All Posts by Mike Saif

0 How Arsenal Managed a Draw With 10 Men - 21st January 2020

By Gary Mardle -  Chelsea 2-2 Arsenal. How Arsenal managed to get a draw playing with 10 Men for an hour! Premier League Tours Director Bhavish, myself and two coaches from the Maryland State Youth Soccer League attended this match together. This was the first time the two coaches ever experienced watching a premier league

0 Group Defending In Youth Soccer

By Philip Cauchi Introduction: In today’s session our focus will be on group collaboration during the defending phase. This training session challenges the players to work together and apply the correct solutions to the problems they will face. The main aim is to have a compact defensive unit with the intention of forcing the opponents

0 Anaerobic Capacity – 4 vs. 2 Continuous Possession Grid

By Anthony Hazelwood The following activity has two playing areas with four attacking players possessing the ball against two defenders. Players will be working to adapt their anaerobic capacity through phases of intermittent endurance. Each grid will be a 10 x 10 yd. area. To begin, the four players inside the grid will keep possession

0 Juggle Circle Race

By Matthew Carroll - Description: The juggle circle race is a fun opening or closing activity in which players are tasked with team communication, juggling ability, and coordination challenges. Setup: Create 4-6 man teams Place cones starting from the top of the 18 to the halfway line. Each team circles up holding hands except for

0 Hit the Third Runner for Better Counters

By Mike Smith Something I noticed in watching the World Cup is the number of counter attacking teams. I don’t consider myself an arm chair coach, but as one who loves a counter attacking style I did catch something which is worth mention, and practice for those of us who like to run the break: using

0 Your Feet Get Your Hands There

By Mike Smith - I can’t count the times I have heard a keeper say “ I was just a step away” after missing a save, yet continue to leave their feet immediately or stretch their arms out first instead of taking that extra step.? The bad habits of immediately jumping or reaching too soon

0 The Y Passing Drill

By Arthur Bell - Setup: 30 m x 40 m grid. (2 grids 30 m x 20 m) 16 players. 8 players per grid. Supply of balls at two diagonally opposite corners. Execution: A and A2 start at the same time. A passes to B, B passes to C, C returns pass to B, B

0 Street Soccer Games eBook

0 Defending In Youth Soccer

By Philip Cauchi Introduction: In this fourth session the main emphasis is on the collaboration of three defenders working together to prevent conceding a goal and win the ball. We will make use of situations which requires the three defenders to communicate well with each other. They will learn to keep compact, remain patient, mark

0 5v4 Defending

By Keith Scarlett This activity works on defending, timing of tackles, covering angles and decision-making. Set-up: The playing area is the penalty area. Place a regulation sized goal where it belongs. The attacking team has 5 players which include 3 midfielders (M) and 2 strikers (S) while the defending team has 4 players made up

1 Is the 4-2-3-1 Too Advanced For High School Players?

By Mike Smith Question - Is the 4-2-3-1 formation with attacking full backs too advanced for the high school soccer team/athlete to be successful? Short Answer: No, the 4-2-3-1 formation with attacking full backs is not too advanced for the high school soccer team / athlete to be successful. The more important question to ask

0 Anaerobic 4v4+2 GKs Possession Game

By Anthony Hazelwood The following activity has two teams of four players with GK’s playing a transitional small sided game. Players will be working to adapt their anaerobic capacity through phases of intermittent endurance. A 44-yard length x 30-yard width split into a half will be built. To begin, two teams will have three on

0 Press v Drop Game

By Matthew Carroll - Description: The purpose of the press v. drop game is to recreate game situations where there is an opportunity to press high up in the opponent’s half. If the the press is broken it also recreates the need to regain shape in the team’s own defensive half. Setup: Field is divided

0 Possession with a 4-2-4

By Mike Smith I am not trying to coin a new style of play, but early on in my coaching career, when I was encouraged to focus on my own coaching education and soccer IQ I remember watching the Brazilian National Team and thinking “ They just get in a big circle and pass it around.”

0 How to Smother the Ball

By Mike Smith - One of the best training tools I have learned to use over my years of coaching is to simply re-create game like scenarios for my players. I have found this technique the most useful when working with keepers as so much of goal keeper play involves quick decision making during a

0 Fast Action Shooting Drill

By Arthur Bell - Setup: 14 players - 7 Black, 7 Yellow + 2 Goal Keepers 40 x 40 outside grid 10 x 10 inside central box 2 x Goals 14 Balls Execution: 1st player passes to player on the same side of central box. 2nd player receives, takes a touch and then shoots. 1st

0 4-2-3-1 Defending - Part One

WORLD CLASS COACHING 4-2-3-1 Defending By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART ONE Introduction Basic Principles of Play and Responsibilities Without the Ball - Part 1 PART TWO Basic Principles of Play and Responsibilities Without the Ball - Part 2 PART THREE Juventus 2016-2017 case analysis: the art of the 1-4-2-3-1 defense phase - Part 1

2 4-2-3-1 Defending - Part Two

WORLD CLASS COACHING 4-2-3-1 Defending By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART TWO Basic Principles of Play and Responsibilities Without the Ball - Part 2   Basic Principles of Play and Responsibilities Without the Ball - Part 2 Delay – The defender(s) forces the attacking team to slow down the rhythm so that the defense phase

3 4-2-3-1 Defending - Part Three

WORLD CLASS COACHING 4-2-3-1 Defending By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART THREE Juventus 2016-2017 case analysis: the art of the 1-4-2-3-1 defense phase - Part 1   Juventus 2016-2017 case analysis: the art of the 1-4-2-3-1 defense phase - Part 1 The turning point of the 2016-2017 season for Juventus was the introduction of the

0 4-2-3-1 Defending - Part Four

WORLD CLASS COACHING 4-2-3-1 Defending By Luca Bertolini Table of Contents PART FOUR Juventus 2016-2017 case analysis: the art of the 1-4-2-3-1 defense phase - Part 2 Juventus 2016-2017 case analysis: the art of the 1-4-2-3-1 defense phase - Part 2 Juventus was really placed high and pressed aggressively only in the final third to win

0 4-2-3-1 Defending eBook

Or view in easy-to-read web pages

2 Principles of Defending Session

By Philip Cauchi Introduction: This session presents the players with various situations and problems where the opponent is in possession of the ball. There is no need to over complicate exercises. We want to create situations that stimulate our players to apply the principles of defending thus prevent the opponents from scoring. Players will also

0 No Space 1v1 Activity

By Keith Scarlett This activity works on 1v1 attacking and defending in close quarters, 1st touch, intensity and to see who is willing to get stuck in on tackles. The exercise is done at top-speed, is a quick moving exercise and there is a good deal of contact. Set-up: The playing area is the size

0 Is Playing Up An Age Group Appropriate?

By Mike Smith Question - Is it appropriate to play older teams on a regular basis during a season?. Short Answer : Yes, especially after U13. There is more to the story, which I will address in a moment, but for all practical purposes after age 11 ( 6th grade) any soccer player who is