Forward Passing in Advanced Areas

This is a session I've used to improve attacking play, in particular we are looking at passing forward but the learning focus could be on keep possession or combination play. 

Initially you can run a warm up in area 1 or 2.  This could be any number of fundamental warm ups or ball mastery.  Next I have progressed the session to 4v4, this may be lineball or simply possession, perhaps adding points for passes completed.  This will depend on numbers you could play 3v3 or overload if you have uneven numbers.  I find using a neutral player works well so 3v3 plus 1 “magic man”!

Now I would move on to the main part of the practice.  To do this we add target players in to the end zones. We now have 2 3v3’s with 2 targets in each end zone.

The challenge for each team is to transfer the ball from end zone to end zone using the target players.  If they are successful they keep possession.  At this stage the ball must travel through area 1 and area 2, this will encourage quick movement and creative play to move the ball from end to end.

Coaching points/Challenges

·    Target players - first thought is play forward, if you can't see a pass move the ball to your partner (YELLOW), this gives the players opportunity to move and change the picture

·   In possession - first thought is to play forwards, this means players will need to scan for space, receive the ball with an open body shape and be positive!

·   In possession - if you can't play forwards keep the ball, until the opportunity presents itself (see below)

·   Out of possession - can we make play predictable and stop the opposition playing out of the area, forcing them to play backwards (Delay and Compact)

Here WHITES keep the ball by using both target players, and eventually play out

Progressions

Add scoring! - So here the team can use the target player to score past the keeper.  You may want to add rules such as; you must play to both targets before you can score (end to end), or if you have no keepers you could play 1 touch finish.

Defending in the end zone - allow 1 defender in the end zone to add pressure to the target players, this will increase realism

Allow movement between boxes - this will allow players to create an overload and space in, around and behind the defending team.  This works very well when encouraging players to understand recognizing space available rather than flocking to the ball.

I would finish this session with a game, perhaps keeping the markings in to illustrate the coaching points made above.

A Practice to Improve Support Play

Here is a practice I have designed to improve support play.  After delivering this session 4 times I am happy with the outcomes, but please tweak as necessary. If you have any comments or progressions please let me know.

Set up

The basic set up is a grid split into 4 quarters, the size as always will depend on age/ability.  I would start with somewhere between 10 and 12 meters for each grid.  The players are split into 3 equal teams, and each team start in their own corner. 

Here the players just move the ball and can get a “feel” before the session becomes more taxing.  This is an ideal opportunity re-cap work from other sessions, such as turns or controlling with different areas of the body.

Progression 1: Encouraging Support Play

Now we ask the players to move in to a new space (“empty space”). As above the yellow player triggers the move by running into a new box, the ball is then played by his teammate.  The other players on the team offer support by “joining” the target player. The pass from the target to support player MUST be in the same box.  This encourages the support to be quick and is realistic to the game.

It is important that the team travel as quick as possible. Once the play is transferred from box to box the supporting players must join the target quickly.  You can encourage this by making the practice competitive by giving the players time limit, “who can transfer the ball the most in 3 minutes?”.  This may affect the quality of the practice so be careful.

Coaching Points: Timing of run, quality of pass, support – speed and angle

Coaching Tip: Use real players names, target maybe Drogba and support players could be Lampard or Mata.

Progression 3: Introducing a Range of Passing

Practice as before, but can the players introduce a range of passing.  Here the RED team have hit a long diagonal pass.  Make this optional, we do have to hit a Hollywood pass if it’s not on.

Coaching Points: Quality of pass becomes vital now, Support play – can we support the pass if the target is too far away?

Remember the support players must join the target player in the new box

Progression 4:  Introducing 3^rd Man running and “Set” (Advanced players)

Now can we challenge the team to use 3 players in the move demonstrated by the BLUE team.  For advanced players can the target player set the ball with 1 or 2 touches.  The routine would work as below:

1.  The player recognises that his teammate is now in a position to receive the ball, he plays the ball into the target.
2. As the ball is travelling the support players asks the target to “set”.
3. The target now sets back to support player, who must be a different player to the one who played the pass

Coaching points:

Awareness – recognise the moment to play, when can we penetrate to a new box?

Movement off the ball – Timing, when shall we become the target? Support play, recognise your trigger to 

support the target player.

Quality of pass – Hit the target player

Target player – deal with the ball and hit a midfield support player

Players off the ball - join the target player in the new box as soon as possible

Remember the support players must join the target player in the new box

Progression 5: SSG

Now make the game more realistic by adding opposition.  I’ve tried it with 2 equal teams, but you may get more success with floaters or neutral players. In this diagram I have shown the 2 teams versus 1 scenario, this makes it 8v4.  The benefit of this is you can keep the session fresh by constantly changing the defenders, either when they win possession or on a time basis.

To score players must transfer the ball from box to box, using a target player and a third support player. In this diagram the blue player plays in to a new box, where his teammate has found space.

Coaching points:

Players out of possession must either support the ball or add width/depth.  Here the target player is not supporting the ball, but can offer an “out” for the man in possession by making the pitch long and/or wide. 

However not all players can “run away” from the ball, the man in possession needs support.  In the diagram I have highlighted the 2 players at the bottom. Once the ball is switched realistically they can’t support the player, it may be better for them to keep the depth and stay this end of the grid. 

Encouraging Wide Play and Switching Play

Here is  a practice I use to encourage players to “switch the play”, sometimes this topic can lead to players attempting 30 yard “Hollywood” balls which often don’t reach their destination.  My frustration with this topic is, you don’t HAVE to play the ball long to switch the play. In fact in can be more effective and devastating if you can move the ball quickly from one side of the pitch to another.  Equally playing with the whole width of pitch will create more space in central areas for your forward thinking players.  If your team can threaten wide and centrally, it means your team can test opposition defences in a number of ways. 

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The Set up

4 coned square areas in each corner of the grid.  To start the practice you may want each to team to have a ball, and encourage the players to transfer the ball from corner to corner.  You could make this competitive by setting a time span or “first to 10”.

Once players are familiar with the environment, make the practice competitive 1 team versus the other. Initially defenders are not allowed in the scoring areas, so only teams in possession can fill these spaces.

Practice 1 - Score by working the ball in to the areas, once the team has scored they keep possession.  This can be passed or dribbled in to the area

Practice 2  - Score by receiving the ball in the area, no dribbling in to the corners.  So now movement off the ball now becomes vital. (See final thoughts)

Practice 3 - Score by going from the blue goal to the red, so you cant score twice at the same end. Encouraging switching the play!

Practice 4 – Defenders can occupy the scoring zones.

Coaching Points

·         Make the pitch as big as possible, we need 1 player to stretch the opposition and threaten to score. (As below)

·         Movement in to the box, don’t stand. Remember – Space available, ball delivered and player arrives (diagram below 1. pass in, 2, Wide player comes in and spins into the space)

 Passing vs dribbling – Movement from the wide player (outside to in) might mean the player in possession can dribble in to the  that space created


Final thoughts


If you cant "score",  keep possession.  Initially players may try and force the play, switching every time.  The coaches role here it to highlight when we can, and when we need to keep the ball.  Encourage players to be comfortable in possession is so important in practices such as these.


Move the ball quickly - either as an individual or as a team, a slow moving ball is easy to defend.


If the opposition make a mistake and give you possession, punish them.  Either by scoring or making them win it back - don't reciprocate their gift!


Priorities
1. Can we score? Play forward or in to the box
2. If not keep the ball
3. When your team is in possession - ask "am I in a position to score? Am  in a position to support the player in possession?" If neither are you involved in the practice?!

3 Team Possession Practice

Here is a practice which can be used to coach a few different topics, I have used it to:

• Improve combination play
• Improve movement off the ball
• Improve defensive understanding

I would say this practice is suitable for players 10 plus.  You may need to adhjust the size of the area, or the overload with younger/less able players.

Set up

Here 3 teams, in 3 different colours, each team with a ball.  The players just move the ball around the area and focus on the quality of pass and control.

Progressions/Variations

·         Teams can not play to their own colour – so Blue cant play to play, only red and yellow.  This will challenge your players to think and communicate, as now the passes will be truly random.

·         Once you’ve made a pass, exit the box and return. Focus here – “eyes on the play, don’t turn your back on the ball!”

·         2 teams v 1 – keep ball (although the next progressions are better!)

Practice 2 

Possession based/combination play/movement off the ball

Now we make the practice opposed, and ask 1 team to become neutral/support team , YELLOW in the diagram. Objective of the game is for the 2 teams playing (BLUE and RED) to keep possession and "score" by working the ball to the YELLOW target player.

Coaching Points

• Can you receive and play forward where possible? If not keep the ball
• Support team can you find pockets of space to transfer the ball
• Target players (end zone) support the play from behind - always offer, don't stand still
• Range of passing - short and quick or long in to the target
• Decision making - Always pass-pass-pass or dribble to create?
• How do we create space? Movement OFF and OF the ball.

Progression  - You must use the neutral floaters to "score".

Using the practice to improve defending

This simple practice can be used to improve players defensive understanding, as individuals and/or as a unit.  Within the practice you can coach one side to press to win possession, or drop to win possession OR when to press or drop. 

With older/more players you could introduce offside in to the practice to increase the realism.  You may wish to split the area in to thirds, so offside to exist in the final third.

Building from Ball Mastery to An Opposed Practice

Here is a technical session which builds up gradually from unopposed, semi opposed and then to a fully opposed situation.

Practice One: Ball Mastery (unopposed)

In a small grid (10x10 – depending on age/ability) players work in groups of 4.  One set (RED) work on a simple technique, this could be: 1 touch passing, 2 touch passing, aerial control, heading ..etc.  This gives players chance to get a touch of the ball and really concentrate on their individual technique. 

The other team (BLUE) work on receiving and transferring the ball, from end player to end player.  This gives the players to practice receiving the ball with some contextual intereference, as naturally their team mates (RED and BLUE) will occupy the space. This good, don't discourage this.

Technically the player and coach should focus on:

RED

Control – The quality of touch

Accuracy of pass

Speed  -is it at a good intensity, does it replicate the game?

BLUE

Body shape – do players play of the back foot when possible? Is the player aware of the space and players around them

Head & Eyes  - not always on the ball “build the picture” so they know whats around them

Decision – do they play quickly with minimal touches or shift the ball to make sure it reaches the target?

Speed – as above, is it match realistic

Make sure both partners, and teams have chance to experience the practice.

Practice Two: 2v2 with support players (semi opposed)

Here the BLUE and RED players play a 2v2 using all 4 players as support players.  Support players play for both teams, and support the team in possession.  This will allow the players to develop the skills they learnt in practice 1, and experience the elements under a bit of stress. Players should find this straightforward as it could be presented as a 4v2 situation. 

Again swap players so they all experience the practice.

Progressions:

Support players play for their team

Add points to make it competitive

Add a (neutral) floating support player to create an overload

Practice Three: 2 teams adding rotation (opposed)

As before 2v2 in the grid, support players play for their team. Now support players can “rotate” and swap in and out when they choose.

Above, the BLUE support player comes in so the BLUE attacker drops out in to the support players role.

In this diagram the BLUE support player receieves the ball and dribbles it in to the area, the BLUE player that made the pass completes his role by filling the gap.

These progressions will improve your players understanding of when and where to support, and will increase the movement on and off the ball.  This session can be used as part of pre-match warm-up or I have used it at a start of training session for players to get a feel for the ball.

Session created using Academy Soccer Coach, click below for more details.