HOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett FIFA 2014 World Cup, Brazil Tuesday, 8 July, 2014 Germany 7 v 1 France In what will go down as one of the most incredible matches in World Cup history, this ridiculous score line was an entirely fair reflection of Germany’s dominance. While Brazilians still talk about
Continue readingBy Stevie Grieve
In the last analysis I made which was on Algeria’s solid defensive system, I looked at how they made Germany predictable, and how they almost defended in a 6-3-1 formation, playing on the counter attack behind Germany’s high line.
In this, I will look at the slight tactical alteration Jogi Loew made in regards to the runs that Germany looked for, and how it won them the game in Extra Time.
Highlighted areas and runs to exploit the spaces
When Germany had the ball in deep or wide positions, there were 2 main areas that were available on both sides (due to the symmetrical nature of the Algeria defensive block shape) which were;
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
This exercise is based on transition phase from attack to defense. Ability to prevent counter-attack recently became more important with the teams scoring more goals from the counter-attacks and quick attacks. In this practice, that is connected with shooting and running with the ball content to develop technical corner and anaerobic power from physical point of view.
Set up and directions:
Organize two full-sized goals 40-50 meters apart from each other. Set up two gates and divide the team into two groups as shown on diagram. Each player needs one ball. Goalkeepers should be positioned in goals.
The practice starts with the first player from one group dribbling towards the opposite goal. His aim is to
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on high pressure defending and taking players on offensively.
Start with a 60 x 40 grid with goals on each endline and a keeper in each goal. There is a designated defender (in white) for each team and 4 v 4 in the middle.
The rules are pretty simple. Each player is assigned a player on the other team and that is the only player they can mark. This game involves man to man marking and the only player who can provide any
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s topic deals with catching balls from different trajectories.
The biggest issue keepers run into when when trying to catch balls from different trajectories is not getting their palms perpendicular to the flight of the ball.
Some people might be surprised to see the word “palms” when talking about catching because we frequently emphasize catching with the
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett FIFA 2014 World Cup, Brazil Friday, 4 July, 2014 Germany 1 v 0 France This Quarterfinal match was highly anticipated going in. It was a clash between two former World-Cup Champions. It was a battle between two world powers; two football gargantuans … heavyweights that should be given
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett FIFA 2014 World Cup, Brazil Monday, 30 June, 2014 Germany 2 v 1 Algeria This second-round elimination match was another game of an underdog impressing and showing better form than the favourites, but still being sent home late after being punished for not taking their chances. Algeria entered
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on defensive shape and balance with an emphasis on high pressure.
Start with a 10 x 20 yard area (10 yards deep and 20 yards wide) with 3 attacking players starting on an endline and 2 defenders. One of the attacking players has a ball.
The attacking players are trying to take the ball over the opposite end line. The defenders are using high pressure to prevent the attackers from getting
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on recovery.
Start with a keeper on the ground with his head at one of the posts (in the diagram below the keeper has a ball in his hands but in this activity he wouldn’t). There is a flag in the middle of the goal and a server near the 12 yard spot with balls.
The keeper gets up quickly and shuffles to the middle flag, touches it and as soon as he touches it, the
Continue readingBy Keith Scarlett
This activity works on technique of playing and receiving long balls both in the air and on the ground, first-touch, passing, receiving and striking a driven ball approximately 30 metres.
Set-up: 4 cones are set up in a diamond. The top and bottom cones are 40 metres apart and the two side cones are 25 metres apart; per the diagram. Players should be broken up and evenly placed at each cone. All balls should begin at one of the cones that are 40 metres apart.
How it Works: The player starting at the top cone starts with a ball plays
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
The exercise is focused on improving anaerobic power in counter-attack scenario. This physical component is required to produce actions on high speed and strength. One of the examples of such scenario include 1v1 against the goalkeeper with a defender chasing from the back. Simple organisation and competitiveness of this practice makes it easy to understand and engaging.
Set up and directions:
Set up cones as on diagram. Organize two groups: attackers and defenders. First attacker starts between two red markers. All defenders have one ball each. Goalkeeper is positioned in the goal. Allow relatively big space to run with the ball (depending on players’ characteristics).
The practice starts with the first defender playing the ball to attacker positioned between
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on playing into a target player and then laying the ball back.
When we speak of providing support we frequently speak of supporting in triangles and make the assumption that the support is going forward. As an example, in the diagram below, the player with the ball has a defender in front of him but two options of supporting players because they have provided a support triangle.
A player receiving the ball with his back to goal needs the same type of
Continue readingOur recently released Coaching Team Shape in the 3-3-1 has been getting lots of attention recently, especially for its use of the "grid system" when setting up training sessions. I have copied an excerpt from the book which is part of the introduction and explains what the grid system is and how it should be set up and used.
Grid System
The grid system is a coaching aid I developed to improve what I consider to be the number 1 problem in youth soccer, player spacing (shape) on the field. How many times have you watched a youth soccer game where players are huddled round a ball and fight for a kick? A soccer game quickly descends into a frantic display of kick and run. I have created a system that allows anyone, no matter what your level of soccer knowledge, to coach your team how to spread out when playing soccer.
This system is called the Grid System and it increases the efficiency and awareness of how to coach shape within formations. It is a system that breaks down the fundamentals and increases the coach’s and players’ understanding of how to keep the desired shape during play. Simply put, according to the formation (1-3-3-1 or 1-2-3-2 etc.) each player is assigned a grid to play in. Grids are connecting but players have limits as to which grids they are allowed in during any specific play. The grids relate to field positions and stop players bunching whilst allowing them to play in a more structured setting. Using this system, we go through step by step what to do to achieve success, beginning with simple movement patterns through to more advanced tactical choices.
I think it is important to relate everything you do during a training session to a scrimmage, therefore keeping it GAME REALISTIC. Thus terms used in this guide will relate to player and body positions according to the type of play being focused on.
When laying out your grids, each is 10x10 yards in size and each grid connects to another grid (Fig.1).
Whichever formation you choose to coach all bearings are the same. The grid directions are taken when attacking. So, facing the opponents goal, the grid line in front of the players is
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on defending a diagonal ball and staying on balance.
Start with a player with a ball just outside the 18 on a slight angle (even with a goal post) and a second player a little further back but more toward the middle of the field. A keeper is in goal.
The keeper has to cut off the angle, in case there is a shot. The player with the ball has two options
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
The following practice is aimed at developing the ability to sustain many actions throughout the whole match. In example, that will enable players to produce the same amount of sprints in the first as well as last 15 minutes of the game. In addition, that is achieved in possession game, what increases the motivation of the players and links physical focus with technical and tactical content.
Set up and directions:
Set up a square of 30-40 m. depending on the ability as well as number of players. Organise min. 6 little gates in the middle of the square as shown on the diagram. Divide the group into two teams of 5 players. To score a point, a team should pass the ball through a small gate. The team with more points wins the game.
Method of scoring points in this exercise requires constant support in front and in behind the ball. After single point is scored, the game
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett FIFA 2014 World Cup, Brazil Monday, 16 June, 2014 Germany 4 v 0 Portugal Controlling? Definitely! PLUS Quick. ...as fire. PLUS Decisive. …as rain. PLUS Dominant. Equals Germany. Undisciplined. Definitely! PLUS Slow. …as smoke. PLUS Sloppy. ...as slush. PLUS Subordinate. Equals Portugal. This World-Cup opener for both
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett FIFA 2014 World Cup, Brazil Monday, 19 June, 2014 Uruguay 4 v 0 England In a World Cup Final where England finally lacked expectations heading into the tournament, they still somehow managed to find a way disappoint; and this time coming off a match where they showed positivity even
Continue readingBy Stevie Grieve
In the opening match of the FIFA World Cup, Croatia played against hosts Brazil, and were tipped to struggle against one of the favourites for the tournament. Croatia can always feel confident against any team boasting a midfield of new Barcelona signing Ivan Rakitic, Real Madrid playmaker Luka Modric, and Inter Milan attacking midfielder Mateo Kovacic, they have a slight defensive imbalance as despite all 3 being able to play as a playmaker or a number 10, none of the 3 are natural holding or defensive midfielders, and in this game it showed with the distances and angles of defensive support and lack of speed to reshape in defensive transition, particularly from Modric and Rakitic.
Brazil’s opening goal – Rakitic and Modric are too far apart as the ball breaks loose
Brazil and Croatia are battling for a loose ball in midfield, Croatia should win it but don’t which leaves the midfield open as Rakitic shifts wider to intercept/press Alves. In doing so, this leaves
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
The passing practice in fours can be modified and used to develop multiple conditioning outcomes. Modification of this exercise shown below is focused on developing speed and agility. This physical component is required in 1v1 situations, during transition phase as well as in scoring and finishing scenarios.
Set up and directions:
Organize number (3) of rectangles as shown on the diagram, depending on the quantity of players. Divide players into groups of four, with each group having two balls. One player should be placed on each end of the rectangle and two players in the middle.
The simplest variation of this game requires middle players to show up for a pass, ask for a ball, play one-touch pass back to the outside player and
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett La Liga Sunday, 18 May, 2014 Atletico Madrid 1v1 Barcelona As the days on the calendar flipped by and the sun rose on the beautiful city of Madrid again and again, the expectations for Atletico Madrid remained the same: to eventually fade away leaving what have been the
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on passing and overlaps.
Start with two lines of players 30 yards apart and two players in the middle, 15 yards apart. There is a ball with the first player in one of the lines.
The player with the ball passes to one of the middle players and then
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on catching high balls and using proper footwork.
Start with a keeper in goal and a server at the top of the D. There are two flags on the 6 yard line even with the posts. The server has a ball in his hands.
The keeper starts by sprinting around the outside of one of the cones and catching a lofted ball from the server (the ball should be
Continue readingHOW THE MATCH WAS WON by Keith Scarlett German Cup Final Saturday, 17 May, 2014 Dortmund 2v0 Bayern Munich This match was one that Bayern Munich needed to really establish themselves at the top of German football. Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, needed to prevent them from doing so because they themselves were in dire need
Continue readingBy Keith Scarlett This activity works on technique, first-touch, passing, receiving, turning and fitness. Set-up: The players break into groups of three. Two players start 40 metres apart with the third player in the middle. Each player on the outside has a ball while the player in the middle does not. How it Works: The
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