WORLD CLASS COACHING
Developing Soccer Intelligence Through 4v4
By Philip Cauchi
Table of Contents
PART FOUR
Rondos to Develop Positional Awareness in 4v4
Rondos to Develop Positional Awareness in 4v4
4v1 Keep away.
Set-up: Area measuring 8 yards in length by 6 yards in width. Four attacking players, each situated on a side of the grid and a defender.
Work load: Six to ten repetitions of twenty to thirty seconds each. Rest for the same amount of time between repetitions.
Description: The four attackers aim to keep possession of the ball for the allotted time. They score a point if a pre-targeted amount of consecutive passes are completed.
Challenges for the players: If the attackers manage to compute the minimum set amount of passes, the defender has to make ten push-ups. If not, the attackers must make the push-ups.
Progression: Receiver may not pass back to the same player who passed him the ball. This encourages positional rotations.
3v1 to 3v1 sliding rondo.
Set-up: Area measuring 16 yards in length by 8 yards in width. The area is divided into two equal zones of 8 yards by 8 yards. Three attacking players and a defender are positioned in the same half of the area.
Work load: Six to ten repetitions of twenty to thirty seconds each. Rest for the same amount of time between repetitions.
Description: The three attackers aim to complete a pre-established amount of consecutive passes prior to playing the ball into the opposite half while being opposed by a defender. The pass into the opposite half must be played into space. Therefore, no attacker can remain standing in the opposite half waiting for the ball. Once the ball is played into this zone, the same passing sequence restarts.
Challenges for the players: If the attackers manage to switch the ball after a pre-stated number of times they win and the defender does a forfeit. If not, the attackers must do the forfeit.
3v1 – move the ball into the adjacent zone.
Set-up: Area measuring 16 yards in length by 8 yards in width. The area is divided into two equal zones of 8 yards by 8 yards. Three attacking players and a defender are positioned in one half of the area. We also have an attacker and a defender positioned in the opposite half.
Work load: Six to ten repetitions of twenty to thirty seconds each. Rest for the same amount of time between repetitions.
Description: The three attackers aim to complete a pre-established amount of consecutive passes prior to playing the ball into the opposite half while being opposed by a defender. They may accomplish this by passing directly to the attacker positioned in the other half or by dribbling the ball across the two zones. When this is successfully completed, the two attackers follow into the other zone.
Challenges for the players: Pair players. The pair who lets the most number of string passes during their time as defenders, have to carry out three sprints of fifteen meters as a forfeit.
4v1 double diamond switching zones.
Set-up: Area measuring 16 yards length by 8 yards in width. The area is divided into two equal zones of 8 yards by 8 yards. Four attacking players and a defender are positioned in one half of the area while an attacking player and a defender are positioned in the other half.
Work load: Six to ten repetitions of thirty to forty seconds each. Rest for the same amount of time between repetitions.
Description: The four attackers in the same area of the ball aim to make a pre-set amount of sequential passes prior to play the ball into the opposite half. When the ball is played into the opposite half, three attackers may move into the same zone to continue the sequence. The ball may be played directly to the attacker inside the other half, or combined with the attackers moving into this zone. The defender in the opposite side of the ball can intercept the passes.
Challenges for the players: Have both defenders moving freely between the two zones thus always having a 4v2 situation in favour of the attackers.
3v1 circular rondo.
Set-up: Area measuring 12 yards in diameter. Three attackers are positioned on the circumference while another attacker and two defenders are positioned inside the circle.
Work load: Six to ten repetitions of thirty to forty seconds each. Rest for the same amount of time between repetitions.
Description: The attackers aim to make a pre-established number of sequential passes to score a point. The outside players are allowed to pass to each other. If the defenders win the ball, they aim to dribble it out of the circle to score a point.
Challenges for the players: The inside attacker will be a neutral player who plays with the team in possession. As such if the defenders win the ball he becomes on their side with the aim of dribbling the ball out of the circle. The other attackers must immediately press to prevent this. If the defenders score, the attackers must complete five burpees.
3v3+2 to targets.
Set-up: Area measuring 16 yards in length and 12 yards in width. A target zone is marked at each end of the area. This should measure 2 yards in length and 12 yards in width. Two sets of players are situated inside the main area and a target player (reds) is situated inside each target zone.
Work load: Six to ten repetitions of one minute each. Rest for thirty seconds between repetitions.
Description: Teams aim to play the ball from one target player to another, scoring a goal each time the ball is played to the opposite target player.
Challenges for the players: Play with positional references and include a goalkeeper. Have two goalposts at each end and replace target players with goalkeepers. If the defending team wins the ball they may score in either of the two goals. Can the attacking team maintain a clean sheet for one minute?
7v3 on two zones.
Set-up: Area measuring 20 yards in length and 12 yards in width divided into two equal horizontal zones. Start with four attackers and two defenders inside the half of where the ball is. In the opposite half three attackers and a defender are situated.
Work load: Six to ten repetitions of one minute each. Rest for thirty seconds between repetitions.
Description: Play 4v2 in the ball zone where the intention is to play the ball into the opposite zone. If this is successfully achieved, one defender and one attacker move into the opposite zone to recreate the 4v2 situation. If the defenders win the ball they dribble it out of the grid to score a point. Is this occurs the attackers are urged to immediately apply pressure to regain possession of the ball.
Challenges for the players: Can the attacking team play the ball to the opposing target players twice within the one minute period?
4v4+3 in two zones.
Set-up: Area measuring 20 yards in length and 12 yards in width divided into two equal horizontal zones. In each zone there are two attackers, two defenders and a neutral player. Another neutral player is allowed to move freely between the two zones.
Work load: Five to eight repetitions of two minutes each. Rest for thirty seconds between repetitions.
Description: Play is always a 4v2 in the ball zone where the neutral players support the team in possession. If the other team wins the ball roles are rotated.
Challenges for the players: Which team can make the most number of sequential passes in the allowed two minutes?
4v2 through the central guarded channel.
Set-up: Area measuring 25 yards in length and 12 yards in width. The area is split into three zones. The outer zones measure 10 yards in length while the middle channel is 5 yards long.
Work load: Three to four repetitions of three minutes each. Rest for one minute between repetitions, thus maintain the quality and the intensity of the soccer actions high.
Description: In one of the outer zones the team in possession aims to create the necessary space to play the ball into the opposite zone after making a minimum of three passes. Two defenders aim to disrupt the attackers from playing the ball into the opposite outer zone while another two players cover the middle channel with the aim of intercepting passes. If the ball is intercepted, the defending team switch places with the attacking team responsible for the loss of the ball.
Challenges for the players: The ball can only be played low on the ground even when playing to the opposite zone.
