Changing the speed of play

Organisation

• The exercise requires 6 outfield players and 2 goalkeepers.

• Use the full pitch and both goals.

• Set up two courts on the edge of one of the penalty areas (one on the left and one on the right).

• Create a scenario with 2 attackers v. 1 defender in each court.

• Place a goalkeeper in each goal and an attacker in the penalty area at the opposite end of the pitch to the two courts. 

Explanation 

• The goalkeeper plays a short throw‑out to one of the in-possession players inside one of the two courts.The two in‑possession players exchange short passes with a view to slowing the speed of play. 

• After completing several passes, one of the pair darts in behind the defender to latch on to their team-mate’s long ball and can either finish on goal themselves or set up their attacking team-mate positioned in the penalty area. The defender should provide low intensity opposition to their opponents’ passes.

• Players positioned at the courts to the right and left of the penalty area take it in turns to perform the sequence.

Variation 

• After completing several passes, one of the in‑possession players plays a backpass to the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper then quickly plays a long throw‑out towards a player from the court on the opposite side of the pitch, who takes up a position on the touchline, level with the imaginary halfway line. This player can either take a shot on goal or set up the attacker situated in the penalty area.