Warm-up: 2v2, coordination and shooting
Organisation
- Organise teams with no more than five players per team and they race in pairs to score a goal.
- Player 1 dribbles and then passes to the attacker, who turns and shoots; the first team to score each time wins two points, while the other team only gets one point if it scores.
- The players change positions each time, so they all get to dribble, pass and shoot.
- The players start each time when the coach says "go".
- Remind the players that they can also score from rebounds.
Ways to make the exercise easier
- Start with no goalkeepers, so it’s a race to score into an open goal.
Ways to make the exercise harder
- Increase the distance of the pass and the shot.
Great questions to ask the players
- Can you show me how you can turn quickly with the ball before shooting?
- Can you show me a no-touch turn?
- Can you follow up your shot for any rebound opportunities?
Skill development: 5v5, 3 goals (target areas)
Organisation
- Organise a 5v5 and mark three target areas within your playing area (make additional target or playing areas if you have a large number of players).
- The objective is for the teams to work the ball into a target area, either by passing it or by dribbling it, to score a point.
- The players can start by throwing and catching the ball, and then move on to using their feet.
Ways to make the exercise easier
- Make more or bigger target areas.
Ways to make the exercise harder
- Make fewer or smaller target areas.
Great questions to ask the players
- Can you recognise the opportunity to play towards a free target area?
- Can you create space as a team by playing together?
- Should the defenders try to win the ball or defend the target areas?
Game application: 5v5, 4 goals
Organisational tips for coaches
- Organise the players into teams of 5v5 and create mini-pitches, each with four goals located opposite each other on each touchline.
- To begin with, each team can score in any of the four goals; after each goal is scored, the ball starts with the team that conceded.
- The game can then be made directional, so the teams can respectively only score in two of the goals.
- The game can also be played diagonally, so the teams attack opposite diagonal goals.
- Let the players referee their own games.
Ways to make the exercise easier
- Give a team one or more extra players if you have uneven numbers or a weaker team.
Ways to make the exercise harder
- Each player in a team has to touch the ball before the team can score.
- Give one team fewer players.
- Add goalkeepers.
Great questions to ask the players
- Can you recognise the best goal to attack?
- Can you take up positions on the pitch that create space?
- Can you react quickly to defend when the other team gains possession?