Playing into the pivot in the final third

Organisation

• Divide a half-court into three zones, including a 10-metre-wide middle zone.

• Place a goal on each touchline.

• Set up a 4v4 (plus goalkeepers) and arrange both teams in a 3-1 formation.

Explanation

• Each team’s pivot is not allowed to defend and must stay in the marked-out attacking zone at all times.

• The out-of-possession team must leave one player in their defensive zone at all times to defend against the attacking team’s pivot, resulting in a 3v2 numerical advantage in favour of the attacking team.

• The objective for the attacking team is to connect with the pivot, who can then either shoot on goal or lay the ball off to a team-mate who is now allowed to join them in the attacking zone.

Coaching points

• Adopting good body orientation provides players with the widest possible field of vision, which allows them to play the ball into any area of the court.

• Out-of-possession players must constantly look to create passing lanes to ensure that team-mates have multiple passing options.

• Emphasis should be placed on forward passes and forward movement.

• Players should show patience to improve their team’s chances of scoring once the pivot receives the ball.

• When their team are in possession, players must look to support their team-mates and make runs off the pivot.

• Circulating the ball quickly allows a team to take advantage when the pivot is unmarked or under less pressure from the opposing defender.

• The pivot must focus on shielding the ball, creating passing lanes, body orientation, receiving the ball, rolling the defender, controlling the ball to lay off to a team-mate, controlling the ball to turn, scanning, linking up with a support player, positioning to receive the ball and turn or combine with a team-mate.