By Renato Lopez Moreira -
Today's small-sided game is called by different names depending on where you're from. It's been called, 'Rounds', 'Rondo' or 'Sily'.
The game works on a number of important aspects of the game:
- Creating Passing Options
- Ball Possession
- Fast Recovery of the ball
- Offensive and Defensive support
- Search for the third man option
In this exercise, the offensive aspects to be worked on are:
- Using a minimum of touches on the ball
- Keeping the ball on the ground
- Passing and moving
The defensive aspects to be worked on are:
- Pressure over the ball
- Defensive help for the 1st defender
- Avoid being split
- Communication between defenders
Before describe the exercise, let's explain the basic basic movements without the ball that will create the offensive help and three-options to pass the ball.
Basic Movements
If the players without the ball are not close enough to the player who has the ball, he might have to force a pass, giving the defense a chance to intercept the ball and counter-attack.
In this case, players’ nº 2 and nº 3 have to move closer to player nº 1, giving him an option for a safe pass.
These movements will also be useful for player nº 4, because if the defenders leave their positions and open the center of the field, player nº 1 will have one more option to pass.
Player nº 1 decides to pass to player nº 2.
Players nº 1, nº 3 and nº 4 will have to re-arrange their positions, giving player nº 2 three options.
Player nº 2 decides to pass to player nº 4.
Players' nº 1, nº 2 and nº 3 will have to re-arrange their positions, giving player nº 4 an three options.
Player nº 4 decides to pass to player nº 3.
Players' nº 1, nº 2 and nº 4 will have to re-arrange their positions, giving player nº 3 three options.
Players on right and left side from the player who has the ball have to come closer to him, giving him a safe passing option.
The player who across from the player who has the ball also gives him an to pass, but this pass will only happen if the center of the field is open.
The players without the ball have to move constantly to an empty space to create an option of pass for the player who has the ball.
[wpsharely id="1204"][/wpsharely]Exercise
The Attackers exchange passes between them trying to maintain possession of the ball by creating passing lanes. They are not allowed to enter the game space.
The Defenders try to intercept the passes and maintaining possession to exchange places with the attackers.
Only the defender who stole the ball changes places with the attacker who lost the ball possession.
The game area is 10 x 10 yards and the game time is 8 minutes.
This exercise can be used as warm up or as a moment during the training session.
Variations
- Limit the number of ball touches per player, accelerating or slowing the pace of game
- Vary the number of attackers increasing or decreasing them
- Vary the number of defenders increasing or decreasing them
- Vary the size of game area, increasing or decreasing it
- Free the movements of the attackers, allowing them to enter at the game space
By Renato Lopez Moreira - Author of Training Sessions for the 4-3-3
