Spreading the Field With Depth

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on spreading the field with depth.

Frequently when we talk about spreading the field, they talk about getting wide to open up space in the middle.

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The part of spreading the field we frequently forget to work on is spreading the field with depth.

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By having players go far upfield as well as staying back a bit,it further helps to spread the defense out and creates space in the middle.

In this game, we start with a 4 v 4 plus keepers on a 50 x 40 grid with full size goals The balls starts with a keeper and play starts with the deepest player checking back to the ball. The defender can go with him but must allow the first pass into the checking player.

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As soon as the checking player touches the ball, the game is live. The options are somewhat limitless.

The player can try to turn and shoot.

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The player can touch it back to the deep player who then finds a wide player making a run.

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The player can touch the ball back to a wide player and then spin off for the return pass.

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Anytime the ball goes out of play or the keeper makes a save, the game restarts with the long pass to the deep player.

You can alter the number of players or the initial formation but remember the emphasis is on spreading the field with depth.

Have a great day!

Lawrence

By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.

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