WORLD CLASS COACHING
35 Possession Rondos
By Luca Bertolini
Table of Contents
PART THREE
TWO-GRID RONDOS
Three-Grid Rondos
Exercise 13: 4 v 2 to play wide and forward and to move deep or to drop back
Sequence
The playing space is divided into two areas. Four black players are placed along all the sides of the main rectangular space. Two defenders are placed in the middle of each grid of the wide playing space.
The objective for the players in possession is to play wide and forward on one side (on the right of the player with the ball in the picture) and then to switch the play toward the opposite side. The players on the longer sides of the main area must move on the left or the right to create momentary 3 v 1 duels to keep the possession and to switch the side.
The defenders are asked to intercept the ball, especially the longer passes to switch the side.
Eye on: Times of passes and of support runs to create the numerical advantage. Close the passing lanes.
Exercise 14: 4 v 2 to play wide and forward and to move deep, back or wide
Sequence
The set-up is the same of the previous one.
The objective for the players in possession is to play wide and forward on one side (on the right of the player with the ball in the picture) and then to switch the play toward the opposite side.
The players on the longer sides of the main area, must move on the left or the right to create momentary 3 v 1 duels to keep the possession and to switch the side. They must be always ready to accelerate to rotate their positions after the possession phase.
As the side of play is being switched, the couple of players on that side must rotate their positions.
The same rotation has to be done on the opposite side before starting the sequence again.
The defenders are asked to intercept the ball, especially the longer passes to switch the side.
Eye on: Time of passes, of support runs to create the numerical advantage and of exchanges of positions. Close the passing lanes.
Exercise 15: 4 v 2 to play forward and wide and to move wide
Sequence
The playing space is divided into two areas. Four black players are placed along the shorter sides of the main rectangle (two of them are placed along the middle line). Two defenders are placed in the middle of each grid of the vertical playing space.
The objective for the players in possession is to play a 1-2 combination forward and wide and then to play a longer pass toward the upper teammate on the opposite playing area. The players on the middle line must be always unmarked behind the defender.
The defenders are asked to intercept the ball, moreover the longer passes to play forward.
Every time the sequence is completed, the players who started it must exchange their position as lower and upper vertexes.
Eye on: Times of passes and of wide runs to receive the return pass. Pressure against the center player and close the passing lanes.
Exercise 16: 5 v 3 to play wide and to move forward
Sequence
The playing space is divided into two areas. Four black players are placed along all the sides of the main rectangular space and a fifth one is placed along the middle line. Three defenders are placed in the middle of the main playing area, two of them must be placed inside the playing area time to time.
The objective for the players in possession is to play wide and forward on one side through a dropping back player (on the right in the picture) and then to switch the play toward the opposite side, through the center player.
The players on the longer sides of the main area, must move up and down to create momentary 3 v 1 duels to keep the possession and to switch the side toward the fourth player. The opposite vertex must be served in the end of the sequence.
The defenders are asked to play as a unit inside the areas where the ball is being played and to intercept the ball.
Eye on: Times of passes and of support runs to create the numerical advantage. Close the passing lanes.
Exercise 17: 5 v 3 to play and to move forward
Sequence
The playing set-up is the same of the previous exercise.
The objective for the players in possession is to play forward and backward passing combinations to send the ball toward the opposite area, through the center player and the outer one (on the right in the picture).
The players on the longer sides of the main area must move up and down to create momentary 3 v 1 duels to keep the possession and 4 v 1 duel as the ball is played in the upper part of the area. The opposite vertex must be served in the end of the sequence.
When the possession phase is played for more than 8 to 10 seconds, the ball must be passed back through a passing combination with the center player and the outer opposite player; the starting 3 v 1 situation must be created again.
The defenders are asked to play as couple inside the areas where the ball is being played and to intercept the ball.
Eye on: Times of forward and backward passes and of support runs to create the numerical advantage. Close the passing lanes and pressure on the center player.
Exercise 18: 6 v 4 to play wide and to move forward/backward
Sequence
The playing space is divided into two areas. Four black players are placed along all the sides of the main rectangular space and two more are inside the playing areas. Four defenders are placed in the middle of the main playing area, two inside each area.
The objective for the players in possession is to play wide and forward on one side through the middle player (from the left to the right in the picture) and then to switch the play toward the opposite side through the center player of the upper area.
The players on the longer sides of the main area must move up and down to create momentary 4 v 2 duels to keep the possession. The opposite vertex must be served in the end of the sequence.
The defenders are asked to put pressure on the black player in the middle and to close the passing lanes.
Eye on: Times of passes and of support runs to create the numerical advantage. Close the passing lanes.
Exercise 19: 6 v 4 to play and move forward/backward
Sequence
The playing space is divided into two areas. Four black players are placed along all the sides of the main rectangular space and two more are inside the playing areas. Four defenders are placed in the middle of the main playing area, two inside each area.
The objective for the players in possession is to play forward as soon as possible through the middle player and the wide teammate; the ball shall be sent to the opposite vertex as quickly as possible. The middle players are supports for the possession phase and they must play with one or two touches.
The players on the longer sides of the main area, must move up and down to create momentary 4 v 2 duels to keep possession and 3 v 2 duels to send the ball back and to start the sequence again.
The defenders are asked to put pressure on the black players in the middle and to close the passing lanes.
Eye on: Times of passes and of support runs to create the numerical advantage. Pressure on the middle players and close the passing lanes.
Exercise 20: 6 v 4 to switch side of play and then to play deep
Sequence
The playing space is divided into two areas. Four black players are placed along all the sides of the main rectangular space and two more are inside the playing areas. Two black players start the sequence in the lower part of the set-up, creating a 4 v 2 duel. Four defenders are placed in the middle of the main playing area, two inside each area.
The objective for the players in possession is to switch side (on the left in the picture) after a wall passing combination on one side (on the right in the picture) and to play forward as soon as possible through the middle players behind the defenders. The ball shall be sent to the opposite vertex as quick as possible.
The players on the longer sides of the main area, must move up and down to create new 4 v 2 duels to keep the possession and to start the sequence again.
The defenders are asked to put pressure on the black players in the middle and to close the passing lanes.
Eye on: Times of wall passing combinations, of forward passes and of support runs to create the numerical advantage. Close the passing lanes.
Exercise 21: 7 v 4 to move the ball around and inside
Sequence
The playing space is divided into two areas. Six black players are placed along all the sides of the main rectangular space and one more along the middle line. Four defenders are placed in the middle of the main playing space, two inside each area.
The objective for the players in possession is to move the ball around the main rectangle, with alternate side, inside and outside passing combinations among the outer players and the center one. The center player has limited number of touches (one or two).
Every two side passes an inside/outside combination must be played; a sequence shall be completed within 10"-12".
The defenders are asked to put pressure on the black players in the middle and to close the passing lanes from outside to inside and vice versa.
Eye on: Quick passing combination, pressure on the center player. Close the passing lanes.
Exercise 22: 7 v 4 to play forward and backward moving the ball around
Sequence
The set-up is the same of the previous exercise.
The objective for the players in possession is to move the ball around the main rectangle, with alternate inside/outside and side passing combinations among the outer players and the center one. The center player has limited number of touches (one or two)
Every two inside/outside passes, one side pass can be played; a sequence shall be complete within 10"-12".
The defenders are asked to put pressure on the black players in the middle and to close the passing lanes from outside to inside and vice versa.
Eye on: Quick passing combination, pressure on the center player. Close the passing lanes.
