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Overload

Objective: To improve attacking and defending skills, both individually and as a unit. To practise overload situations (3v2, 4v3 etc) and improve decision making.

Age group: U10s and upwards.

Difficulty: Easy.

Set-up: Create a suitable size pitch with a goal at each end. For U10s, I would use a 40 yards long by 30 yards wide playing area.

Divide your players into two teams – an attacking team and a defending team.

The attacking team waits on the halfway line of the pitch. The defending team is spread out equally between each goal.

How to play:

The attacking team decides which goal to attack how it wants to attack it.
If attackers choose to go 1v1 (one attacker v one defender) and succeed in scoring, they get four points.
If attackers choose 2v1 (two attackers v one defender), they get three points for a goal.
3v1 is worth two points per goal and 4v1 is worth one point.
If a goal is scored, the attackers turn and attack the other goal. If they keep scoring, they keep attacking.
If the attackers miss or a defender can win the ball and pass it to you, the attack is over.
Play for a set number of attacks and change the teams round. The team with the most points is the winner.

Tip

To make the game easier for young players:

Play without goalkeepers.
Make the goals bigger.
Stick to bigger overloads – 3v1 or 5v2 etc.

Progression

If the attackers cannot shoot within 30 seconds, allow another defender to join in.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coaching Club.

No go!

This game encourages your players to use the full width of the pitch.

Age group: U8s to U14s

Set-up: Divide your players into teams of four or five.

Create a playing area with a goal at each end for every two teams.

The size of the area depends on the age of your players. For U10s, 40 yards long by 30 yards wide is about right.

Cone off a 10-yard square or a 20 yards long by 10 yards wide No-Go area in the middle of the pitch.

How to play: Play a small-sided game (SSG) with the condition that players are not allowed to enter the No-Go area but the ball may pass through it.

If a player does set foot in the No-Go area, award a free kick to the other team at the point where they entered the area.

Progression:

Award a bonus point for a successful pass through the No-Go zone.

All attacking moves must include a pass to a neutral player who stays inside the No-Go zone.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coaching Club.

Objectives: To encourage rapid counter attacking, to encourage your attackers/midfield players to get back and defend when the other team has the ball and to encourage your defenders to move up rapidly and support attacking moves.

This game can also be used with older players to practice setting and beating an offside trap.

Age group: U9s and upwards.

Number of players: Ideally 10 (five-a-side), but can be used with more or less players. If you have more than 14 players, set up two games.

Set-up: Create a playing 30×20 yards area with goals at each end and a halfway line.

Divide your players into two teams, including goalkeepers.

How to play: Goals only count if all the attacking team (except the goalkeeper) is in the opponent’s half when the ball crosses the goal line.

Also, goals count double if any of the defending team fail to get back into their half before a goal is scored.

Progression: Add neutral players who stay on the sidelines and receive passes and pass back to the team that passes to them. Attacking moves now have to include at least one pass to a neutral player.

If you have older players, play the offside rule.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.

Throw in frenzy

This game encourages quick throw ins and movement off the ball.

Age range: U7s and upwards.

Difficulty: Medium.

Set-up: Create a 40×30-yard playing area with a goal at each ends. Using flat cones, mark out two five-yard squares on each side line. The boxes should be placed about 10 yards from each goal.

Divide your players into two teams of five or six. Goalkeepers are optional.

How to play:

First, demonstrate the right way to take a throw-in.

Two players from each team are put into the boxes at the end they are attacking. The remaining players play in the main area.
To score, a team must pass to one of the boxed players, who catches the ball or picks it up and quickly looks to take a throw-in.
The attacking team tries to create a goalscoring opportunity from the throw-in before the defending team can get organised.
Award one point for a goal scored in open play and two points for a goal scored immediately after a throw-in.
Rotate the players in the boxes at regular intervals.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coaching Club.

The Real Madrid game

Objective: To develop football “vision”. To encourage quick passing and take goalscoring opportunities.

Age range: U7s to U14s.

Equipment: Some flat cones, training vests in two different colours, two poles, one ball.

Set-up: Place a goal made with two poles (or cones) in the centre of a 30-yard square.

Divide your players into two teams plus one goalkeeper.

How to play: Both teams try to score in the goal.

Goals can be scored from either side.

The goalkeeper is neutral and tries to save shots from both teams.

Play for a set time or until one team scores a certain number of goals.

Progression/variations:

Play with uneven teams (i.e. 5v3) to encourage players to make use of a numerical advantage.
Play with three teams instead of two.
Each team has a target player. These are the only players who can score.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.

Vision on!

Objective: To encourage quick decision making, playing with head up, switching play.

Age group: U7s and upwards.

Number of players: Eight plus two adult assistants.

Equipment required: Flat cones to mark the playing area, training vests to differentiate the teams, four small goals, one ball.

Set-up: Use a 30×20 yards playing area with two goals at either end.

Divide your players into two evenly matched teams.

Place an adult assistant at either end of the pitch, behind the goals.

How to play: Each team defends and attacks two goals.

They can score in either of the goals they are attacking, providing there is no one standing behind it.
The assistants work up and down the end lines, positioning themselves behind the goal they think is going to be attacked next.
There are no goalkeepers.
Play for 10 minutes or until a set score is reached.

Variations: Limit the players to two or three touches.

Players can only score from their first touch.

Add a halfway line. To score, all the players in the attacking team must be in their opponent’s half.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.

Pass, pass, pass…shoot!

This is an excellent game to encourage young players to support each other, keep the ball for a set number of passes then finish with a shot a goal.

Age range: U9s and upwards.

Difficulty: Medium.

Set-up: Divide your players into teams of three. If you have an odd number, it’s OK to have one or two groups of four.

Three teams play in a 30-yard square with a goal at one end.

How to play:

Nominate one team as the defenders. The other two teams work together as a group (they are the attackers) and try to keep the ball from the defenders for a set number of passes.
Once they have completed the number of passes required (four or five is enough for U9s) they are allowed to shoot at goal.
If a player from the attacking group gives the ball away, his team of three becomes the new defenders

Progression: Limit the number of touches the attacking team is allowed.

Coaching notes: If the attackers are struggling with this game, make the area bigger. Conversely, if they are finding it easy, make the area smaller.

You can also make the game easier for the attacking team (and thus encourage more shots on goal) by reducing the number of defenders.

Make the game competitive by playing the game for a set period of time and seeing which team of three can score the most goals.

Look out for and encourage: Good communication, correct spacing, team shape, support play, quick passing and shots on goal.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coaching Club.

The Xavi game

This game is named after Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez who is, perhaps, one of the most skilful players in the game today. It is designed to encourage a Barca style, quick passing style of play plus the freedom to dribble and run at defenders when in the final third.

Age group: U8s to U14s.

Set-up: Create a 30×20 yards playing area divided into horizontal thirds.

Divide your players into two teams of five or six.

How to play: Players in their defensive or middle third of the pitch are restricted to three touches of the ball before they must pass.

In the final third (the third of the pitch nearest their opponent’s goal), they can take unlimited touches.
When the ball goes out of play, the game is restarted with a kick-in that must be taken in four seconds or less.
Goalkeepers must roll the ball out, again within four seconds.
Play first to X number of goals or play for a set time.

Coaching note: younger children can practise their ball control skills in a less structured 4v4 where the coach awards extra ‘goals’ for good examples of getting into line with a pass or a nice, soft first touch.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coaching Club.