Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Next Level Coaching. Week 6

Go Both Ways

Organisation: The game is set up as shown but please adjust numbers and area size to fit the age and ability of your players. 30x20m is a good starting point.

How to play:

This is a counter attacking game. 

• It's a normal game until the first goal is scored
• The team that scores the first goal can now attack EITHER goal for a set amount of time (2-3 mins) or the players can decide
• In this first video you will see the YELLOW team score the first goal that opens up the possibility of attacking and scoring in both goals for the time decided.
• In video 2 you will also see the game restart from the GK who has just conceded the first goal.

What is Going On?

Organisation: This is another great way to get the young players playing in a game but in a game with a tactical challenge built in. The game can be played 3v3, 4v4, 5v5 or 6v6. The 4v4 version is shown in the diagram. Pitch is 40x20m.

There are no GK’s in this game so it is a good one to include your GK’s as outfield players. All players can block the goal without using their hands. 

How to play:

There are three different games. The first two games are directional where teams score in any of the two designated goals on one the side of the pitch or by working the ball under control into the zones on each side of the pitch. (The shaded area in the diagram). Each team is given a goal and an end zone to attack and, to really challenge the players the end zone and the goals they must attack can be on different sides of the pitch. (As shown in the video)

The third game is a midfield possession game where the aim is to control possession and keep the ball until the coach changes the game again. This game is played in the middle unshaded area of the pitch.

The coach calls out which game is to be played (play for a set time or randomly change which game is being played) and will tell each team which goals and which end zones they must attack.

BUT.. After the midfield possession game the direction of the other two games changes and the teams attack the goals and the end zones their opponents were just attacking. Players will have to think quickly.

This game involves playing in different areas and into different goals/targets so will really make the players think, look around and develop their reactions and decision making. The video shows the YELLOW team in possession trying to score into the goals on one side or the end zones on the other side. The WHITE team are obviously doing the opposite.