By Keith Scarlett - This is a fast paced small-sided game that will help your players transition from defense to offense and also encourage quick shooting and finishing. Players play 5v5 in a 40x30 yard grid with one goal on one end. When one team scores, they keep possession. When the defense wins the ball,
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By Keith Scarlett - Line a field into 4 15 yard boxes per the diagram. Players are positioned in the grids as the diagram shows. They play 3v1 for possession in their grid. When the defender wins the ball, they immediately transition to the other grid and play in their two teammates. The player who
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By Keith Scarlett - Setup at the halfway line as in diagram below. Once ball is played forward and the first person in each line takes off after it. The player who gets to the ball first has to stop for one second, and then goes 1v1 against the defender as quickly as possible.
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By Keith Scarlett - Place cones and balls as in diagram below. One player starts off with the first cone opposite the pile of balls. This player then runs around the first cone, receives a pass and takes a shot on goal. They then repeat this step around each cone. By Keith Scarlett
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By Keith Scarlett - This drill can be done with or without a ball. Two rows of cones 10 yards apart, staggered. Player starts at the front left cone and sprints to the first cone in front of them. The player then backpedals to the cone back and to their right. They then sprint to
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By Keith Scarlett - One 20 x 20 yard grid split into 2 10 x 10 yard grids. Players play 1v1 in the large grid. There is a neutral player with balls outside of the grid. The neutral player plays a ball in and the attacker tries to get to it first and attack one
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By Keith Scarlett In football there are two broad categories of defensive approaches; zonal defending and man-marking. Each approach has sub-divisions; however, the two styles differ mainly on reference points. In zonal defending each player references their team-mates and the ball, in man-marking however, the reference point is the opponent. The difference in reference points
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By Keith Scarlett A key quality of a back 5 is that they have 1 extra central defender, the one who is covering for both the outside central defenders. A common mistake when looking to pin a back 5 is to try and pin the covering central defender (we will call him the sweeper for
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By Keith Scarlett This training session is designed to provide opportunity for players to learn the when, why and how of making decisions when attacking. Unrestricted space – warm-up: ball between three people – passing and moving Coaching points: - Good passing technique • In order for the players to make good tactical choices they
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By Keith Scarlett One 40 x 40 yard grid with two 5 yards end zones. The team is split into two groups of 7. Each team has a “free zone”, which is their defensive area. They cannot be tackled by opponents here. Play is restarted with a pass-in when the ball goes off the pitch.
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By Keith Scarlett This activity helps bring out the competitiveness of all the players and their drive to win. Four 5 X 5 boxes are set up with balls piled up in between the 4 boxes. The team is split into 2 groups. In each box there are 3 on offense and 1 who will
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By Keith Scarlett Play 8 vs. 8 in a 50 yard long grid with full width. The goals are 15 yards beyond the length of the field. Goalkeepers are used. There are 2 target players and 1 defender in each end zone. The ball has to be played into one of the target players before
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By Keith Scarlett This is a possession game that works on playing in a specific direction as opposed to just keeping possession. It also helps work on the timing of the final ball with the runner to avoid being offside. Set-up: The team is split into 2 groups. Each group plays 5 vs. 5 plus
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on technique, first-touch, passing, receiving, turning and fitness. Set-up: The players break into groups of three. Two players start 40 yards apart with the third player in the middle. Each player on the outside has a ball while the player in the middle does not. How it Works: The
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By Keith Scarlett This activity is a 4 v 4 game plus 2 flank players plus 2 neutral players to regulation goals. Two goals should be set up about 25 metres apart. The field is 30 metres wide. A channel is made along the sidelines 5 metres wide. Each group puts on the field, one
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on 1v1 defending, pressure, cover, recovery and defensive communication. Set-up: The playing area is 25 x 20 metres. Only one ball will be in play at a time. There are two-lines on either end of the pitch, the end-line; which is at either end of the playing area and
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on shooting and finishing. Set-up: Add an 18 x 44 yard grid to the penalty area as shown. Place a goal opposite the regulation goal at the end of the new grid. There are 3 defenders and two attackers inside each grid. Goalkeepers are in each net. The two
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on playing with angles. Set-up: Three players are playing as strikers. Four players are playing as midfielders. The ball starts with one of the midfield players. Play begins with a midfielder playing a ball to a striker. The striker then return the ball back to any of the midfielders,
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on combination play. Set-up: Half of the team is in a circle without balls. The other half is inside the circle with balls. The players jog around doing random combinations with players on the outside. Combination 1: Wall-pass – Inside player plays the ball to an outside player then
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on crossing and finishing and combination play. Set-up: The playing area is a half-field. There are four players at midfield; two in the center with one ball and one each out wide, each with a ball. There is a target striker at the top of the 18 and two
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on defending, timing of tackles, covering angles and decision-making. Set-up: The playing area is the penalty area. Place a regulation sized goal where it belongs. The attacking team has 5 players which include 3 midfielders (M) and 2 strikers (S) while the defending team has 4 players made up
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on 1v1 attacking and defending in close quarters, 1st touch, intensity and to see who is willing to get stuck in on tackles. The exercise is done at top-speed, is a quick moving exercise and there is a good deal of contact. Set-up: The playing area is the size
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on finishing, passing, one-touch play and goalkeeping. Players are in two-lines about 30-40 yards from goal. There is a goalkeeper in the net playing full-out. One player is positioned around the penalty spot to start. To start this activity, a ball is played in to the player at the
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By Keith Scarlett This activity works on finishing, passing, one-touch play and goalkeeping. Set-up three cones facing one-goal at the top of the box. One cone each should be placed at the point where the field markings form the intersection of the penalty area and “D,” while the third cone should be placed 10 metres
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