By Sean Pearson
Area Size: 40 x 35 Yards
Teams: 5 v 5
Time: 15-20 Minutes
Objectives
- To understand when and where to move before the pass
- To think 2 passes ahead
This session focuses on player’s movement off the ball. Personally I feel this is one of the most important aspect of a soccer team. To be a team is to help one another, it is to understand what each other needs at given points within the game to be successful. A lot of times in youth soccer I see when players pass the ball, they stand still as if to say ‘my job is done’ and admire the pass. Where as in fact their job is continuous. It is much harder to move with the ball than without and therefore players around their teammate in possession need to move into spaces before the pass to help them.
This practice aims to teach players the importance of movement before the pass. The main area has 5 smaller spaces (4 in the corners and one in the middle) where players aim to receive the ball. They are allowed to receive the ball throughout the whole area however they must begin their movement into the 5 areas before a pass has been played.
The reason the areas are in the corners are because when in possession you want your team to spread out and supply width and depth. The job of the receiving player here is to understand where they are right now is behind a defender and is no help. But by dropping down they are able to receive a pass, before a pass is being played. They receive with an open body position and with the back foot to enable them to move the ball any direction whilst seeing the field, the team also receives a point. Also notice a second player moving at the same time. This is thinking 2 passes ahead realizing, after the 1st player receives the ball they will also need option. They might not use them but it is giving the defending team a problem to solve.
Below we see the receiving player have multiple choices because players have moved because they are thinking ahead, now the player makes a decision based on the defenders positioning and movements. The players must pass out of the square.
Below we see a player receiving in the middle of the field as well as movement from the second receiver as the pass is being played to highlight thinking 2 passes ahead. Because of this the second pass could be played first time. You can also progress the practice by allowing defenders into the squares but only as another player is moving into them. If a player is in a square before a pass is played this results can either result in a turn over or no point. Your choice as the coach.
As a progression you can add goals and team can either play to both or just one goal, with/without GKs, if without use a one touch finish. All the while you are looking for players to understand they must move into a position to receive the ball before a pass, and the other players not receiving the ball immediately are thinking ahead to the next pass.
Coaching Points
- Identify where the space is to move into
- Realize when to move
- Think 2 passes ahead – “would I be able to receive the ball next”
Variations
- Add neutrals
- Touch limit to stop dribbling
- After receiving inside a square they must pass/run with the ball outside a different side of the square – this is to promote receiving the ball side on so they do not go back into pressure.
By Sean Pearson. Sean is also the author Coaching Team Shape in the 3-3-1, Coaching Team Shape in the 4-2-3-1 and Coaching Team Shape in the 4-3-3
