The Set-up: In a space approximately 30W X 40L, two teams of 4 play a match. There should be a clearly marked middle line.

The Game: A normal 4v4 game takes place, but on loss of possession, the team that lost possession MUST immediately recover to their half of the field before defending. By doing so, the defensive team will reduce the space between themselves making it difficult to penetrate. Recovering to your half is standing rule throughout the game.

Rule: If the attacking team scores, they get a point for the goal and an additional point for every defensive player not in the defensive half of the field.

Focus:

• Working as a unit
• When and how to pressure and cover
• Spacing between defenders (creating a “defensive block”)/Compactness
• Transition and Recovery

Note: This exercise is appropriate to use with larger numbers (6v6, 8v8, 11v11) and/or to regulation goals.

The Set-up: Create a 15 yard triangle (as pictured), Divide team into two groups, attackers and defenders (red/white). It’s not necessary to have the group divided by color, but it helps for the explanation of the exercise. The defender (Red) starts along the end-line with a ball. The attacker (white) stands at the top of the triangle.

Note: This exercise is best in groups of 6 to 8. If you have 12 players, create a second triangle.

The Game: Red passes the ball to white and quickly moves out to defend. White attempts to dribble the end-line. Red attempts to defend in the upper portion of the triangle (MUST close the space in order to do so), win the ball back and dribble the upper side-line.

Coach should focus on the Defender:

• Immediate pressure to the ball (“close the space”)
• Speed of approach (Fast first couple of steps, but slow down as you approach the attacker)
• Get side on (“steer the attack”)
• Soft on your feet, knees bent, weight slightly toward your back foot
• Patient defending (“Don’t dive in”)
• Winning the ball back
• Counter (Dribble the sideline)

This is a great exercise to teach players to close the space since the slower one is in doing so the more room the attacker has to operate within the triangle.

Progression (Pictured on Right Side of the Diagram): The same exercise, but with the addition of counter goals. Now, if red can win the ball back and dribble the sideline, he or she can attack the counter goals.

Note: Coach should encourage white to defend upon loss of possession and not allow red to counter!

Rotation: Rotate from attacking to defending line, defending to attacking line or have one team defend/attack for a certain period (ex. 4 minutes) and then switch roles.

The Set-up: Create multiple 2 yard triangles, Players pair up (red/white) and are assigned a triangle, one ball b/n the two. The defender (white) starts inside the triangle with a ball. The attacker (red) stands 5 to 7 yards outside the triangle.

The Game: White passes the ball to red and quickly moves out to defend. Red tries to dribble through the triangle. Attackers get 5 points for dribbling through the triangle. Switch roles after each attack. Keep score!

Coach should focus on the Defender:

• Immediate pressure to the ball (“close the space”)
• Speed of approach (Fast first couple of steps, but slow down as you approach the attacker)
• Get side on (“steer the attack”)
• Soft on your feet, knees bent, weight slightly toward your back foot
• Patient defending (“Don’t dive in”)

Variation 1: Play promotion relegation. Winner moves up, loser drops back.

Variation 2: Groups of 3, Rotation, Defender to Attacker, Attacker to Resting, Resting to Defender.

Note: 1v1 is very demanding so building in some rest into the activity can create a higher level of intensity.

Set-up: Divide the team into 3 equal lines. The top line (red) has balls. The second line (white w/blue) is next to the red without balls, and the third line (grey) is on the end-line between the goals without balls.

Note: The players do not need to be in different colors, but it helps clarify the exercise.

First Movement: The Red player dribbles at speed straight forward onto the field. The White player serves as a passive defender (Does not try to win the ball!). When the white player moves past the red player, the red player should cut the ball back. Ex. Cruyff Move, outside chop, inside chop, etc.

Cut Back, Enter into Target w/ Return Pass

Second Movement: Once the red player cuts the ball back past the passive defender, he or she must immediately enter the ball into the target (grey). Grey returns the ball directly (one or two touches) to the red player.

Focus:

• Quick Turn
• Head Up
• Hard, accurate pass

“Live 1v1” Ensues

Third Movement: After the return pass, Grey immediately closes down the red player and a live 1v1 ensues. If grey wins the ball, he or she should counter to the opposite pug goals.

Focus:

• 1v1 Attacking
• 1v1 Defending
• Transition

Progression to 2v1

The Set-up: Divide the team into 4 equal lines (2 red/2 white). The top line (red) has balls. The second line (white) is next to the red without balls, a second red line and a second white line take up positions on the end-line between the goals without balls.

Note: Having a clear delineation of colors is now helpful to the exercise.

First Movement: The Red player dribbles at speed straight forward onto the field. The White player serves as a passive defender (Does not try to win the ball!). When the white player moves past the red player, the red player should cut the ball back. Ex. Cruyff Move, outside chop, inside chop.

Entry into Target w/ “live 2v1”

Second Movement: Once the red player cuts the ball back past the passive defender and gets his/her head up, the second Red player releases from the end-line (checks back to the ball) to serve as a target. The White player on the end-line quickly trails the red player, but MUST remain goal side. The red player on the ball must enter the ball into his/her teammate and a “live” 2v1 ensues.

Note: One coach should position him/herself to enforce off-sides.

Focus: Quick Turn, Head Up, Timing of Runs, Proper Entry Pass, Angles of Support, Defending Numbers Down

Live 2v2 Ensues upon Entry into the Target

Final Progression: The same exercise as above, but now the coach can allow the passive defender to become active once the ball has been entered into the target player.

Rotation: Allow players to rotate within their own teams lines freely (Red with Red, White with White), but after 5 minutes have teams switch roles.

The Set-up: Divide the team into two equal groups (red and white). The first Red player starts with the ball and can score in the goal diagonally across from his/her line, but must be in the shooting zone for a goal to count. The Game: The first red player attacks the diagonal goal with the dribble. Once he/she touches the ball, the first white player moves out to defend. Red can continue to attack 1v1, but if white recovers quickly, red can turn and play back to a teammate, creating a 2v1. In the 2v1, Red can score in either goal. Note: the coaches should position themselves as in the diagram. One coach can enforce the off-sides law in the 2v1 situation, the other can serve as a target for the white defender to play into when he/she wins the ball. Focus:

• Attacking at speed with the dribble
• Sealing the defender off with the dribble (get across his/her body)
• Recovery runs
• Decision making
• 2v1 Attacking
• 1v2 Defending

Rotation: Switch roles after 4 minutes. Allow each team to attack and defend twice.

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

The Set-up: Create a 12×12 diamond and place a single disc in the middle. Have 3 to 4 players in each line facing the central disc. Place 4 goals (any size) a few yards beyond each line of players.

The Exercise: The first two red players jog into the middle and step left, cut right and accelerate to the opposite line. The first two white players should move into the area once the red players have cleared.

Note: Be sure to change directions (step right, cut left)

Focus: Explosive Cut, Drop the shoulder & Acceleration away

Variation: Extended pause on the cut

DRIBBLING PHASE

The Set-up: The same, but now all players have a ball.

The Exercise: The first two white players dribble into the middle and step left, cut right, accelerate and shoot the ball into the net before joining the opposite line. The first two red players should move into the area once the white players have cleared the middle disc.

Focus: Explosive Cut & Change of pace (acceleration) & Accurate finish

TURNING PHASE

The Exercise: The first two white players dribble into the middle and step left, cut right, accelerate away before reversing directions (quick turn) and accelerating back to their own goal and shooting the ball into the net before joining their original line. The first two red players should move into the area once the white players have cleared the middle disc for the second time.

Focus: Explosive Cut, Change of pace, “Taking a look”, Turning, and Accurate finish.

COMBINATION PHASE

The Exercise: The first two red players dribble into the middle and step left, cut right, accelerate away before reversing directions and passing to and moving to support the first player in their own line (the first player in line should step away from their own ball and “make themselves available” to their teammate). The ball should be dropped back to the original dribbler who finishes into the net as quickly as possible before joining their original line. The first two white players should move into the area once the red players have combined.

Focus: Explosive Cut, Change of pace, “Taking a look”, Turning, Combination Play and Accurate finish.

The Set-up: One ball per four players. The player with the ball (ball in hands) stands 5 yards across from his/her three teammates. The group of three should be approximately 2 yard apart from one another.

The Exercise: The player with the ball can toss the ball to any one of the three players. The two players that don’t have the ball tossed to them race to join the original server. This creates a new group of three.

Focus: Quick Recognition, Explosive reaction, Move while the ball is traveling.

Note: The pass should clearly be played to one player. Server does not follow his/her pass!

Progression: The ball is now on the floor. Same exercise as before, but the ball is now passed to one of the three players.

The Exercise: The player with the ball begins 5 yards across from his/her three teammates. The group of three should be approximately 2 yard apart from one another. All players should attempt to keep this spacing throughout.

The player with the ball can:

1. Dribble laterally- Defensive group should slide as a unit
2. Run at the defenders- Defensive group should” fall off”
3. Dribble away from the defenders- Defensive group should “take space”
4. Pass the ball to one of the three players- other two sprint to form a new group of three

Focus: Quick Recognition and Proper Defensive moment based on visual cues, Communication!, Explosive reaction, Move while the ball is traveling.

The Set-up: In a 10×10 box with a cone/disc placed in the center, divide 12 players into 4 groups of 3 with one ball per group. Two players from each group stand at the outer discs with one ball between them. The third player works as the defender.

The Exercise: The players on the outside pass the ball back and forth using two touches. The defender works on closing the space, moving at angles- dropping off & taking space, keeping sight of the ball, remaining in a good defensive position.

Note: The defender moves at full speed, but does not attempt to win the ball.

Rotate: Change defender every 60 to 90 seconds.

The players are divided by color to help clarify the diagram, but it isn’t necessary to do so for this particular exercise.

Mistake! The defender at the top of the diagram is tracking the ball laterally. This is an incorrect movement and should be corrected.

The Exercise: The players on the outside continue to pass the ball back and forth using two touches. The defender works on closing the space, moving at angles- dropping off & taking space, keeping sight of the ball, remaining in a good defensive position, but now when the coach says GO! (or whistles), the defenders quickly move across to defend the ball in the area that was directly behind them. Example, Red switches to defend the whites, white the reds.

Added Focus of Quick reaction & closing speed over greater distance.

Rotate: Change defender every 60 to 90 seconds.

Variation: Have the defenders move clockwise or counterclockwise on coaches command.

The Set-up: Divide team into two groups (Red &White) with each group having all players in a line with balls with the exception of one player that stands approximately 5 yards away and facing his/her group without a ball. An additional disc is placed at the top of the penalty box arc.

The Game: When the coach (or the keeper) calls go. The first player in each line passes the ball to his/her teammate. The white player prepares the ball and shoots as quickly as he can.  The red player receives the ball and immediately dribbles around the disc at the top of the arc and takes on the white player (shooter) in a “live 1v1” to goal. The passers now move forward to the open disc and face their line.

Rotation options: 

1. switch lines after every turn
2. teams switch roles after every 4 minutes (make it a competition by keeping score)

Variation: Players in line have the ball in their hands and toss the ball to their teammate.  This will increase the difficulty level of the reception.