Combining like Bayern Munich: 2v2

Soccer Drill: Switch of Play(Valencia)

Romeo Jozak, "DFT - Dynamic and Functional Technique - Phases and Progre...

Technik - Ballführung und Ballkontrolle - Die 6er-Reihe Teil 3

Continual heading

By Michael Beale

Like throw-ins, headers continually occur in matches and are a great way to score goals. If you go to the trouble of getting your wingers to cross the ball into the penalty area then you want an end product.

A good way to get your players to take the opportunities that come their way when the ball is crossed is to have them practising before the match.

This is a great warm-up to turn your players’ focus to the matter in hand - scoring goals!

• Split your players into two teams, around five or six yards either side of a small flag goal that is about four yards wide.
  
• Nominate one player to be in goal first.
• Serve a ball for the other team to head at goal.
  
• Immediately after heading at goal, each player must react and become the goalkeeper.
• Then serve a ball to the opposite team and repeat the process.
  
• The practice is repeated until one of the teams has scored five goals. 

Kristine Lilly "Teaching Effective Use of Skills," NSCAA Convention 2014

Technik - Teil 1

Technik - Ballführung und Ballkontrolle - Teil 2

Uefa Training Ground: Control 4

Uefa Training Ground: Dutch 3

Uefa Training Ground: Movement & Awareness 1

Defending and attacking through passes

Through passes are a very important part of the game, both for attackers and defenders. Both types of player must react quickly to either capitalise on the chance or clear the danger.

In this session from Tony Carr, there are three key aspects to concentrate on:

• Attacker in possession
• Attacker without the ball
• Defender

You want your attackers to get a shot in on goal, and your defenders to isolate the attacker in possession, cut off the pass and force him wide.

This situation happens many times in a game after a through-pass is made. You must ensure the through-pass is realistic in this session. The attacker has a split second to take advantage of this situation before the defender turns and moves.

You can vary the starting distance from the goal depending on the age of your players and the intensity required. You start the practice by playing a through-pass.

The game then continues until the ball leaves play. For the next attack, the defender changes positions with the forward who received the through-pass. The forward not receiving the ball remains in the same position.

Tony Carr is the academy director of West Ham United 

The skills zone

By Tony Carr

This session is designed to improve the dribbling ability and skill level of your players through a series of technical exercises and small-sided games.

1. Improving dribbling techniques to accelerate and change direction.
2. Improving skills to beat defenders.
3. Enhancing a winning mentality.

When dribbling with the ball, your players may have space and they need to pick up speed quickly to use this area. However, when there is little space, players must be able to demonstrate quick feet, skills and turns to get past their opponent.

How to play it

Use an area 25 yards square.

The circuit includes four different techniques that should be worked on for two minutes each.

1. Complete two turns inside the square to reach the opposite side.
2. Players complete a skill to beat the mannequin.
3. Players use quick feet to go diagonally through the 'crazy' cones.
4. Players accelerate and change direction across the area. Four balls work at all times.

How to develop it

Use four goals and four players to play a game (middle picture). Each player has three lives, if a goal is scored in any player's goal, he loses a life. The last player standing is the winner.

You can progress this game so that each player has a goalkeeper on his team (bottom picture). This improves the ability to create space and shooting skills when under pressure. The game is continuous and requires lots of balls. 

Triangles

By David Clarke

Use this session to turn your midfielders into a well-oiled attacking machine and teach them the benefits of bringing strikers into the game with some exciting one-touch play.

WHY USE IT

This is a session aimed at getting midfielders to play off each other in order to bring attackers into the game and provide support in attack, taking shooting chances when they are created. It also sets up good opportunities to coach counter attacking from midfield.

SET UP

Mark out a tight playing area - 30x15 yards - with two mini goals at each end of the area. We’re using six players in the session and you will need balls, bibs and cones, plus the four mini goals.

HOW TO PLAY

Play a 2v2 game with a target player at each end of the pitch positioned between the two goals. The midfielders attack the opposition goals but the attack must involve the target player at the attacking end of the pitch.

TECHNIQUE

One of the most attacking formations uses a three-man midfield behind three attackers. This session shows midfielders how to make the most of the midfield by playing off each other to set up attacks and make use of counter attacks.

Midfield Dynamite By David Clarke

Midfield Dynamite

By David Clarke

If you want your players to create goalscoring chances, try this exciting and fast-moving game and you’ll soon see the benefits.

WHY USE IT

This is a session aimed at getting players to create and utilise space in midfield. With quick passing and movement, it will help open up the opposition and make goalscoring chances.

SET UP

Create a playing area 40x20 yards, with two goals back to back across the middle, but just one goalkeeper. We’re using eight players and a keeper for this session, plus a server who can be the coach. You need bibs, cones, balls and two small goals.

HOW TO PLAY

Start by serving a ball into the game. Players can score in either of the two back-to-back goals. If the keeper gains possession or the ball leaves the area, serve a new ball in. The keeper puts any balls he gathers into the net behind him. When a goal is scored, immediately serve another ball into the game.

TECHNIQUE

Creating space in a match situation with fast and accurate passing will open up the room for midfielders to exploit. In this game, a quick switch of play allows players to take advantage of one of the goals being unguarded – they must be aware of the position of the keeper at all times.