Daniel K. Theemann

This is one of my absolute favorite possession games. You can practice it with whatever formation, you use with your team. I used this drill yesterday with my U14. We play a 4-3-3 og 4-2-3-1.

Players:
15 – 18

Development:

• Yellow players must play on their normal positions in the team’s formation.
• Yellow team must keep possession with max. 2 touches.
• Yellow 6,8 and 10 must stay inside the playing area, while the remaining yellow players must stay outside on the line, where they are placed.
• Cyan team must try to win the ball and then play 5v3 – 8v3 inside the playing area, when yellow 6,8 or 10 wins the ball they must keep possession within the yellow team.
• Cyan team only has only 1 touch, when in possession.
• If yellow team manage to make 8 consecutive passes = 1 pts.
• If cyan team manage to make 6 consecutive passes = 1 pts.
• Switch 2-3 players from cyan to yellow every 5 minute.

Progressions (optional):

• If a yellow player receive a pass from an outside player, he can not pass back to him, if they are on the same line (like 2 -> 11, then 11 is not allowed to pass right back to 2).
• If yellow manage to win the ball back within 5 seconds after losing it = 2 pts.
• One cyan player can go outside and press the yellow player with the ball.
• Tactical moves where specific yellow players (certain numbers) can change positions depending on your playing style.
• Increase number of passes to get a 1 pts.
• Tactical example: If yellow succeed to play up-down-up or up-dow-out = 1 pts.

Fokus:

• Create good passing angles
• Create angles without the ball
• Get comfortable with your position
• Change between playing wide and deep
• Tactical moves in your build-up play

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• KFC U14 til Apollo Cup, 4.-6. Nov. 2011

I really like this drill. You can coach so many important things with this SSG. I use it in training and it is always part of the warm up for matches.

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Two days ago, I posted the drill “1v1 in small zones“. Yesterday I was thinking about to make it even better and ensure that you get a lot more 1v1 challenge in the 1v1 zones.

Today the drill doesn’t ensure that, because if you as an attacker receives the ball very close to the goal line, you can just dribble past it, without challenging the defender.

I have designed a twist, which I believe will ensure a 1v1 challenge nearly every time the ball is passed into a 1v1 zone. If the attackers first touch is bad, then there will be a risk, that no 1v1 challenge is going to take place.

The drill is structured this way:

Pitch: 4 x 15×10 m zones + a mid zone (15×15 m)
Teams: 6v6 + 3N
Development:

• A player from each team in every 1v1 zone. Scoring by dribbling the ball over the “goal line”.
• Only the attacking team can score (the team that passes the ball from the mid zone to a 1v1 zone).
• The defending team has to pass the ball back to a team mate or neutral player in the mid zone.
• Unlimited touches in all zones.
• If the ball goes out off play, a coach passes the ball into the mid zone.
• Switch players in the 1v1 zones every 3 mins.
• 3 neutral players (switch now and then).
• Only the attacker can stay in the attacking zone (dark green in the 1v1 zone), when the ball is in the mid zone.
• Both attacker and defender can stay in the defence zone (light green in the 1v1 zone), when the ball is in the mid zone.

Progressions:

1. Latest on the 3rd pass the ball must be passed into a 1v1 zone.
2. Max. 2 touches in the mid zone (unlimited in the 1v1 zones).
3. Defender in the 1v1 zone can move into the attacking zone, when the attacker has made his/her first touch on the ball.

Focus:

• Courage to challenge 1v1.
• Acceleration when you get past your direct opponent.
• Keep the ball close to your feet.
• Be creative in the 1v1 challenges.
• Good movement as the attacker, so you can receive the ball from the mid zone.
• Go directly to your opponent on your first touch in the 1v1 zones.

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This Spring season (Marts to June 2011) my U14 team trained 1v1 offensive, where they were encouraged to try to beat their direct opponent.

Tactically I always encourage my players to try to beat their opponent 1v1 in the last third of the pitch. Here you can take risks and the consequences will not be as crucial as in our own third of the pitch.

I teach all my players the courage to go for 1v1 duels in offence (mental coaching is crucial here to overcome barriers).

The drill is structured this way:

Pitch: 4 x 15×10 m zones + a mid zone (15×15 m)
Teams: 6v6 + 3N
Development:

• A player from each team in every 1v1 zone. Scoring by dribbling the ball over the “goal line”.
• Only the attacking team can score (the team that passes the ball from the mid zone to a 1v1 zone).
• The defending team has to pass the ball back to a team mate or neutral player in the mid zone.
• Unlimited touches in all zones.
• If the ball goes out off play, a coach passes the ball into the mid zone.
• Switch players in the 1v1 zones every 3 mins.
• 3 neutral players (switch now and then).

Progressions:

1. Latest on the 3rd pass the ball must be passed into a 1v1 zone.
2. Max. 2 touches in the mid zone (unlimited in the 1v1 zones).

I have used this drill twice now during the Spring season and I saw a clear development, when we played it the 2nd time. The players knew the drill better and it really worked well. The players got a lot of 1v1 duels, which was the main goal with this drill.

They got the 1v1 duels from different angles, because they received the ball randomly from the mid zone. That was to me more game-related, which was my secondary goal.

Please leave a comment, if you have anything to add to the drill.

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I used this drill yesterday with my U14, where the main topic was width in the attacking play. Often when you want to exploit width in your play, you have to be able switch play fast.

Development

Use 3 goal. One 11-goal in the centre and 2 smaller goals wide. If you score in the wide goals, you are awarded 2 points and 1 point for scoring in the centre goal.

Each team defends a centre goal and two wide goals placed on the same goal line.

Every time the ball goes out of play, I decided to start from the goalie, because I wanted to develop our build up play.

I played 9v9 where both teams played a 3-1-3-1 formation.

Progression

• 2 touches maximum.
• If you score in the centre goal from a cross, you are awarded 3 points.
• Introduce 2 neutral players, who plays with the team in possession.

Focus points

• To develop width and switch of play (timing)
• Encourage the players to switch play fast, if one side is closed and you are under pressure.
• Keep the head up before receive the ball, so you know our next move.
• Let the ball do the work.
• Good communication.

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This is a possession drill, which I love. I used yesterday with my U14 team and they enjoyed it. It has so many great aspects, if you have analysed the way Barca wants to play. You can easily build triangles and play short or long. If you are under pressure with the ball, you have the opportunity to play past the nearest play and instead pass to a player further away. This is a great way of getting out of the pressure.

The drill:

Duration:
Play this game for at least 25-30 mins.

Area:
middle circle or two squares, which must be big enough to complete long passing sequences. Yda I used 15x15m squares.

Organization:
See the illustration.

Development:
You play 4v2 in both half of the pitch. The only player, who can play in both half is no. 6, the other players must stay in their half. The team in possession must try to keep possession by playing in both half. If the team in possession lose the ball, they swap position this ways:

3 <> 5, 2 <> 4, 7 <> 10 and 11 <> 8.

The three white players are neutral players and always play with the team in possession.

The players plays with only two touches.

Focus:

• Passing angles (triangles and pass past the nearest player to get out of pressure)
• Communication (especially for the no. 6, so he knows if he can turn or not)
• Movement without the ball and support the player with the ball.
• Vision (keep your head up, so you know your next move, before you receive the ball).

Please leave a comment with your experiences, if you use it.

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I have decided to upload one of my U14 session hoping to inspire other youth coaches (link is to a PDF file).

I have uploaded the session from yesterday, which was a big success. The buys enjoyed it and did very well.

If you have any questions or comments to the exercises or the session, please post a comment.

U14 Training session

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