Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Switching Play - Possible Session

Practice Drill

Set Up

The drill is run in roughly half of the pitch; from the halfway line to the edge of the 6-yard box (goal area)

If we are playing on a particularly wide pitch, then bring the touch lines in (say) 5 yards on each side.

(This is done to make communicating with the players easier, whilst still giving adequate width for a switch of play)

We are coaching the RED team who have a Server (S) on the halfway line, four players in the playing area and a Target player (T) standing behind the 6-yard line.

They are opposed by 4 BLUE players.  Initially, the Blues will have only one player in the Red half of the playing area (denoted by the red line of cones).  As soon as the ball is live, the Blues have free movement.

The Red Server can join in play to create a 5v4

Running the Drill

The aim of the exercise is for the Reds to play the ball from the Server to the Target man in order to score a point

NB The Target man must receive the ball to his feet and control it; we don't want players to "cheat" the drill and simply play long, high balls over the top.

If the Blues win possession, they have 8 seconds to score in one of the mini goals

Key Coaching Points:

Reds to use width & depth i.e. making the pitch as large as possible in order to create space and open passing lanes

Switch Play

Look for the Spare Player

NB We have marked three lanes (using the blue cones) - are these purely visual aids to encourge players to keep width? Or Do we need to make them part of the game? e.g. the ball must pass through all three lanes........but, is this game realistic?  

(if we remove the lanes and the players set up too narrow, this gives us an immediate opportunity to step in an coach)

Ensure players understand the reason for switching play and looking for the spare man (i.e. creating overloads)

Remind Target man that he has to move along the end line to find space to create passing angles

Progressions

1) Allow the Blue team to start the drill anywhere on the pitch - they will probably look to man mark the Reds on the pitch.  This gives a new challenge to the Red server as must PASS the ball to commence the drill.

- the solution is that his team-mates must move to create sufficient space to receive the ball and play a "bounce pass" back to the Server who will now have entered the pitch and become the extra man.

2) Bring on an extra BLUE player so that the drill becomes 5v5 HOWEVER the extra Blue player must stay in  his own half (so that the Reds can still enjoy the overload initially)