Technical activation and small-sided games

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?

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?

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?