By Chris Kouns USSF A License (USSF Coaching Education Instructor) – NSCAA Premier Diploma (NSCAA Coaching Education Associate Staff Coach) – Head Women’s Soccer Coach – Georgia Gwinnett College In these activities we are assisting higher level players in their decision making with the ball and their transition to attack when they win the ball. Possession
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
In the times, when the teams are organised in defence so well, narrowing up spaces and patiently pressurising and covering, it is difficult for the teams to break through and create chances using conventional possession play. Therefore, it is becoming more and more popular not to try to possess the ball, but rather invite the opposition to attack and exploit their weaknesses in transition phases. One of those methods is a quick attack, a golden mean between patient positional attack and counter attack. It can be classified as a part of attacking phase, however it has still many transitional characteristics such as quick penetration, exploiting spaces in behind of the opposition defence, through passes, early crosses or forward runs.
Initiating the attack – Priorities
When defensive unit is in possession, the
Continue readingBy Renato Lopez Moreira -
This is a progression of the game from last week. It is played with three teams of six players. It can be played with fewer players on each team or using a neutral player if number divisible by three are not available.
The difference with this game is that there is one player from each team positioned in the middle zone.
The game area is 45 x 42 yards and the game is played in two 15 minute halves.
This exercise is played by three teams. Two teams work to possess the ball and one team defends.
The field is divided into three small ones: two areas for the
Continue readingBy Renato Lopez Moreira -
This is a progression of the game from last week. It is played with three teams of six players. It can be played with fewer players on each team or using a neutral player if number divisible by three are not available.
The game area is 45 x 42 yards and the game is played in two 15 minute halves.
This exercise is played by three teams. Two teams work to possess the ball and one team defends.
The field is divided into three small ones: two areas for the
Continue readingBy Renato Lopez Moreira -
This is a progression of the game from last week. It is played with three teams of six players. It can be played with fewer players on each team or using a neutral player if number divisible by three are not available.
The game area is 45 x 42 yards and the game is played in two 15 minute halves.
Two teams work to keep possession and one team defends.
The field is divided in three small ones: two fields for the attacking teams and one central zone for the defense.
Each field has six attackers that must
By Renato Lopez Moreira -
This game is played with three teams of six players. It can be played with fewer players on each team or using a neutral player if number divisible by three are not available.
The game area is 45 x 42 yards and the game is played in two 15 minute halves.
Two teams work to keep possession and one team defends.
The field is divided in three small ones: two fields for the attacking teams and one central zone for the defense.
Each field has six attackers that must
By Alex Trukan This modification of 3v3 game involves transition scenario. That places conditioning demand on both attacking and defending players. Regardless the decision made by central striker upon receiving the ball, supporting players have to make forward runs on full speed. Also defenders are required to make quick recovery runs. Players are encouraged to
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Todays featured activity works on transition (both offense to defense and defense to offense).
This is a regular scrimmage with any numbers you want (in this example we will go with 4 v 4 plus keepers on a 40 x 30 grid but this could go up to 11 v 11 on a full sided field).
The rules are quite simple, everything is regular rules with one major change. Anytime the coach
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
Transition from attack to defense is regarded as an essential component of every practice by many professional coaches. This exercise includes this phase both in the attack-defense and defense-attack versions. Moreover, physical demand placed on players develops power to accelerate, which can be used to exploit unbalance in the oppositions’ defense.
Set up and directions
Organize a rectangle of approximately 30x40 m. with one goal on each end. The size of double penalty areas can be also used. Set-up four different stations. Divide players into groups of 3/4 on each station. Coach’s position as shown on the diagram. Each player from the bottom right group needs a ball. Moreover, min. 6 balls should be placed by the top right station.
The practice starts with the first player from the bottom right group playing a ball to
Continue readingBy Alex Trukan
This exercise is based on transition phase from attack to defense. Ability to prevent counter-attack recently became more important with the teams scoring more goals from the counter-attacks and quick attacks. In this practice, that is connected with shooting and running with the ball content to develop technical corner and anaerobic power from physical point of view.
Set up and directions:
Organize two full-sized goals 40-50 meters apart from each other. Set up two gates and divide the team into two groups as shown on diagram. Each player needs one ball. Goalkeepers should be positioned in goals.
The practice starts with the first player from one group dribbling towards the opposite goal. His aim is to
Continue readingWhile much of what I do during the Futsal season is intended relate to soccer in general and not just Futsal, there is still an adjustment period that my teams go through when we move from indoor to outdoor. The two areas that I focus on during the transition are recognizing and playing longer passes and finishing with a different ball, on the larger goal.
Shooting sessions to prepare the players for the different
Continue readingPlaying indoor soccer or Futsal during the winter provides a great opportunity to focus on teaching players how to break down defenses in 2 v 1 situations. This is an important tactical situation for players to understand and be familiar with because so much of the game can be broken down to 1 v 1
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on defensive transition and high pressure.
This is a 6 v 6 plus keepers on half a field with 2 full sized goals and a midfield line.
The ball starts with one of the keepers and the defending team plays
Continue readingBy Lawrence Fine, Author of the FineSoccer Coaching Bible.
Welcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on transition for quick counter attacks.
Start with 5 attackers (2 forwards and 3 midfielders) attacking a goal with a keeper, 4 backs and 2 midfielders.
Next we add 2 outside midfielders for the defending team BUT they do not get involved with
Continue readingBy Gabriel Celante
This drill will work on individual and group decision making about where to play the ball, holding possession, and completing a series of passes. This drill also emphasizes switching the point of attack and quickly transition play.
Organization
1. Set up the field as shown on the diagram.
2. Split the field in two halves
3. Split the teams in 2 groups of 5v1, 5v2 or 4v2
Instructions
The team that starts the ball has to make 5 passes and then
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 readingWelcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on numbers up attacking, numbers down defending and offensive transition. Start with a 40 x 30 grid with two full sized goals and a keeper in each goal. Two attacking players and one defending player starts on the field and additional players from each team
Continue readingWelcome to the FineSoccer Drills Newsletter. Today’s featured activity works on defensive transition and shape.
Start with two attacking players at midfield with a ball. Two defending players are out by the sidelines and a keeper is in goal
The attacking players pass the ball back and forth.
