Soccer Drills – Page 55

Four goal game

Review: I’ve used this drill many times with my U12 girls team. It encourages them to keep their heads up, make quick decisions and switch the play quickly. A top drill!

Purpose: To develop passing and switching play in attack, and cover and balance in defence.

Procedure: An area approximately 60X60 yards square is used; four small goals are placed at each corner. Goalkeepers do not play; each team defends two goals at one end and attacks the other two at the far end. The players play possession soccer and attempt to ‘pull’ the bulk of the defenders over to defend one goal before switching the ball suddenly towards the less well-guarded goal and trying to score there.

Development: (a) Play one- or two-touch soccer. (b) The coach can award extra points for goals which come directly from the team switching play.

Let’s hustle!

Drill Info:

This is for ages U8, U10, U12, U14, U16. It is best ran with at least 4 but not more than 20 players.

Setup:

Create a grid that is 30×30 yards. Create 4 teams and have them stand at each of the four corner cones. The coach stands outside the grid near the middle of 2 side cones with a large supply of soccer balls.

Instructions:

The coach plays a football into the centre of the grid and shouts out a command (such as “GO”) to begin play. The first player in each of the 4 lines must sprint after the ball in attempt to reach the ball first. Once the ball is won cleanly, the player must hold possession from the other players for 5 seconds before passing the ball back to the coach. If any player steals the ball from the person in possession, that player will then attempt to hold possession for 5 seconds. A team scores a point by successfully holding possession for 5 seconds and making a return pass to the coach. The first team to reach 5 points wins.

Variations:

* The coach can play different types of balls such as flighted balls, bouncing balls, rolling balls, balls with large amounts of top or back spin.

Coaching Points:

* Players should be taught to go after the ball aggressively with speed, determination and vigour.

Focus:

Technical Dribbling, Technical Aggressiveness

Football cricket

How to Play

Split the group into two teams.

Only one ball is needed. One team will “bat” first whilst the other “fields”.

A batsman scores runs by receiving the ball from the bowler, kicking it into the outfield and running around a marker 10 yards away. Fielders return the ball as quickly as they can to the bowler who tries to hit the wicket before the batsman returns. The batsman is “out” if the ball hits the wicket or if he is caught by a fielder.

Three “outs” change roles.

Changes to the Game

Easier

Outfielders can stop the ball with their hands rather than controlling with their feet.

Harder

Players can only pass with their weakest foot.

What to Look for

Do The Players:

– kick the ball into spaces where there are no “outfielders”?

– Get their bodies behind the ball to control?

– In the outfield, work together to get the ball to the “bowler”?

Flag shooting drill

This is a simple exercise for younger players that emphasises finishing on goal. It also efficiently incorporates complementary receiving skills.

The exercise moves along so fast that although there is a “line” aspect to its structure, the wait per player is very short (in some cases almost not long enough, since it’s a pretty vigorous exercise and they need to get back to the starting position in time for their next turn).

Set Up and Execution

For every six to eight players, you will need:

a pair of flags or poles to serve as the goal
a pile of extra balls
a coach (or knowledgeable parent) to supervise and feed the extra balls when necessary.

Set up: two poles to mark the goal. Flat cones to mark the starting positions about 5 yds from the goal to begin with. Have a pile of balls next to you.

Procedure

1. Serve a rolling or bouncing ball toward the first player.

Coaching point: encourage the player to meet the ball rather than wait for it.

2. The player has N touches to receive and shoot at the goal (ideally, N=two or even one). The player’s shot will, hopefully!, continue past the flags towards the other line.

Coaching point: the player’s first touch should direct the football to the side and a bit in front of them.

3. The first player from the front of line 2 moves to receive the ball, two (or one) touches and returns a shot back through the goal, which is in turn received and shot by the next player in line 1.

Tip: Rather have them move quickly out of the way after their shot passes the flags, and move back to the end of their line in time for their next turn. Quickly!

If a shot or attempt at receiving it goes astray, or is so poorly mis-hit that it doesn’t effectively roll through the flags, the coach immediately serves another ball to the next player up to go after instead.

More coaching points

Use good striking and receiving technique, BUT equally or more important is to receive and get a shot off QUICKLY!

Emphasize that in a game, fussy extra touches to try to set up a ball perfectly = lost opportunity to get the shot off before the defence recovers (and also allows the GK more time to get ready).

Set the non-kicking foot a little past the ball so it is in the correct position beside the ball when the ball is struck.

It’s better to try for accuracy and firmness than to deliberately try to swing at the ball hard.

Progression – give every player a ball. Add a goalkeeper who returns ball to shooter if the shot is on target. If the shot is not on target, the shooter retrieves it and runs back to her line.

5 goal game

Split the field into vertical thirds with an 8 yard wide goal (made with cones) at the centre of each zone (see the diagram below).

This game is best with 7 a side or greater (11 a side works great if you have the numbers) and if you have 3 keepers it is wonderful but two works well also). The field should be full sized for 11 a side and only slightly smaller for less numbers.

You play a regular game of soccer. If the football is dribbled through any of the three goals at midfield, it’s worth one point each time. If a ball is PASSED through any of these goals and received by a teammate it’s worth two points.

A goal scored into the regular goal (at the end of the field, remember we are still playing a regular soccer game here) is worth 5 points. A team can score as many points at a centre goal as they want and a point can be scored going in either direction (young players will get caught up going back and forth through the side goals for points so it becomes important to remind them that the ultimate goal is to score in the real goal). There should be a keeper in each of the regular goals.

This game will encourage teams to stay spread out offensively and will also encourage them to try to compress the field defensively (it’s hard to be chasing from side to side in defence when the attacking team simply has to play a long switching ball to get either one or two points).

If you are fortunate to have three keepers, two keepers play in the regular goals and the third keeper is responsible for the goals on the midfield line. Any time a regular goal is scored (the five point goals) the keeper who gets scored on switches with the keeper in the middle. This should encourage the keepers to do whatever they can to not let in goals because the keeper in the middle is responsible for three goals in both directions. This will require a great deal of conditioning on the keepers parts but again, they need to know how important it is to NOT give up goals in a game.

This game can be played for time (for example it could be a 20 minute game) or it could be played to a certain score (first one to 20 wins). It works on so many important facets of the game that I think if you give it a try, you will soon find yourself using this game (and variations of us) frequently throughout the season.

Fitness training

Speed Circuit

Place cones around pitch or similar sized area, each station represents an area where the player works hard, then jogs to next station. It is important that the player works hard at each station, there should be distinct differences in effort between work done at a station and the jog recovery. Do not run too hard on the jog recovery as it will take away your ability to work hard at the next station.

At early part of speed endurance phase, (pre-season, or early season), aim for 5 mins continuous run with 3 mins walk recovery, repeat 3 times. During later stages of speed endurance phase, during season for example, aim for 3-4 mins circuits, with 3 mins recovery.

Speed Endurance

Shuttle runs through first set of cones (place approx. 10 metres apart). Then side to side round witches hats, jog to cone, sprint to last cone, then sharp turn and sprint to final cone.

This is a hard session if quality kept up.

Aim for 8 repetitions with jog recovery.

First touch and receiving the ball

Having a good first touch is a vital skill for all soccer players.

When players take too many touches to take control of the football or allow it to get away from them, the offensive game collapses. You become sitting ducks.

But, with these six distinct drills, your players will learn to deftly manoeuvre the ball off the pass and greatly improve their fluidity on the field. They’ll move rapidly through the space they’ve created on the field to set up plays and score more goals, before the opponent even knows what‘s happened.

To construct a complete practice session from these drills, combine two or more of them with a suitable warm up and a small sided game to finish the session.

Exercise 1

Setup

A 10- by 10- yards area.

Group of three players.

One ball to each group.

Two players with the ball are positioned on one side of the square.

The third player faces them on the other side.

Action

The player with the ball passes to the third player on the opposite lane who receives with the inside of the foot and takes the ball a couple of yards to the side in one action.

On his next touch he passes the ball back across the square with his other foot.

The pair opposite switch places and repeat the action.

Tips

Remind players that it’s important to give a good pass so it is easier for their teammates to receive the ball and control it away with their first touch.

Allow two touches to start before limiting players to one touch.

Remind the receiving player to move toward the ball.

Exercise 2

Setup

A 10- by 10- yards area.

Players in groups of three with a ball to each group.

Two players with the ball on one side of the square face the third player on the opposite side.

Action

The first player passes to the opposite player and sprints around him/her.

The receiving player taps the ball to the side, first touch, as the sprinting player comes around him/her. The sprinting player passes first touch to the next player facing him/her who repeats the action.

The end player changes after several sequences.

Tips

Receiving players can start with two touches to make the pass. Once this becomes easy, limit players to one- touch passes.

Exercise 3

Set up

A 10-by 10-yard to 15-by 15-yard area.

Groups of up to four players at each corner.

One group starts with a ball.

Action

Players pass anti-clockwise to the first player in the next group and follow their passes.

The receiving player taps the ball softly by the incoming passer, runs around him to the ball and passes to the first player in the next group.

Tips

Have players cushion the impact of a received ball by drawing back their foot as the ball arrives.

Remind receiving players to move to the ball.

To increase difficulty, introduce another ball. Have two groups diagonally across from one another start with balls.

Exercise 4

Set up

A 10-by 10-yard area

Two small 2-yard gates on either side of the square as shown.

Two passers, each with a ball, at opposite corners and facing their respective gates.

Two receivers in the gates.

Action

The passers pass to their receivers.

Receivers take the ball to the opposite side of the square with their first touch and pass to the next corner player.

The receiver then returns to his/her first gate to receive the next pass from a corner player and the sequence continues.

Passers and receivers switch after eight repetitions.

Tips

Allow players three touches at first: one to receive, one to turn and one to pass. After players are comfortable, tell them to try turning with the ball on their first touch.

A good first touch gives a player more time and space during a game.

Receiving players should try to play the ball in the direction they want to go – without stopping the ball.

Exercise 5

Setup

Players in pairs about five yards apart.

A ball to each pair.

Action

Players throw the ball to their partners, who receive with the thigh and pass it back on the ground.
Players toss and partners control with the thigh, let the ball drop to the ground, flick it up with same foot and catch it.
Same as #2, but this time the receivers flick the ball up with the opposite foot and catch it.
Passers throw a high toss and the receivers control it with the chest, thigh, other thigh, foot and other foot, before flicking the ball up and catching it.

Make the action a competition between pairs. If a pair misses or drops the ball they have to repeat the exercise until the sequence has been mastered. The first pair to complete all four exercises wins.

Tips

Tell players to make their bodies act like cushions; at impact, players should draw the receiving part of their body back.

Remind them to serve the ball with a gentle underhanded toss.

When receiving the ball, players should keep their arms out for good balance.

Concentration is very important- players should focus on the ball.

Exercise 6

Set up

Players in two teams of up to six players, 5 to 10 yards apart depending on their age and 5 yards from a goal with a net and a keeper.

Each player on the serving team has a ball.

Action

The first server tosses the ball to the first striker, who controls with the chest and tries to volley the ball into the goal before it touches the ground.

Server and striker then move to the ends of the opposite lines.

Change the receiving body part as the players progress to: thigh; head; chest then thigh; head then thigh; and head, chest then thigh.

Tips

Instruct players to concentrate on the ball.

Remind players to use their bodies as cushions and that timing is crucial to success. Allow beginners to let the ball bounce once before they shoot.

Every passing exercise in the next section can also be used to teach receiving skills.

Be sure to practice these drills as often as possible. With each repetition the movements will become more instinctual.

Soon your players will be able to take control of a pass and redirect or move it down the field with ease.

How to improve a player’s first touch

Every time they our players make a poor first touch in a game we are likely to give the football away to the other team so it is important to keep on improving. The key to a good first touch is being relaxed and focused. If a young player thinks they will be told off for getting it wrong they will probably fail.

Provide practice regularly, little and often, and include work using both feet. Any unopposed short passing drill can be used with the emphasis on the touch rather than the pass. An example is shown below.

Coaching notes

Explain and demonstrate the difference between cushion and wedge control and how to move the ball away from pressure into space on the first touch.

To coach control of long and high passes begin with easy serves and gradually increase the level of difficulty.

Coaching Points – Observe The Following Details

Is the player alert and playing on their toes, do they look ready to react to the movement of the ball?
Does the player move into the line of the ball early? Any delay in reacting will make control more difficult
They should get themselves right across the line of the ball and not end up chasing after it
Concentration is vital, do they keep their head steady and watch the movement of the ball carefully?
If the pass is under-hit do they move quickly down the line of the ball to meet it?
To cushion the ball the foot needs to be off ground and withdrawn at the moment of contact “soft ankle”
Check that they use the inside area, or top of outside of the foot to make a controlling touch on ground pass
Contact should be with the horizontal mid-line of the ball or above to prevent it skipping up on 1st touch
To wedge the ball sweep across the top of it with the inside or outside of the foot
With a high ball the player should make an early decision on what surface they will use to control it
Make sure they keep their eyes open and observe the flight of the ball
Chest, thigh, instep & outside of foot – “relax” and withdraw surface on contact to cushion the ball
The ball should not be allowed to bounce, move along line of ball to meet it as early as possible
If under pressure does the player redirect ball into space on first touch and pass it on early?

Criss Cross

A simple unopposed practice to improve the push pass and first touch. It allows the coach to work with a number of players in a fairly small area. Encourage players to aim for a high standard. Older players should be able to recognise and correct their own faults. It is essential all our players learn to pass consistently and receive a ball comfortably over short distances. Use this type of practice regularly for short periods at a time.

Organisation

Place four marker discs in cross pattern 10-15yds apart as shown

One football at each of two adjacent cones

Players pass – two touch – to opposite player and then run to disc on their right

Don’t have long queues, split larger groups into more than one grid

Make it competitive – challenge two grids who can play for longest without losing control?