By Alex Trukan
This conditioning element of this practice is aimed at maintaining quick recovery between high intensity actions. This will help players to produce more high intensity bursts and recover between them quicker even towards the end of the match. The practice also improves players’ understanding how and when to run into spaces as well as make passes into free space. It also challenges players to keep possession with purpose and combine quickly. The defending team benefits from improving quick transition to attack and scoring as soon as possible.
Set up and directions
Organise 25 x 25 yards square with four zones in the corners (5 yards wide) as shown on the diagram below. Place four mini goals next to the corner areas, outside the pitch. Divide the team into attacking group of six, and defending group of three. Prepare a sufficient amount of balls to supply if required.
The practice starts with attacking team trying to keep possession and make consecutive 5 passes. The defending team tries to win the ball back as soon as possible. High tempo and quick combination play should be encouraged.
After 5 passes are completed, the sixth pass should be made into a player in one of the corner zones. One of the players should time his run to arrive as the ball arrives in the zone.
If the defending team wins the ball, their aim is to score as soon as possible into one of the four goals. The team that lost possession should aim to stop them and win the ball back. The game is restarted from a coach passing the ball into attacking team. Players should rotate their roles (attacking/defending).
Timing:
The practice should be continued for 4-8 minutes and repeated 4-6 times. The rest period between repetitions should be 2 minutes.
Variations:
- Attacking team to visit one of the corners (after completing 5 passes) and then score into one of the goals
- Defenders have to make at least one pass before scoring in goal
- 4v2/5v3/7v4
By Alex Trukan, Development Coach, Nottingham Forest - @AlexTrukan
