All Posts by Mike Saif

1 Debate – A Back Four or a Back Three? – Video

This was a live debate with Alex Mason and Keith Scarlett where we discussed the strengths and weaknesses of a back four or a back three.

0 Using Futsal to Train Fundamentals

By Mike Smith Question - Are there drills I can use on a Futsal court to train the overall fundamentals of soccer? Absolutely! Our local YMCA used to section off their basketball courts for the winter Futsal league – and it was packed with players of all ages. I decided to coach a group of

0 2v2+2 Continuous Possession Grid

By Anthony Hazelwood The following directional activity has a playing area where two teams of four possess or defend. Players will be working to adapt their anaerobic capacity through phases of intermittent endurance. Each grid will be a 16 x 16 yd. area. To begin, two players from each team will be placed on the

0 The Jermaine Jones Drill

By Matthew Carroll - Description: The Jermaine Jones Drill recreates the spectacular goal Jermaine Jones had in the 2014 World Cup for the US. It combines tight combination play in the box with realistic shooting opportunities from the top of the 18. Setup: Two lines are set up on the top of the 18, starting

0 Debate – Liverpool or Manchester City-Klopp or Guardiola – Video

This was a live debate with Barry Walmsley and Steve Breakell, both ex soccer players and coaches...and most importantly, Barry is a big Manchester City fan and Steve is a big Liverpool fan.We discussed who had the better season in 2018/19, who plays the better style, who are the key players and more.  If you

0 Debate – Direct Play or Possession – Video

This discussion with Alex Mason, DOC, Sporting Omaha and Mike Smith, Head Coach, University Heights Academy Boys Soccer, Hopkinsville, KY, breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of the 4-3-3 and the 4-2-3-1. Both share how they line up defensively and how that changes when in possession.  They also explain how their line ups and tactics

0 Positional Specific Shape

By Mike Smith My middle school soccer coach was the first coach to really introduce me to the concepts behind what we were actually trying to do on the field and I credit this for my interest in an overall tactical approach. I remember thumbing through one of his old soccer books and noting the difference

0 Anticipate Blind Shots

By Mike Smith - I often times challenge my field players to hit “ blind” crosses to space, anticipating a target player will get there. The searching ball/shot is a staple of every soccer game at every level; however few keepers actually regularly train to save these “ blind” shots during the run of play.

0 1 and 2 Touch Combination Play

By Arthur Bell - Setup: 14 players - 7 Black, 7 Yellow working in a 30 x 30 area. 3 End Zone players for each team. 4 v 4 in the central area. Area should be age and stage appropriate, example shown. Wide enough to create space for penetrative passes through spaces in between players.

0 Developing Soccer Intelligence Through 7v7 Vol 2 eBook

3 Debate – 4-3-3 v 4-2-3-1 Which Is Better – Video

This discussion with Alex Mason, DOC, Sporting Omaha and Mike Smith, Head Coach, University Heights Academy Boys Soccer, Hopkinsville, KY, breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of the 4-3-3 and the 4-2-3-1. Both share how they line up defensively and how that changes when in possession.  They also explain how their line ups and tactics

0 Coaching Discussion With John Murphy

John Murphy, head coach at Georgia Southern University shares his views on tactics, systems of play, training sessions, his favorite practice sessions and more. Murphy has authored these two goalkeeper coaching books. Full Season Goalkeeper Training Program Team Training For the Goalkeeper

0 Principles of Defending in Youth Soccer

By Philip Cauchi Introduction: In our sixth session on the series about the principles of defending, we focus on denying the opponents the opportunity of constructing a well-executed build-up. This requires our players to identify how to deny the opponents space and cut off the supply of passes to the forwards. It is of great

0 Different Types of Combination Play

By Keith Scarlett This activity works on combination play. Set-up: Half of the team is in a circle without balls. The other half is inside the circle with balls. The players jog around doing random combinations with players on the outside. Combination 1: Wall-pass – Inside player plays the ball to an outside player then

0 Build From the Back With 7v7

By Mike Smith Question - We play 7v7 in our U12 league here in Sweden. We run a 2-3-1 and want to train build up play from the back. We also need to work on attacking from this system as well. Are there some drills which help with both? The only real issue with build

0 Speed Development With Shadow Play 3vGK

By Anthony Hazelwood The following activity has three lines of players working on patterns of play. Players will be working to adapt their speed production within the creatine phosphate system. Play will begin from the attacking middle third area. To begin, three lines of players will work on different patterns of play to goal. The

0 9 In the Middle

By Matthew Carroll - Description: The 9 in the Middle game is to recreate a team’s 9 (or 10) playing within the oppositions 6 5 and 4. The 9 plays as a target man who is receiving in the triangle and then redistributing to a “runner” that would be coming through to break the back

0 Forget the Ball, Control the Space

By Mike Smith No, don’t totally forget the ball in regards to soccer in general, however, a critical part of implementing a defensive style of play is perfecting body position, spacing, angles and timing; all of which have very little to do with the ball. The short version is “ don’t stab” but since the purpose

0 Work Up from the Ground

By Mike Smith - While most of the time I am a huge advocate of running training sessions which replicate actual match conditions, the need for players and coaches to take the time and breakdown / develop individual skills is the foundation which any match success is built on. From a keeping standpoint, a goalie

0 Receiving and Turning

By Arthur Bell - Setup: 8 players - 4 Black, 4 Yellow working in a 30 x 30 area. 4 target players round the outside of area, 4 players working in the area, as shown. 4 players inside the area with a ball each. Execution: The players in black inside the area pass to a

3 Developing Soccer Intelligence Through 7v7 Vol 1 eBook

0 Give and Go Passing

By Arthur Bell - Setup: 8 players - 4 Black, 4 Yellow working in a 20 x 20 area. 7 Cones. Supply of balls. Execution: Both sides of the area work at the same time in groups of 4. First player passes into the centre. Second player, receives on half turn and passes to the

0 Communication Between Midfielders and Forwards

By Philip Cauchi The following training session aims to develop the communication links between the central midfielders, lateral midfielder, full back and striker during the creative phase of the build-up and the finalization phase. We derive this from our point of reference which is our style of play and the principles and sub-principles that form

0 Rhythmical Crossing and Finishing

By Keith Scarlett This activity works on crossing and finishing and combination play. Set-up: The playing area is a half-field. There are four players at midfield; two in the center with one ball and one each out wide, each with a ball. There is a target striker at the top of the 18 and two