http://f-marc.com/11plus/11plus/
http://f-marc.com/11plus/exercises/
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-W9Gn-XDQ_pIeE4mo1mgBb4OwyGc0UGU

Set-up:  Create two 2 yard gates with different colored cones.  Divide the team in half to ensure more repetition.  Two players (receivers) should be a yard or two behind the gate without a ball. All other players should be in a line facing the gate with a ball at their feet.

The Exercise: 

1. The first player in line passes to the receiver and follows his/her pass to become the next receiver.
2. Receivers “clear the space” take a touch behind one of the discs and dribble the ball back to their line.
3. The new receiver should call for the ball from the next player in line.  Exercise continues.

Progression:  Coach calls a color, now the receiver must clear the space behind that disc.  This will demand a higher level of focus and reaction speed.

Variation 1:  Have the player call the color right as he passes the ball.

Variation 2:  Have the player toss the ball so the reception is an aerial one.

The Set-up: Groups of 4 to 6 players. Place two yellow discs 15-20 yards apart with a red disc approximately 5 to 7 yards diagonally from the yellow disc. One ball per group.

Exercise 1: Two touch passing & receiving. Pass the ball crisply along the ground to opposite line. Run to the red disc and return to your own line. Players at the bottom should receive the ball and pass it back to the initial line on their 2nd touch. Run to the red disc and return to their line.
Focus: Hard inside of the foot passes, clean 1st touch to prepare the ball.

Exercise 2: Same movement as initial exercise, but now the player “holds their run at the red disc to offer a 1-2 with their teammate before returning to their line. Play one touch if possible.
Focus: Crisp passing, Timing of runs, Combination Play

Exercise 3: Begin with a long crisp pass across to the opposite line. The first player in the receiving line should feign receiving the pass, but instead sprint around the red disc. The second player in line should pass the ball diagonally into the path of his teammate. This player should return the pass to the initial line, where the first player feigns reception and sprints around their red disc and receives pass from his/her teammate.

Note: All players return to their own line.

One of the best ways to improve a player’s ability to strike the ball is to have them carry out instep juggling. The exercise provides maximum repetition since it involves one player and one ball. Be sure to ask player to use both feet!

Striking the ball with the instep requires a player to have their:

1. Toe Down & Ankle Locked (this will ensure a firm contact with the ball)
2. Head Steady & Eyes on the Ball
3. Meet the Ball at a Consistent Height. Just under waist height (as pictured). Note: If you meet the ball too high and the ball will move toward you, too low the ball will move away.

Two Tips:

1. Ball should have no backspin (this means the toe is coming up & the ankle isn’t locked).
2. Players should remain on their toes, “soft on their feet” in between juggles.

Progressions:

1. Start with ball in hands, drop the ball, strike it with instep and catch it. Repeat with other foot.
2. Right foot, bounce, left foot, bounce, continue.
3. Instep Juggling with no bounces.

This is a great introduction to striking the ball for young players and a great review for older players. Instilling good habits and refining them are crucial in a player’s development.

Download this excercise [Instep Juggling – pdf] ]]> https://lexingtonunited.org/dick-bate/ Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:12:08 +0000 https://lexingtonunited.org/?p=1189 ...Read More]]> This is an outstanding warm-up to help program players with a proper skill set to meet the demands of the modern game, movement off the ball, timing of runs, crisp passing, taking a look!, but for the exercise to truly be effective, the coach MUST demand that all the movements & requirements of the exercise are carried out at game speed.

Coaching Demand: If you let your players get away with things that wouldn’t work in the game during training, what is the point of training?

Description	Set-up
Groups of 4 players with one ball. Place extra balls either in the grid or nearby to keep the exercise flowing in the event of mistakes. The Square should be approximately 15×15 yards. There should be three discs at each corner of the square (as pictured). The Goal of this exercise is to help program movements into our players while also helping them develop proper habits to read the game and play in a creative manner.
Focus	Creating Seperation from a defender
Players should start on the furthest disc from the player they’ll be receiving the ball from (Player C & D’s position in the left hand picture). 1st Movement:When player B takes his/her first touch “prepares the ball”, player C should break off the disc “separate from the defender” and show into the space to receive a pass from B. Player D should now be prepared to separate from the defender on player C’s preparation touch. Exercise continues. Focus: Crisp Passing Explosive Separation from defender Head on a swivel- Can we take a look at where we want to play next as the ball is traveling? Clean 1st touch
Focus	Moving Away from the Ball
Players should now start on the closest disc from the player they’ll be receiving the ball from (Player B, C & D’s position in the left hand picture). 2nd Movement:Just as player A is about to pass the ball to player B, player B drifts backwards (moves away from the ball) to create additional space before receiving the ball. When player B takes his/her first touch “prepares the ball”, player C should drift away (exercise continues). Focus: Crisp Passing Creating that extra yard or two of space upon receiving the ball Head on a swivel Clean 1st touch
Focus	Introduction of Midfield Connector
Players should now start on their central disc.Two midfield players (red) are now introduced into the exercise. Final Movement:Just as player A is about to pass the ball to player B, player B “checks away” (moves away from the space he/she wants to receive the ball) to create separation from the defender. As player B is about to receive the ball one of the central midfielders should show for support. It’s important that the midfielder times his/her run to arrive on time (not to early, not to late). Can player B slip a pass to the midfielder and quickly move to receive a return pass? Focus: Crisp Passing Preparing the space Head on a swivel Timing of support runs Playing with various surfaces (outside of foot, inside, etc.) Communication Note: The group of four does not need to enter the ball into the midfielders. Midfielders should keep a balance (one shows, one holds central) to mirror their movements and interactions in a match.
Focus	Optional Variation
Have two groups of 4 players. This will create a work to rest ratio of 1:1. The white group carries out the exercise as before, but the red group now stands off the right hand shoulder of a player as they receive the ball. The red players have a yellow and red disc in their hands. The Exercise: All of the previous movements apply, but now as the ball is traveling to a player, that player MUST take a look over his shoulder “take a picture”(the resting/red player should hold up one disc red or yellow) and shout out the color of the disc before receiving the ball. Rotation: After 3 minutes rotate the white and red groups. After both groups have gone, repeat in the opposite direction.

Download this exercise [Dick Bate Passing Square] ]]> https://lexingtonunited.org/group-of-four-technical-training/ Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:11:42 +0000 https://lexingtonunited.org/?p=1203 ...Read More]]>

Exercise 1: Dribble, Cut, Pass- The first player in each line (white shirts) dribbles the ball toward the central disc. They MUST cut before the disc and quickly pass the ball to the waiting red player (the white players now follow their pass). The Red players now dribble at the central disc. Coach should designate which side the players cut toward so there are no collisions.

Variations: Coach can ask the dribblers to perform a particular move prior to the cut (scissors, inside-outside, etc.)

Focus: Quick Dribbling, Sharp Cuts, Receiving (on your toes), Crisp Passing

Exercise 2: Pass, Clear the Space, Attack the Line with the Dribble- Players on the outside (white) have a ball at their feet. Their partner (red) should be on his/her toes ready to receive the ball. White plays a crisp pass into red and follows his/her pass. The red player takes a first touch at a diagonal angle to “clear the space” and “attacks” the line with the dribble. Red should turn quickly when they reach the disc (or line) and white should now be on their toes prepared to receive a pass.

Focus: Crisp Passing, Clean First Touch, Dribbling with Speed, Change of Direction

Exercise 3: Up Back and Through Pattern- One Player on the outside (white) has a ball at his/her feet. The two central players (red) stack up. Note: The movement is initiated by the red player closest to the ball! When the front red player breaks off at an angle toward the ball, the deeper red player moves in the opposite direction and slightly away from his/her teammate (creates better spacing). The white player on the ball immediately plays to the furthest red player. As this is occurring, the first red player “shows underneath” by curling his/her run to support his/her teammate. The deeper red player now drops the ball back to his/her teammate who plays into the opposite white player. The central players now “restack, but their roles reverse.

Rotation: Switch out the central players after 90 seconds to 2 minutes/let each group play in the central role twice.

Focus: Explosive Movement off the Ball, Pass Recognition, Crisp Passing, Combination Play

Download this exercise: [Group of Four Technical Training] ]]> https://lexingtonunited.org/developing-movement-awareness/ Sun, 11 Mar 2012 01:07:17 +0000 https://lexingtonunited.org/?p=1248 ...Read More]]> Peter Mellor Diamond Exercise Description The Set-up: One Ball, 12 players initially divided into 4 groups of 3 in a Diamond shape.

The Exercise: You can play the ball to the first person in any of the other three lines. You must immediately run “move off your pass” to either of the other two lines (you cannot move to the back of your own line). Rule: You must keep all four lines. Players will need to have an awareness of where to move and which line to pass to as the exercise progresses.

Pass should be made on either the first or second touch. Note: When a line is down to a single player (pictured left). You cannot play that person the ball without losing the 4th line since the rules don’t allow for you to follow your pass and/or for a player to remain in the line that they were just in after playing the ball! Focus:

• Crisp Passing
• Quick Decision Making
• Immediate Movement off the ball

Download this exercise: [Peter Mellor Developing Awareness and Movement] ]]> https://lexingtonunited.org/dynamo-zahgreb-quick-reaction/ Sun, 11 Mar 2012 01:06:04 +0000 https://lexingtonunited.org/?p=1258 ...Read More]]>

The Set-up:  (as pictured) Team is divided in half.  One group is in a line approximately 10 yards from a two yard gate that has a single defender.  Two balls should be placed a yard or two from the discs.  The remaining players should stand next to one of the coaches. 

The Exercise:  The player in white should run toward the defender, feint in one direction and quickly attack either ball.  Once the attacker commits to a ball a live 1v1 ensues.

Rule:  The attacker must get into the shooting zone before shooting the ball.  The defender should remain on his/her toes, but cannot leave the gate until the attacker commits to a ball.

Focus:

• Quick Reaction
• Deception
• Positive 1^st Touch
• Defensive recovery
• Attacking at speed

Rotation:  After you defend you join the attacking line.  After you attack you collect the ball and join the defending line.

Once the attack occurs the coach should replace the ball and the next defender enters the gate.

Download the exercise: [Dynamo Zahgreb Quick Reaction] ]]> https://lexingtonunited.org/german-changing-the-point-of-attack-circuit/ Sun, 11 Mar 2012 01:05:33 +0000 https://lexingtonunited.org/?p=1264 ...Read More]]>  German Changing the Point of Attack Circuit Description Set-up:  Create a 25×25 grid with a gate in the middle. You can use either corner flags or discs for the gate. Group of  5 or 6 players to maximize repetition. One ball per group.

Exercise begins with B “checking away”.

Player A makes a crisp pass to B.

B should receive the ball on the half turn/ “side on”. Player B now plays out the other side to player C.

B should follow his/her pass.

Player A (who should have started in toward the gate after playing into player B) quickly breaks out wide to offer an option for player C to play into. Player C plays a wall pass with player A. Player A should have immediately moved back central after dropping the ball to Player C.

Player C plays the ball into player D.

Player D should immediately play the ball into a checking Player A. Player A should receive the ball on the half turn and play out the other side to Player E.

Player D follows pass in toward the gate and breaks out wide to offer a wall pass for player E.

The same movement continues  Focus: All movements should be carried out at game speed. Passes must be crisp, receiving on the half turn to change the point of attack must be done “on time”. Don’t arrive too early through the gate. “A space is only a space until you fill it”. Ask players to time their run to mirror coming out of the line of sight from the defenders (the gate). Coaching Demand:  If you let your players get away with things that wouldn’t work in the game during training, what is the point of training?Demand that all movements are carried out at game speed. 

Download the exercise: [German Changing Point of Attack] ]]> https://lexingtonunited.org/improving-explosive-first-step/ Sun, 11 Mar 2012 00:04:19 +0000 https://lexingtonunited.org/?p=1273 ...Read More]]>

Exercise 1: Divide the team into four groups of three (shown in red & white for clarity purposes, but not necessary) with all players having a ball. The first group of four players start on one line and perform ball taps (could substitute scissors, foundation, base move, etc.). When the coach yells Go! All players dribble quickly with the ball to the line they are facing and try to stop the ball on the line. The next group should immediately move to the starting line and begin ball taps while waiting for the coach to say Go!

Focus:

• Explosive first step
• Running with ball
• Fast Footwork

Exercise 2: Players now pair up, one ball between two. The players stand side by side with one player (player A) with the ball. Player A passes the ball slightly forward into the path of Player B. Player B attacks the ball at speed and tries to dribble the ball quickly to the line. Player A overlaps Player B and tries to race him to the line.

Note: Players should remain down at the opposite line after the conclusion of the race (pictured in red). Roles reverse on the way back.

Focus:

• Positive 1st touch
• Explosive first step
• Overlapping run
• Competition

Download the exercise: [Improving Explosive First Step] ]]>