggle)
Full Screen
Pause
Stop
Organisation: 4 balls are balanced on the flat cone in each
corner. 3 Yellow players are on the outside of the square and 1
Blue defender in the middle. The area is 10x10m.
How to play:
In this game the 3 Yellow players keep 2 balls from 1 Blue defender. Players can dribble the ball to a line or pass to a teammate on another line but if tagged when dribbling across, you swap with the player in the middle. Both balls can be dribbled (there is not a dribbling ball and a passing ball) but Yellow players cannot have 2 players on the same line at the same time.
If a player dribbles to your line you have to move.
You cannot be tagged on the outside of the square only when travelling or running across.
If the defender intercepts a ball or gains possession they can
pass the ball into any corner trying to knock a ball off the cone.
Option 1: Add another defender in the middle.
This should be happen once players have good touch and feel
on the ball as there is more of a decision making challenge.
Option 2: Reduce the area size
Option 3: Allow more than one player on the same side.