By Alex Trukan
This practice is designed to help the players in developing starting speed over short distances. That crucial ability often makes a difference between winning or losing a tackle or scoring a goal. Some players might be really quick over longer distances but that not always translates to football, where actions are short and sharp. In this practice, that is connected with staying on the ball, which further develops strength and core stability of the players. From technical point of view, the practice contains elements of ball manipulation as well as running with the ball.
Set Up and Directions
Organise a square of approximately 8x8 yards. Set up two small gates (3 yards width), around 10 yards from the square, on the two opposite sides of it as shown on the diagram below. Gates should be ideally in two different colours. Divide the players into pairs. One player from the pair starts with the ball and second one is a defender trying to get it back. Size of the middle square can be adapted depending on the number of players in the session.
The game starts by attacking players trying to stay on the ball within the square. On the coach’s signal (shouting out a colour of the gate), player on the ball tries to break and dribble into the gate. The defender tries to win the ball back.
The attacker’s aim is to dribble through the gate. If successful, one point can be awarded to make it into a competition between players. The roles change after that and the defender starts on the ball.
If the defender wins the ball, his aim is to dribble the ball back into the middle square in order to score a point. It is important that every break out from the square is performed at 100% intensity.
Timing
Each pair should repeat the duel 8-10 times in 2-4 series with 30 seconds rest between repetitions and 4 minutes between series.
Variations
- Increase/decrease number of gates as well as width
- 2v2
- Make the distance to the gates loner (between 15-25 yards)
By Alex Trukan, Development Coach, Nottingham Forest
@AlexTrukan
