By George Kee The success of Conte’s 3-4-3 has prompted many coaches to try their hand at the formation. This session aims to help players become comfortable with pressing a 3 man defense as the buildup is different than when playing 4 across the back. Using 3 Backs to spread the width of the field allows
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By George Kee Players at all levels struggle with switching the field of play. Often time’s players concentrate themselves on one side of the field and the ball does not get switched until possession is lost. This exercise helps players to develop patience when going forward, helps to develop a certain level of comfort in being
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By George Kee This small sided game is designed to help players develop the finishing touch in the penalty box when service is from wide areas. Not only does this SSG game help players develop service from wide areas but it allows players to become comfortable with play in the penalty area. Players learn to control
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This week's Animated Drill Video shares a great environment for working on an often neglected skill, running with the ball. The same set-up can be used for the warm-up, technical practice, small-sided game and expanded small-sided game. [wpsharely id="6889"][wpsharely][/wpsharely] The diagram is being created with our online Session Designer that is available through the Member Drills Database.
Continue readingSmall-Sided Game - Supporting the Striker By Sean Pearson Area: 45x30yards Players: 10 Teams: 2 Length: 20-25mins This game has 3 zones. 2 end zones (10x30) and a middle zone (25x30). 1 striker and 1 defender allowed in each end zone and the defender must stay behind the striker. Everyone else in the middle zone. Each
Continue readingWith more and more turf soccer fields being installed around the country an increasing number of coaches are training their teams outdoor during the winter months. This provides a great opportunity to continue to focus on playing 'Real Soccer' when we used to be limited to practicing and playing small indoor versions of the game.
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
This exercise is focused on developing aerobic power in 3v2 transition scenario. The aim from the physical point of view is to improve players’ power to recover, what in turn leads to producing more actions throughout the whole match. Dynamic counter-attack scenario ensures maximal concentration and commitment.
Set up and directions:
Set up two full sized goals 50-60 m. apart. Divide the team into attackers and defenders and further divide attackers into two groups (one starting behind the goal and one in the middle of the pitch). Two goalkeepers should be positioned in goals. Organize min. 8-10 balls in the goal positioned on half-way line.
The game starts with the goalkeeper (in the goal on the half-way line) playing the ball into striker. At the same time, two
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
The exercise is focused on improving Aerobic Power. This physical component helps in recovering more efficiently and quickly after high intensity, anaerobic actions. Therefore, it helps to maintain quantity of explosive efforts of the players throughout the whole match. In more detail, it aids supplementation of high quality oxygen to lungs and muscles by improving circulation (more red blood cells and stronger heart) and ventilation (better lung capacity).
That is achieved in 5v5 Small Sided Game which is known as highly effective tool for improving tactical, technical as well as physical components. Small Sided Games ensure high motivation of players, enjoyment and competitiveness. In addition, this practice is strongly related to 11v11 soccer format as it includes all relevant components of it (opponent, direction, goals, attacking/defending/transition etc.).
Set up and directions:
Organise a pitch of approximately 30x40 yards (depending on base fitness level: bigger pitch-bigger volume/lower intensity) with one goal on each side. Divide players into two teams of 5. Normal soccer rules apply. Encourage competition, i.e. the team that loses the game takes the equipment out of the pitch.
As a basic progression to increase perceptual and physical demands, divide the pitch into two halves and set the condition that
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
This Conditioned Game is designed to improve Anaerobic Endurance needed to sustain high intensity actions. The type of the practice ensures high engagement and effort from players. In opposite to technique and skill type activities, this practice has more football context, what makes players understand the relevance of it.
Set up and directions
Set up a pitch with two goals and dimensions of 30x40 yards. Organise two teams of 9 players (8+goalkeeper). Four players from each team should be positioned inside the playing area, while another four should stay outside the area on the attacking half (2 next to the goal from each side, 2 on the opposite touchlines). Inside players can use their teammates positioned outside but they in turn can only use 1 touch to play back and they can’t score. There are no corners (goalkeeper starts from a goal kick). After the goal is scored, the game starts from the goalkeeper as well. Players should be encouraged to reset the game very quickly. Number of players used can be varied but that should reflect dimensions used.
As we can see on the diagram below, outside players can only
By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity is a 1 v 1 game working on many aspects of goalkeeping.
When I started training keepers I worked with one keeper at a time. Much of the time was spent on technique, fitness and shot blocking but I struggled trying to figure out how to get them more game related training without bringing in a couple of teams. The solution ended up being quite simple, bring in
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity involves a series of 2 v1 attacks working on possession, penetration and scoring.
Start with a 10 x 40 grid broken into fourths. There is a 3 yard wide goal on each line (except where the attackers will start) and a defender in each goal.
The first two attackers start with a ball and as soon as they enter the grid, the defender can
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on defensive organization in a 2 v 2 situation
Frequently we train by starting with the players in traditional positions and then see how they react. In this activity we have a 2 v 2 going to goal but the 2 attacking players start one in front of the other.
Start with a keeper in goal and 2 defending players. The first attacker starts 35 yards out with a ball and then second attacker is 10 yards further back.
The player with the ball starts with a dribble and then it’s a live attack on goal. The defenders want to concentrate on
Continue readingby Gabriel Celante
This drill focuses on teaching the art of attacking in numbers and building attack from the center of the field and finishing in the 4-2 (from 4-4-2 Diamond formation). This soccer drill also focuses on innervating tactical movements.
Organization
By Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on one touch passing and attacking in a game situation.
This is a small sided game (although it can be 11 v 11 on a full sized field) with only two limitations.
A player can only play one touch
The only exception so rule 1 is if they attack a defender or the goal with their first touch.
As an example, in the picture below the black team has the ball.
The player can pass one touch or can
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on 2 v 2 attacking and defending with quick transition.
Start with a 10 x 10 grid with two teams of players. Each team is assigned two end lines and they have a team of two 10 yards behind each end line
The black team starts with the ball and they try to dribble
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on possession and getting to goal.
This activity uses a half field with a goal and a keeper on each end line. There is a middle grid of 20 x 44 with a 4 v 4 in this grid. There is a neutral player out wide on each side and an attacking player 15 yards from each goal.
The players in the grid play possession and need
Continue readingWelcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity is a game working on positioning, communication, shot blocking , distribution and much more.
Start with a 40 x 30 field with full sized goals and a mid field line. There is a keeper in each goal and 2 attacking players and 1 defending player in each half.
One keeper starts with the ball. He can play to
By Stevie Grieve, Author of Coaching the 4-2-3-1, Modern Soccer Tactics and Winning Soccer Tactics. Grieve is the author of the "original" Coaching the 4-2-3-1 book and has now authored a book that focuses on the advanced tactics of the 4-2-3-1. This article is from the free eBook, Small-Sided Games to Train the 4-2-3-1. This eBook is given free
Continue readingThis conditioning article has been created by Gabriel Celante when he was running preseason training for BRASA – Brazilian Soccer Academy. The session helps to improve both aerobic and anaerobic fitness through an economical and dynamic circuit.
Organization
Divide the field as showed in the diagram.
Instructions
By Daniel Severn
This week’s exercise is designed to help build better aerobic and anaerobic endurance. It involves short sprints, quick changes of direction, recovery defending and also helps to develop a better focus and awareness. The exercise is played at a very high tempo with the players rotating each time the ball goes dead (goal, turnover in possession, ball out of bounds).
Set Up and Directions
For this exercise you will need 4 goals, a set of soccer balls and a minimum of 8 players divided into 2 teams. Mark out a 20x20 meter area. Set up is shown below (Fig 1).
Ensure each team has a good supply of soccer balls; this will help to keep
Earlier this year we held a competition where coaches could submit their favorite "Shooting and Finishing" drill. We had some great entries and even compiled all of them into an eBook that we gave away free. If you don't have it, you can get it here. I have also posted the winning drill below which focuses on one-touch shooting.
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Shooting Competition - First Time Shooting
One of the most difficult techniques to acquire is that of the ability to shoot first time and none more so than for the younger players.
In their eagerness to score then very often they will either ‘snatch’ their shot and / or,
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the Goalkeeping Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on kick out dives, smothers and throwing.
Start with 2 keepers 10 yards apart (the distance can vary depending upon their level) in goals 3 yards apart. One keeper starts with a ball in his hands.
The player tries to score by throwing the ball through the other goal. The opposing keeper tries to
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Todays featured activity is a 3v1 possession game with rotating defenders.
Start with a 10 x 10 grid and 3 players on offense inside the grid. Three defenders are just outside of one corner with balls.
The first player in the corner passes the ball out to an
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured article works on 5 v 4 defending.
We are using a 40 x 30 grid with a small goal on each end line. There are two teams of 4’s on the field and an extra player behind each goal.
Whichever team has the ball their extra player join in. So if yellow