The idea for today was to work with our center mids on how to find space to receive a pass and for the other players to look to find our center mids. We struggle, like most U14 teams, to find our center mids and switch the point of attack on a consistent basis. Over the next month I want to continually build on the idea of playing through our center midfielders as I believe this will really help us to break teams down more effeciently.
I. Video
I took the next exercise from the coaches education session that Ian Barker put on for us. I really liked the progression from the individual idea towards the team working together.
II. 5v5 Partner Keep Away
Set Up
- 15x15 yard grid
- Two Teams: 1 Red and 1 Blue
- Each player partners up with a player from the other team
Procedure
- Blue is the attacking team and begins with the ball
- Red is the defending team
- The Blue players try to get away from their partner who is marking them to receive a pass
- The Red players try to stay touch tight to their partners on defense
- The Red players cannot steal the ball
- Play for 90 seconds and switch roles
Coaching Points
- Change your pace to get away from your defender
- Drag your defender away from the space you want to run into and when he starts moving the wrong way make a sharp cut to get into the open space
After playing the game once bring the players in and talk about working together as a team. You will notice that everyone will be working to get the ball and players will often run into each others space. When you bring them in talk about dragging your defender away from a space to create space for your teammates. Remind them that it is a team game.
Make It Competitive
- Give a point to the attacking team every time they create space to receive a ball
- Play two rounds and have players switch partners after both teams have gone once
III. 5v5 To Goal Must Combine Off Your Center Mid
Set Up
- Two teams of 5 players
- One player on each team is designated their center mid
Procedure
- You must play the ball to your center mid before you can go to goal
- The teams will play normal soccer and must keep good defensive shape. That means they cannot ignore the other players and only cover the center mid
Key Ideas
- Work on possessing the ball until the pass to the center mid opens up
- The timing of the center mids run
- The other players keeping their heads up while possessing the ball
Make It Competitive
Once they get the idea of the game we will play normal soccer and give the following points
- +1 point for finding the center mid and keeping possession of the ball
- +2 point for finding the center mid and switching the point of attack and keeping possession of the ball
- +3 points for the center mid creating a scoring opportunity
- +1 point for a goal
- Play games to 15 points
IV. Futsol