@COACHDANWRIGHT

S M A L L S I D E D G A M E S
INTRODUCTION
Welcome and thanks for downloading this eBook.

In 2017 I released my first eBook, “50 Small Sided Games”, this was my first ever attempt to pull
years of plans and ideas into one place. It was well received by the coaching community and
has now been downloaded in 62 countries across the globe. “It’s probably their preferred session I would
Small Sided Games have always been a passion of mine as a young player and as a coach.
There are so many reasons why, these are the benefits as I see them;
say because its proper competitive, it’s a
▪ It looks and feels like a game (direction, opposition, goals…etc.)
small space, it’s a lot of shooting, a lot of
▪ You can manipulate the games to help the individuals, develop themes or shine a light on a
finishing…so they love it. And if I would ask
certain moment of the game. at the beginning of the week, ‘what do you
▪ The players are free to play, make decisions and find solutions.
want to do today?’ then probably a lot players
▪ The level of enjoyment of engagement for the players.
say, ‘lets play 5 a side’. But in these games, its
This eBook is an evolution of the 2017 version. In the last 3 years I have explored this topic a
little more, both on the grass and off - developing a better understanding of the rationale and really important that you as a manager, as a
academia behind Small Sided Games. The outcome is hopefully a deeper, richer and more
meaningful piece of work to help coaches and players. coach, that you make good decisions in your
role as a ‘referee’, because if not…Yeah, it can
become quite emotional!”
Jürgen Klopp
Liverpool FC

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CAN WE PLAY A GAME?
How often do we hear this? Have you ever stopped to think why? At times, it is important to
remember why players fell in love with the game. Footballers of all ages want to play. To be
with their friends. To explore. To take risks. To fail and to improve.

Small Sided Games shouldn’t be considered a treat – something players get to experience
when they’ve completed their technique or drills. If players are asking you to play a game,
they are giving you some direct feedback on your sessions – or their motivation for
attending practice.

Football is a complex, dynamic and random sport. For young players to learn the principles
of the game and the skills needed to play, they should always be playing football by
‘exploring, discovering and adapting’. The link to the game must always be apparent
“Football is the most difficult game in the
creating a ‘why’ for the learner. Learning is not a process of repeating a solution, it’s
repeating the process of finding a solution.
world because it is open and every situation is
For the vast majority of children this game-related approach is the most enjoyable, logical completely different and you have to make
and player centered way of learning to play football, enabling them to reach their personal
potential and stay committed to the game for life. decisions minute-by-minute”
The coach acts as the architect for this by designing practices that are representative of the
game and challenging for the individuals that participate. Pep Guardiola
Manchester City
Over the next few pages I have tried to demonstrate some of the benefits and rationale of
using Small Sided Games – as well as football principles to help young players who are
learning the game.

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THE BENEFITS OF SMALL SIDED GAMES
Manchester United FC & Rick Fenoglio Manchester Metropolitan University
Small Sided Games are not a new idea. Tales linking five-a-side football to Liverpool FC go all The study compared the 4v4 format to the 8v8 format, finding the following;
the way back to the first training sessions under Bill Shankly in December 1959. The Dutch have
been using them since the mid 1980s. The godfather of football in Holland, the great, late ▪ Number of passes – 585 more passes an increase of 135%
Rinus Michels said: “Good coaches use the basic criteria of street football for their vision of ▪ Scoring attempts – 481 more shots an increase of 260%
grass roots development; they realise that these elements produce a natural process which ▪ Number of goals scored – 301 more goals an increase of 500%
gives the most efficient training for young kids.” ▪ Number of 1v1 encounters – 525 more 1v1 encounters an increase of 225%
▪ Number of dribbling skills (tricks) – 436 more opportunities to dribble or perform a trick, an
In May 2002, Les Kershaw, the Academy Director of Manchester United Football Club, was increase of 280%
granted permission by The FA Premier League to play an alternative under 9’s games format
in the Northern Academy League for the 2002/2003 season. Instead of playing a single 8v8 When working in youth football, it is worth considering the size of the game and the number of
competitive match, players of teams agreeing to take part in the scheme were divided into interactions that will occur.
teams of 4, and then played in four different conditioned small-sided games on a rotational
basis. The four different games were;

▪ Line Ball: 4v4 with a dotted line as a scoring line.

▪ Two goal game: 4v4 with four large traffic cones as goals. No Goalkeepers.
▪ Goalkeepers game: 4v4 plus two Goalkeepers. Normal throw-ins and corner kicks applied.
▪ Four goal game: 4v4 with eight marker cones as four small goals. No Goalkeepers.

Aims

▪ Plenty of individual possession, ball control and touches

▪ Trying new skills without fear of ridicule or recrimination
▪ Taking players on and challenging Defenders
▪ Little or no pressure from significant others (parents, coaches)
▪ A vibrant, creative and fun atmosphere

Each game was 8 minutes long and the children refereed their own games. This encouraged
them to take responsibility, communicate with the opposition and sort out any problems that
emerged. The intention here was to develop individuals' social skills. The coach's role here
was to observe and encourage, very much taking a back seat. The rationale here was to
encourage children to express themselves more, problem solve and think for themselves.

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 Here you will find the title of

USING THE PLANS the practice as well as the

theme. In this example, the
practice is called “3 team
Here you will see a diagram of the practice,
this shows;
- The playing area
A quick look at the session plans finishing” and it is taken from
- The goals and equipment
the “finishing” theme. You
can search for different - How to distribute the players
themes using the contents - How the practice might progress or flow
page.

Here you will find tips around

the set up; number of players,
offsides, pitch dimensions,
suggested times, goalkeepers
and goals.

In this section you will find

details of how to organise the
practice, including the
intention of the session, how
does this link to the 11v11
game, what you should look
out for when observing and
finally some progressions to
keep the players challenged.

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CONTENTS
Session Design

Page # Title Page # Title

14 Session Design 30 Pitch Size
15 Learning Is Non-linear 31 Game Intensity Index (GII)
17 A Constraints-led Approach 32 Developing Individuals
20 Affordances 34 What Is The Game Asking You To Do?
22 A Footballer’s Diet 37 Questions?!
23 Restrict, Relate, Reward 38 Coach Communication
24 Realism, Relevance and Repetition
40 High Challenge, High Support
25 Develop a Feeling
41 How HOT Do You Want Your Session?
26 Modifying Your Session
42 The Principles of Video Game Design
28 Pitch Shape
29 Scoring

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CONTENTS
Football Principles

Page # Title
45 Football principles
46 Outplaying
47 Passing and Receiving
48 The Opposition Decides How We Score
49 Over, Around And Through
50 The Game Within The Game

52 The Pivot Player

53 5 Lanes + 3 Thirds
55 Support
57 Scanning
58 Out Of Possession

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CONTENTS
Playing out from the back Switching Play

Page # Title Page # Title

60 Building From The Back 68 Playing With Width
61 When To Play Forwards 69 Classic Switching Play
62 Playing Out Using The Goalkeeper 70 The Four Goal Game
63 Goalkeepers Hands or Feet? 71 Four Goal: Dribble or Pass?
64 Playing Out Using The Holding Midfielder 72 Four Goal Switch
65 Pass and Join 73 6 Goal Game
66 3v3 High Press
74 6 Goal Game V2
67 Playing Out Creating a Diamond 75 Half Pitch Switch
76 Back-to-Back Goals
77 Octagon Switching Play
78 Switch or Counter?
79 Switch to Score
80 Play Around or Through?

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CONTENTS
Combination & Movement

Page # Title Page # Title

81 Lineball 97 Three, Two, One!
82 Forward Pass and Forward Run 98 Recreating Street Football
83 Forward Pass and Forward Run V2 99 1 Touch or 4 or More
84 Third Man Run 100 No Backwards Pass
85 3v3 With End Zone 101 One Two to Score
86 The Transfer Game 102 2v2 Combine To Score
87 4v4+3
103 Midfield Play Through or Around?
88 3v3 Midfield Movement 104 Midfield Overload
89 Midfield Rotation
105 Improving Midfield Relationships
90 #10 In The Diagonal Pocket
106 1 Touch Assist
91 The Combination Corridor
107 The Playmaker
92 Everyone in the Opposition Half
108 Counter-attack With Lazy Wingers
93 Killer Pass
109 3v3 Midfield Join the Attack
94 Breakout…Midfield Runner
110 Counter-attack Game
95 Through the Thirds
111 3 Team Transition Game
96 Messy Football

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CONTENTS
Finishing

Page # Title Page # Title

112 Key Pass 122 Diamond Pitch
113 Over, Around or Through? 123 Top Bins
114 1 Goal and Off 124 Secret Striker
115 Target Man 125 3-2-1 Finishing Game
116 Fox in the Box 126 Wide Breakout
117 3 Team Finishing 127 Level Up 4v4
118 1v1 Knockout
128 Four Goals Four Keepers
119 Turn and Burn 129 Beat Your Direct Opponent
120 Long Range Screamer
121 In the Pocket

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CONTENTS
Defending

Page # Title Page # Title

130 First To 30! 139 Our House
131 2v2 Forcing Play 140 Man Marking
132 Protect the Square 141 Press High = Double Goals
133 Simeone Defending Game 142 Recovering Full Back
134 3 Team Keep Away 143 Position Specific Defending
135 Slide And Screen 144 Defence vs Attack
136 The Sweeper
145 Counter Press 4v2 To 4v6
137 Defending Outnumbered
138 Wipeout

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CONTENTS
Scenarios!

Page # Title Page # Title

146 Champion Trainer 154 Constant Overload
147 Pressure Penalty 155 Team Bingo!
148 Promotion and Relegation 156 Individual Bingo!
149 Fetch Your Rubbish 157 Bias Ref
150 10 Ball 158 Win By One
151 Bib Up 159 Tactical Possession
152 Score and Move
160 Golden Ball
153 Two Nil Up or Two Nil Down?

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S E S S I O N
D E S I G N

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SESSION DESIGN Ball entry
and restarts
Goalkeepers

Considerations when planning

Pitch size Physical
I am fascinated by session design. Seeing a and shape loading
session come to life on the grass from some
ideas you scribbled down is one of the most
challenging and rewarding aspects of coaching Pitch
football. I also think this is something you never Transition Learner Observation
master; you get more skilled but still make
geography engagement skills
mistakes almost week to week. It is important to
remember we are talking about people, human
behaviour will be different from group to group, Goals and
depending on a number of dynamic and complex scoring
factors. It also means the way I deliver a session
might be completely different to you.
Relate
Over the next few pages I have outlined some Direction Developing
Reward Time
theories, approaches and ideas that have individuals
influenced my coaching and session design. Restrict
These are huge areas and these notes do not do
them justice, my aspiration here is two-fold; Session Coach
• To add some context and rationale behind
intention Communication
some of the practices in the eBook.

• To encourage readers to go and learn more Psychological

about some of the subject areas. load
Where appropriate I have highlighted some
research or specialists in these areas where you
can find out more. Many of these ideas are not Practice
spectrum Progressions
mine, nor do I claim that they are – but they have
helped shape my session design so might help
you too. Realism
Curriculum Player led,
Managing
or player Relevance coach led or
difference
needs co-created
Repetition

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LEARNING IS NON-LINEAR
Understanding human movement and designing sessions
Traditional approaches that promote an ideal model movement pattern for a certain task, or
isolated technical practice to then implement in a dynamic activity such as football, might not
Representativeness
be the best or only approach. Representative practice tasks ensure that processes of cognition, perception and action are
In the book, “Nonlinear Pedagogy in Skill Acquisition: An Introduction”, Jia Yi Chow, Keith functionally intertwined and integrated during each athlete’s performance (Pinder et al,
Davids, Chris Button and Ian Renshaw, offer an alternative for coaches. Non-Linear Pedagogy is 2011). In practical terms what this means is that learners need to develop the capacity to
a learner-centered approach to skill acquisition. An umbrella term for teaching and coaching search for and discover functional performance solutions, rather than merely repeat a
that uses task and environment design to develop skill acquisition. This approach advocates for ‘coach-determined’ movement .
individualised learning, even in team sports like football.

It is through exploration, practice and play that both movement, co-ordination, solutions and
decision making can be learnt and enhanced, by focusing on the nature of specific learner- Task Simplification
environment interactions. If human movement systems are considered as non-linear dynamical
systems, then ecological psychology and dynamical systems theory attempts to explain how Modifying tasks whilst still ensuring that functional information movement couplings are
human behaviour is information driven. maintained.

Ecological Psychology Dynamics System Theory Constraints Manipulation

A field of psychology where perception is Generally, non-linear dynamical systems
The adjustment of task constraints to prompt learners to explore and acquire movement
considered to be a functional act of are highly interconnected systems
behaviours.
picking up information from the composed of many interacting parts,
environment, to use for regulating capable of constantly changing their state
movement, not for enhancing its of organisation.
automaticity. Attentional Focus
A preference for instructions based on external focus of attention to reduce conscious and
explicit control of movement.
The fundamentals of Non-Linear Pedagogy when looking at session design are shown on the
right. Buttin, C., Seifert, L., Chow, J. Y., Davids, K., & Aaujo, D. (2020) Dynamics of skill acquisition: An
Ecological dyanmics approach. Human Kinetics Publishers.

Jia Yi Chow, Keith Davids, Chris Button and Ian Renshaw (2015) Nonlinear Pedagogy in Skill
Acquisition: An Introduction. Routledge.

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Perception, action, intentions and behaviour are therefore seen to be highly integrated with
one another. The combination of these two ideas provides a theoretical framework for
Its complex!
ecological dynamics as a rationale for skill acquisition, especially, but not solely, in a team
Human development is a complex process influenced by many interacting factors. What
sports context.
works for one individual might not work for another.
Ecological Dynamics considers both individual performers and sports teams as complex
adaptive systems (systems that are composed of two or more interacting components) that
can self organise. It sees each individual performer as having their own individual set of
characteristics, which in turn interact with the information from a dynamic or continuous People develop at different rates
environment.
Nonlinear systems do not develop in a gradual or predictable way, but instead they
experience sudden jumps, pauses or set backs which are natural and hard to predict.
Learning is hard, messy and unique to the individual.

Environment and culture

A major challenge is to understand how environmental constraints interact with task and
personal constraints in enhancing skill and expertise in movement.

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 Performer
A CONSTRAINTS LED APPROACH These are constraints that are
specific to the individual
performer, for example;
Adapted from Newell, 1986
▪ Structural or physical aspects of
A Constraints-led Approach or CLA is an ecological model centred on the mutual relationship that emerges from interactions of each individual and a the learner including size,
performance environment. In the CLA model, more skillful performance emerges through self-organisation under constraints as individuals become shape, flexibility, fitness etc.
perceptually attuned to the key information sources which can regulate their actions in specific performance environments (when performing or
learning) (Chow 2013). A distinguishing feature of the CLA is that its practice design and delivery is informed by principles of a Non-Linear Pedagogy ▪ Functional or behavioural
(NLP), which provides a powerful theoretical model of the learner and the processes of learning, based on the empirically-verified ideas and concepts aspects such as training age,
of ecological psychology and dynamical systems theory (Davids et al. 2005; Chow et al. 2007, 2009, 2011; Renshaw, Davids, Chow and Shuttleworth motivation, anxiety,
2009; Renshaw et al. 2010). confidence...etc.
The provision of pedagogical principles (such as information-movement couplings, representative learning design, manipulation of constraints,
infusion of variability, accounting for attentional focus and attunement to affordances) supports the pedagogical channels of modeling, instructions, Task
and design of practice and informational constraints (Chow, 2013). Non-Linear Pedagogy provides an empirically-verified and theoretically
rationalised description and focus for the design of learning environments in physical education and sport (Davids et al. 2005; Chow et al. 2007). This These are the constraints that
learner-environment centred pedagogy recognises the emergent, self-organising nature of learning under interacting constraints. It empowers coaches are most familiar with and
learners to individually and actively explore and generate specific, functional movement solutions to satisfy the unique combination of interacting task, can include;
environment and individual constraints (or boundaries) imposed on them (for more detailed overviews see Handford et al. 1997; Chow et al. 2007;
Chow et al. 2009; Chow et al. 2006, 2013; Davids, Button, and Bennett, 2008; Davids, Chow, and Shuttleworth 2005; Renshaw et al. 2010; Araújo, ▪ Goal/Purpose
Davids, Bennett, Button and Chapman, 2004). ▪ Space and Boundaries
▪ Rules and Regulations
In brief, a constraints-led approach is based around the idea that movement is influenced by a dynamical system of interacting constraints on either ▪ Equipment
the task, performer or environment. By definition, a constraint is a boundary which encourages the learner to emerge with certain behaviours.

A task constraint relates to the activity in terms of the goal, the equipment or rules (e.g. 1 touch finish) a performer constraint involves unique
structural characteristics including physiological, psychological and emotional aspects (e.g. weight or motivation).
Environment
These are the constraints that the
An environmental constraint is often very difficult to change and involves gravity, ambience or temperature and sociocultural factors (e.g. peer
groups at school). performer operates in;

Within a constraints-led approach, a key factor is how coaches acknowledge and manipulate the constraints (see right) in order to encourage the ▪ Physical aspects like pitch,
emergence of skills. weather, wind, altitude...etc.

▪ Sociocultural constraints can

include national/sporting
culture, group, background,
peers...etc.
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THE CONSTRAINTS LED APPROACH Constraints have been defined as boundaries which shape the emergence of
behaviour (Davids, 2010). The interaction of different constraints forces the
learner to seek stable and effective movement patterns during goal-directed
Adapted from Newell, 1986 activity. A small change in one part of the system can lead to the emergence
of large scale global changes. Newell (1986) classified constraints into three
distinct categories: performer (or individual), environment, and task.

In the book “The constraints-Led Approach” by Ian Renshaw, Keith Davids,

Daniel Newcombe and Will Roberts, they introduce the Environment Design
Principles (EDP). This is a bridge for coaches between the theory and
practice. The key principles are;

Constraining to afford Session Intention

Design in constraints to offer, invite, The intentions of the session act as an
encourage learners to explore the overriding and organisational
opportunities for action related to the constraint. What do we want the
session intention (see Affordances players to experience? What
page 20). interactions will take place? Have we
considered the individual needs and
skill levels?

Representative Design Repetition without

Ensure that what the learner is seeing, Repetition
hearing and feeling in the practice
Design in the appropriate amount of
environment is similar to the
variability and instability/stability to the
performance environment. This would
practice environment. In this approach
suggest decontextualising or breaking
performers are provided with
the game down might have limitations.
opportunities to search and explore to
This is a change in emphasis from
create a range of effective and
actions to interactions.
adaptable movement solutions.

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A constraints-led approach does not advocate;
Example of interacting constraints on the emergent behaviours
▪ Just playing games in sport.
▪ Coaches sitting back and not coaching
▪ Letting ‘the game be the teacher’ Performer Task Environment
▪ That there is a ‘textbook’ technique or one way to do things
Cognitive skills, emotional Specific rules, markings, Family support networks
Benefits of a constraints-led approach could be; capacity, mental attributes, boundaries, surfaces
goals, motivations,
▪ The coach strives to design representative practices that look and feel like the game intentions
▪ Players have to think – search, discover and adapt to find a solution
▪ The sessions challenge individuals to explore and discover the solution, not told what to Physical constraints Instructional constraints Cultural expectations and
do and how to do it including; strength, speed, including coaching attitudes. Social
▪ It acknowledges that individuals are part of a system and interact flexibility, height, weight, methods, types of feedback construction of age, gender,
▪ It makes sessions engaging and enjoyable (Self Determination Theory) acoustic and visual system provided, exposure to race…etc.
discovery learning...etc.
Genes Use of video, images, Peer group pressure, media
stimulations and models for images, commercialisation
practice of sport and physical activity
Specific activities Design and scaling of Access to high quality
undertaken during practice equipment facilities
time
Amount of learning and Design of practice tasks; Access to high quality
previous experience task simplification vs task learning opportunities and
decomposition teaching
Develop status of various Artificial aids and devices Physical constraints such as
subsystems including those gravity, altitude, ambient
for locomotion, postural, lighting and temperature
control, reaching and
grasping...etc

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AFFORDANCES
Opportunities to act
All coaches would like to work with and help develop skilled individuals. Skill is a huge topic, which has many
different definitions.

Successful performance (skilful performance) in sport is predicated on the constraints of an individual’s

perceptual and action capabilities, selecting among affordances to guide football interactions (dribble, pass,
off ball movement…) during performance (Araújo et al., 2006).

Affordance is what the environment offers the individual. James J. Gibson, coined the term in his 1966 book,
“The Senses Considered as Perceptual Systems”. Affordances are opportunities for action (Rietveld &
Kiverstein, 2014) and are related to an individual’s ability to use available information to regulate and organise
actions to develop adaptable behaviours that support expert performance (Esteves, Oliveira, & Araújo, 2010).

Practice should highlight informational constraints to improve the coupling of perception-action.

“You cannot adapt to an environment that you don’t inhabit”

Keith Davids
Professor of Motor Learning at the Centre for Sport & Exercise Science at Sheffield Hallam University

In a practical sense, an example could help explain this more simply. In a closed drill the affordances are
limited – the coach decides the routine and prescribes a ‘perfect technique’ to execute. In a very open or
random exercise like a 4v4, the performers can choose to dribble, pass, shoot as well as the moment to do so.
The affordances here are greater – more interactions with teammates, opponents causing us problems and a
task or aim to exploit space and score. Which practice is more like the game? Which practice requires more
skilful performance? Here players have to explore, discover and adapt.

If we start from the game and work backwards, we can be led by the needs of the individual. If the player
needs isolated repetition or refinement away from the game this may aid their performance in the game.
Rather than the traditional approach of technique practice, skill practice, game, we can start with something
more representative of the game itself.

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 A ‘FOOTBALLERS DIET’
Unopposed vs opposed

Environment Design Continuum – Invasion Games by Danny Newcombe @dannynewcombe The vortex of variability by Stuart Armstrong, The Talent Equation @stu_arm

When planning a session or collection of practices, it is important to consider where the practice sits on the continuum. The models above demonstrate how practices can move from constant to
variable to random. These practices will have different returns. The intention of the practice must always be clear in the coach’s mind, they then look to design the landscape for the performer to
learn. It is not as simple as drills are bad and games are good, it is important to understand the returns of each practice. How much variability do we want the players to experience?

When creating a positive learning environment for the players, the coach might want to consider the level of certainty they are creating. At the lower end of the spectrum there are generally less
decisions and therefore lots of certainty. As you move towards the opposite end, the players are placed in more variable and dynamic situations, which will create uncertainty for the performer. The
craft of the coach is creating “Safe uncertainty” as “genuine learning is often characterised by significant changes to ways of doing things, not just on-going refinement/optimisation” (Mark Upton).

Finally, when planning and reflecting, it is worth considering how much time we spend on different parts of the continuum. This could depend on several factors such as; how frequently do the
players practice? How experienced or skilled are the players? Have the players tried or experienced a practice like this before? How do we balance the development of individuals and collective
ideas?
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RESTRICT, RELATE, REWARD
Inspired by Ben Bartlett @benbarts
When the coach is designing or selecting a practice, he or she must decide how they intend to
Restrict challenge players’ actions and decisions. This can be done in a number of different ways.

This is quite a traditional approach to session design, where the coach restricts or constrains The restrict, relate and reward approach from Ben Bartlett is simple and brilliant. Remember
the practice. This might be where players can go, how many touches they are allowed or the task constraints or conditions could be for all players or tailored to the individual. Tasking
how they score. This will allow for lots of repetition of the theme, but might reduce the or constraining players individually within a game or squad practice can afford players the
opportunity for players to make decisions or recognise the ‘when’ and ‘where’ to execute a opportunity to practise something unique to them within the context of the game.
certain skill or movement solution. A classic example is ‘two touch only’ – this will get lots of
There is no right or wrong here but being aware of the possible outcomes if you select a certain
quick passes (high repetition) but removes the decision of when to dribble or slow the approach is useful. It also might raise your awareness, to reflect on any bias or habits you may
game down for example. have when coaching.

Examples: Must win the ball in the opposition’s half or must pass the ball into the wide zone
before scoring.

Relate Reward
This approach looks to build on the players understanding. The player is encouraged to This approach looks to reward the players if they choose to engage in the task design. This
relate the task provided to the situation in front of them and make a decision. The skill of could be seen as middle ground between restrict and relate, as there is no rule or coaching
the coach here is to avoid telling, or fixing the problem for, the player. Consider supporting intervention if they choose not to engage. The structure of the practice or the incentive will
the session design with questions around what they notice or noticed in the situation they encourage the players to make an attempt or have a go.
were in. For example, what did you notice when you got success playing forwards? Why did
that work? This might help players to make sense of the situations they find themselves in.

Examples: Regain possession in the opposition half and score = double goals. Score a goal
Examples: Starting the game with a 2-0 lead or use the wide zones to set up attacks. from a cross = 3 goals.

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THE THREE R’S Realism
A practice that meets the demands of the Consider;
Realism, relevance and repetition game. Does it look like football? Is football
being played? ▪ The environment
The 3 R’s is a concept used by the Football Association across their coach education ▪ Tactical
and their elite sides. ▪ Technical
▪ Mental
It’s another ‘easy to remember’ phrase when designing a session which considers; ▪ Physical
▪ Social
▪ Does the practice match the demands of the game?
▪ Does the practice meet the needs of the individuals in the practice?
▪ Does the practice allow the individuals to experience repetition?
Relevance
I often think of these as dials and if one is set to 10 out of 10, it is unlikely that the
others will be high. For example, an individual kicking a ball against a wall is 10/10 A practice that meets the needs of the players. Consider;
for repetition but 1/10 for realism and relevance. Alternatively, a 11v11 game will be
high for realism but will offer quite limited repetition. ▪ Age appropriate
▪ Ability / stage
The skill of the coach is to tweak and change these dials throughout the weeks and ▪ Positions
months, depending on their context and the players they are working with. ▪ Style of play or philosophy
▪ Motivation
▪ Physical loading

Repetition
A practice that offers quality repetition. Consider;

▪ The size of the group

▪ The flow or practice management
▪ The theme or intention of the session
▪ The information (affordances)
▪ The syllabus

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DEVELOP A FEELING INTRINSIC
Feedback for the performer ▪ Perceptual feedback

When players are playing the game there are so many sources of information that can
influence their performance. For a coach it is worth pausing and considering how valuable
our input is and using an imaginary scale, then deciding where it could sit in comparison to;
their peers, the experiences, feedback from the game…etc. VIDEO SEMATOSENSORY
OBSERVATIONAL ▪ Feel
In 2020, I tried to capture some thoughts on this with a blog titled “Develop a Feel”, which ANALYSIS
looked at the redundant argument between opposed and unopposed practice, as well as ▪ Vision
some of the factors that might help players to improve that feel for the game. ▪ Attunement ▪ Auditory
▪ Feedback ▪ Haptic
▪ Feedforward ▪ Proprioceptive

“I feel the moment from game to game, feel the

moment and play what feels right.”
Lionel Messi

“I don’t think the manager can tell you when to

make this run there. When you feel the ball will COACH – PLAYER
come here. The manager cannot tell you to feel ▪ Immediate (HOT)
EXTRINSIC
▪ Augmented feedback
that…only the player can feel that.” ▪ Delayed (COLD)

Paul Pogba

Taken from Develop a Feeling by Dan Wright PLAYER – PLAYER

The Player Development Project
▪ Peer Coaching
https://playerdevelopmentproject.com/develop-a-feeling/
▪ Coach Ball Carrier
▪ Attack trains
defence
▪ Defence trains attack
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MODIFYING YOUR SESSION
By manipulating parts of the practice you will offer different experiences, opportunities for
action and challenge for the players. Different federations and organisations have different
views on aspects of this, but here are some broad concepts to consider when designing a
session.

Area size Area shape and zones

▪ Bigger might allow for more time in possession. ▪ This is a big area to consider when designing a session, a small tweak or change here
▪ Smaller might increase the speed of play or interactions between the players. can alter the returns dramatically.
▪ Area size will have a huge impact on the physical returns (frequency / volume / ▪ See page 28 For a detailed look at this topic.
intensity).

People Scoring!
▪ Think about the individual match-ups in the practice? ▪ Most kids are competitive and want to know how they can get success.
▪ How can you plan individual needs / targets into the sessions design? ▪ See page 29 for some ideas around different scoring mechanisms.
▪ How we distribute the players to link to the systems or strategies we choose to deploy.
▪ Encourage players to strategise on an 1-to-1 and team basis. How will they get success
and why?
▪ What are the benefits and disadvantages of putting certain individuals in the same
team? Time or number of attempts
▪ The use of neutral / floater / jokers or magic-men will increase success but may
decrease realism. ▪ To manage the practice or the experience for the player consider using a set time or
▪ Outside players or targets can be useful, again be mindful to not stray too far away number of go’s for each game. If the game has no boundaries or structure it may
from the game. become aimless or boring for the participants.

Task constraints / coaching

Equipment
▪ There is no right or wrong way to coach, consider how your style or intervention might
land with the players and try and meet the players where they are in terms of their ▪ By altering the equipment in the practice you will get different returns, similar to pitch
learning and understanding. size or shape. The big one here is goals – too small and players might not get success
▪ Think about progressions to make the practice easier or harder, don’t be afraid to ask or blast it trying to score, equally too big for the Goalkeeper and it won’t offer enough
the players. challenge.

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There are so many great ideas to steal from clubs, organisations and governing bodies
and this one from GB Hockey really covers all the bases of session design. ‘CHANGE IT’
also references the role of the coach when the session is live – can you adapt on the run
to make sure;

▪ The players are engaged in the practice

▪ The intention of the practice is being achieved

▪ All the players are being challenged (too easy, too hard, one-sided…etc)

C oaching challenge – what is the task?

H ow you score?

A rea to play in – size, shape, boundaries

N umber of players – equal/overload?

G ame rules and point scoring – for actions other than scoring

E nter the ball – where is the ball fed from? CHANGE IT taken from GB Hockey

Initial positions – where do the players start?

T ime limit – sets and reps

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PITCH SHAPE
Throughout the practices there are different shaped pitches suggested for each game. The shape and size of the pitch will
encourage different interactions between the players, opposition and the task. Here are a few different examples of what
behaviour we might see when changing the pitch.

FULL SIZE PITCH CENTRAL ZONE CIRCLE

▪ High realism but low ▪ Safe zone ▪ 360˚ pressure
repetition ▪ Receiving space ▪ Maintain possession
▪ Physically demanding ▪ Space between halves ▪ Scanning
▪ Need a lot of players
▪ Recreate match day

HALF PITCH WIDE ZONE SQUARE INSIDE A SQUARE

▪ Unit v Unit ▪ Switching play ▪ Transition
▪ Position Specific ▪ Transition ▪ Defending compact
▪ Phase of play ▪ Defending priorities ▪ Attacking small spaces
▪ Recreate match day ▪ Multi-directional

SMALL SIDED WITH END ZONE OCTAGON / DIAMOND

HALVES ▪ Forward pass ▪ Attacking centrally
▪ High press / Low block ▪ Forward run ▪ More space in the middle third
▪ Playing out ▪ Relate / reward specific ▪ Diagonal passes / runs
▪ Penetrating forward action
▪ Transition ▪ No Goalkeepers

BOXES / QUARTERS THIRDS FUNNEL

▪ Movement ▪ Split into units ▪ Force play into one area
▪ Rotation ▪ Pitch geography ▪ Limit backwards passes
▪ Combination play ▪ Playing forwards ▪ Encourage a breakout
▪ Awareness of others ▪ Central play
▪ Transition

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SCORING The location and number of goals will really impact the behavior of the players. Below are a few examples of how we might use
goals or scoring mechanisms to offer different opportunities.

REGULAR 2 GOAL GAME SMALL 2 GOAL GAME GOALS OFF THE PITCH
▪ Normal game ▪ No Goalkeepers ▪ Encourage longer
▪ Familiar for players ▪ Difficult to get success passes upon regain
▪ Adheres to principles of ▪ Smaller pitches ▪ Screening or blocking
play

1 LARGE GOAL 1 LARGE AND 2 SMALL GOALS ANGLED GOALS

▪ 1 Goalkeeper = 1 ▪ Motivation for defending team ▪ Target for team upon regain
goal ▪ Maintain moments of transition ▪ Can score left or right
▪ Activity in and
around the box

BACK TO BACK 3 TARGET GOALS GOALS FACING OUT

▪ Switching Play ▪ Maintain motivation for ▪ High chance of scoring
▪ Defending central defending team ▪ Hard to defend
areas ▪ High chance of success ▪ Attack centrally
▪ Can score wide or centrally ▪ Creates interference

FOUR GOAL END ZONES

▪ Switching play ▪ No Goalkeeper or goals
▪ Forcing play inside ▪ Easy to set up
▪ More success! ▪ Lots of link to principles of
play

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PITCH SIZE
No. of player Small Medium Large Pitch-area
Here you will find some recommended sizes for pitches depending on the number or players (m) (m) (m) (m₂)
and their age / stage. When altering the pitch size consider what impact this might have for the
players playing in the game. Consider; 1v1 5 x 10 10 x 15 15 x 20 100

▪ How many interactions do we want? (pass, shot, dribble...etc.) 2v2 10 x 15 15 x 20 20 x 25 400-800

▪ How physically demanding do we want the game to be?
▪ What tempo / intensity do we want the game to be? 3v3 12 x 20 15 x 25 18 x 30 240-2500
▪ How realistic are these interactions in comparison to a competitive fixture?
4v4 16 x 24 20 x 30 24 x 36 240-2208
Age Group Format Recommend size of goals Maximum recommendation 5v5 20 x 28 25 x 35 30 x 42 240-2500
(height x width) ft (length x width) yards
6v6 24 x 32 30 x 40 36 x 48 240-2500
Mini-Soccer 5v5 6 12 40 30
U7/U8 7v7 50 x 35-45 875-2200
Mini Soccer 7v7 6 12 60 40
U9/U10 8v8 60 x 40-45 2400-2700

Youth U11/U12 9v9 7 16 80 50 9v9 60 x 50 3000

10v10 90 x 45 4000
Youth U13/U14 11v11 7 21 90 55
Aguiar, M., et al. A review on the effects of soccer small-sided games. 2012.
Youth U15/16 11v11 8 24 100 60 Dellal, A.C., K.; Pintus, A.; Girard, O.; Cotte, T.; Keller, D., Heart rate responses during small-
sided games and short intermittent running training in elite soccer players: a comparative
study. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2008.
Youth U17/U18 11v11 8 24 110 70
Hill-Haas, S.V.D., B. T.; Coutts, A. J.; Rowsell, G. J., Physiological responses and time-motion
characteristics of various small-sided soccer games in youth players. J Sports Sci, 2009.
Over 18/Senior 11v11 8 24 110 70
Kelly, D.M. and B. Drust, The effect of pitch dimensions on heart rate responses and technical
demands of small-sided soccer games in elite players. Journal of Science and Medicine in
The Football Association Sport, 2009.

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GAME INTENSITY INDEX (GII)
Renshaw et al. (2012)
Another way to think about the size of pitch you use is to link the practice area to the pitch size FORMAT NUMBERS OFFSIDE FIELD SIZE GAME
the players use on a match day. Renshaw et al. (2012) put forward the concept of the “Game (M) INTENSITY
intensity Index (GII)”, which is one way to quantify the game intensity the players experience. INDEX (GII)
Under 6 & 7 4v4 No 30x20 75
25x18 56
PITCHAREA(M₂) / 2
GAME INTENSITY INDEX (GII) = ---------------------------------- Under 8 & 9 7v7 No 40x30 100
50x40 167
NUMBER OF OUTFIELD PLAYERS
Under 10 & 11 9v9 No 50x35 109
60x40 150
70x50 219
Under 12+ 11v11 Yes 105x68 89
For example, the GII at Old Trafford, Manchester;
Australian Football Federation Small Sided Game Guidelines (FFA, 2010)

*For these calculations you need to remove the goalkeeper, so the 9v9 for example is 8v8 (16)
1785M ₂/2
GAME INTENSITY INDEX (GII) = _____________________ = 89

10 PLAYERS
As you can see from the example above, different formats have a significant impact on the
If a coach would like to design a small six-a-side game to replicate the GII at Old Trafford, he / intensity of the game.
she would need a pitch of 40m X 25 to create a GII of 83, slightly higher than the demands of
the Old Trafford pitch.
Its may also be worth considering;
The benefits of this approach might be;
▪ Maturation could play a huge role here, what might be suitable for one 12 or 13 year old
▪ The coach can design Small Sided Games (SSG’s) that are similar to the ‘real game’ might be too physically demanding for another.

▪ The coach can objectively determine the ability of the group of players and design learning ▪ 11v11 youth football will not look the same as adult youth football, as players are still learning
environments that are matched to their abilities the game. The amount of interactions (touches, shots, dribbles…etc.) will go down in a larger
format of the game.

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DEVELOPING INDIVIDUALS
The role of a youth coach
It could be argued that the role of the coach can differ in different settings. For example, a first
team coach striving to keep a team in the Football League might use different approaches or Strength based approach
prioritise different things in comparison to a coach working with 7-year old's in a grassroots
setting. A youth coach should focus on what players can do rather than what they can’t. Try to avoid
becoming ‘deficit detectives’ and looking for faults and things to fix. In a high performance
For a coach working in development football, the priority should be process driven rather than setting think about why that individual was selected or recruited into the club or system, if
outcome focused. Continuing with the example, for the coach working in first team football the they are an good dribbler can we help them make this a super strength. If we try and make
result and 3 points might be the only measure of success – style or individuals in the team them outstanding at 1 or 2 things they are more likely to achieve and progress.
improving might take a back seat as the outcome is the only focus. In development football the
aim is to help the players improve, as people and footballers. This means that coach’s focus is
on the process – everyday, every session, every game. With the outcome only focus – you
either win or you lose, there is no middle ground. With a process focus you might improve in
certain moments of the game or meet indicators that show improvement…but still lose the
game. Individual Development Plans
Players and coaches can co-create plans or targets to put the journey into the players hands.
The plan can be framed in a number of ways, with the ultimate aim of raising self awareness
of the player’s strength and areas to develop. This process can encourage reflection on
performance, effort and practice. These plans can be reviewed and updated in both formal
“In football you always play two games. The first one and informal ways.
you see on the scoreboard. The second one is ‘our
way’ and ‘our style’. The first one you can lose,
sometimes, but the second one, never ever. It is not Rate Limiters
possible, not allowed. And this is where our focus Rate limiters can be described as “factors which may be limiting current performance levels”
lies.” this could be fixed or something that could be worked on with practice and training. For
example, Messi could improve his heading but would struggle to compete with 6ft 2 Central
Pepijn Lijnders Defenders. What might stop players progressing to the next level? Can we help develop
Liverpool FC things they may need to compete in the future?

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Coaching individuals within a group session “When Demarai was an U16 within the U18
When designing practices for groups or teams, how do we shine a light on group, in U18 league games, we played him
individuals within that team setting? As Ted Dale (The FA) puts it “Who is
James Bond in the practice?” so for example, if we are working on defending centre midfield.
in and around the box, who are the key individuals? What are they specifically
working on? How do we plan to interact with them? How will we support or
challenge them? How will we manipulate the constraints to meet the needs of He was a less physically developed player
those individuals?
and if we were look at a results point of view,
having him there would’ve hindered our
Match Day chance of getting a result but we had to play
When using this individualised approach, it is vital that we maintain this
through match days and pressurised moments. This might be as simple as
him in there for him to gain a great
interacting in the same way; positive, frequent, consistent, repetitive and understanding of defensive responsibility and
unconditional. It is also worth considering how we can use games as an
extension of training, that could include things like the position(s) they play, team shape.
technical aims or psychological goals.

Does it matter we lost 2-1 on the day? No it

Reflect and Review doesn’t. It all comes down to perception”
When using a player centred or individualised approach we need to regularly
reflect and review, is each individual getting what they need? This will drive Krisitjaan Speakman
decisions around the whole development process; how frequently do they Birmingham City Academy Director on Premier League Winner, Demarai Gray
train, the groups they train in, their individual plan, the practice habits and
their experiences on game day. Taken from Redefining Success: An Individual Approach by Dave Wright
The Player Development Project
https://playerdevelopmentproject.com/redefining-success-individual-approach/
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WHAT IS THE GAME ASKING YOU TO DO ?
Originally written for The Player Development Project
Over the last few months I have found myself using the question used as this article’s title a I have become a big advocate of questioning and over the years and I’d like to think my
lot. I’ve done so with an aim to challenge players to think about their game, or perhaps more questioning skills have improved. When I started, I asked mostly closed questions which didn’t
specifically what they had noticed whilst playing the game. really challenge the players to actually think or reflect on what happened.
Let me start from the start. I believe that football is played by the players. Coaches are just
there to assist, guide and nudge them in the right direction. I believe our role is to help This progressed, only slightly, to a scenario where players were asked questions which they
players to understand the game and how they interact with others to achieve, particularly in could answer with generic replies like “Space”, “Width” or “Support”. This felt better, I thought,
youth football. because players’ answers were slightly more specific. But in reality, there were probably 10
different answers that players rotated session to session, as if they were spinning a wheel of
I also believe, if we want skilful individuals who make great decisions, we have to expose fortune in their heads, they had a fair chance of guessing the right answer.
them to random and dynamic situations where they can search, decide and execute. As a
coach sometimes this means holding back solutions, so players can go through the messy When tutors or senior staff asked if I used a variety of interventions, I was sure I was. In reality I
and sticky “working it out” phase. Oh, and make lots of mistakes. was probably manipulating the wording of my questioning to get the answers I wanted to hear.
If we dive even deeper, there are key components to encourage skill development when “What do we need to do before receiving the ball?” would be met with “scan!”. Hmmm, if
designing a session. everyone knows this why doesn’t it happen?! I think there’s a significant link between session
design and questioning. Perhaps, the sessions weren’t creating the need. Players telling me
▪ What is the intention of the practice. What is it we want the player to get better at? they need to scan and designing a practice where players actually scan, are two different
things. Perhaps, the questions and manufactured positive replies pasted over the fact that
▪ Has the environment been adapted to draw learners’ attention to key information and players weren’t learning or developing skill. I don’t think this questioning approach was adding
important opportunities for action? value for the participants, it was for show. Players were merely reciting or filling in the blanks.

▪ Is the practice representative of the game. Does it feel like a game? Is there competition? The next step was to ask what I would describe as linked questions, for example “If X does this,
Consequence? Whilst remembering “game-like” doesn’t always mean a game. what would you do?”. I still use this method and with some players in the right context it works
well. I tend to use it for big picture stuff, with more focus on tactics and team stuff like
▪ Does the practice allow for lots of repetition with lots of random variation? 11v11/Phase of Play, video sessions or 1-2-1 chats, sometimes with a tactics board.

▪ Does the coach’s behaviour invite and encourage these interactions? ME: “The ball goes back to the goalkeeper, central defenders show me what you’d do?”
[Players answer and move]
As coaches, we are constantly looking to improve and develop in all these areas. Part of the
attraction of coaching is that you never really master all of these areas! There’s always room [Coach could now paint a few different “What if.. or “What next?” scenarios]
for improvement. One component that I find fascinating is coaching interventions – both type
and frequency. ME: “Great. The goalkeeper chooses to play wide, into Full Back, what would you do next?”

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I found this approach particularly useful when reviewing game footage. After a For a specific individual challenge: “Do you think you can beat your defender on
few weeks, players can lead their own debrief and tell us what went well, what both sides?”
they would change, and the skills they need to go away and work on. Bingo!!
We might be getting somewhere. Sometimes, I’d need to tease the answer out And with the right age group, relationship and personality, you can use the “I don’t
with “Tell me more” or “Can you explain more?” think you can…” strategy. So, perhaps with a confident forward “I don’t think you can
score 2 goals in this game?”. Set a challenge and review it almost instantly.
This approach then evolved into asking questions but not waiting for the
answer. I didn’t realise I did it until I recorded my sessions and watched them As with all interventions, there is not a silver bullet or one-size-fits-all approach here.
back. It was actually pointed out by one of my mentors, who said he loved it as Some players don’t enjoy the uncertainty that questioning might present. They want
it kept the kids engaged. “Is this a question Dan actually wants me to answer?” answers and solutions. As we’ve discussed before, there are different times were
other methodology might be better, be that command, guided discovery, trial-and-
This is something I find works when players are right in the middle of their error or free play.
stretch point so either there is a certain level of competency or they
experienced this moment of the game before. The question might prime the Think of these approaches on a spectrum, from certainty to uncertainty. Some enjoy
players to think about the practice and their role within it. the search and solve style, some will need more support and guidance. You might
move up and down this scale depending on the context – your players in your
This almost leaves the player hanging – hopefully with answers and ideas fizzing environment. You might also consider;
around their brain. This can be done on a group level or in a fly-by intervention,
perhaps just in the ear of the individual. Examples below, these could be to ▪ How much stress do we want the players to feel today?
check their understanding, challenge players or set an individual task
constraint. ▪ What is the current level of understanding around this area?

“What will excellent receiving look like?” This might get the individual to think ▪ Which individuals do we want to affect today?
about angles, body shape and distances of support.
Also in the mix is the lazy learner. The one who can’t be bothered and knows if they
“If Barcelona did this practice what would the ball speed look like?” This wait either a teammate will provide an answer or the coach will give up and share
comparison seems to work well with teenage players. It’s almost like asking: is the answer. It’s important to try and distinguish between those who don’t know
that your best effort? versus those that lack confidence or want to coast through sessions.
To challenge the players to think about defensive balance: “What will happen if
everyone runs forward?” So, in sessions, game day or debriefs I’ve started using “What is the game asking
you to do?”
“How do you know whether to play to left or to the right?” To start players
thinking about scanning to switching play. This would give you a platform to
talk about overloads and creating 2v1 situations.

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 ▪ Another idea that has landed with me recently is “the opposition decides how
I like this because… we score”. For example, If the space is behind the defensive line, how will we
exploit it? If the opposition man mark in the middle third how will we play out?
▪ There’s not a one-word answer, so it tends to start a conversation. The Again week-to-week we will build shared experiences, and this will allow us
spinning wheel of answers won’t work here. perceive shared affordances – opportunities and potential opportunities for
action.
▪ It works on the premise that the ideas are already in the players’ heads. If
practice has been representative of the game, we *should* have What the research says
experienced something like this before. “Questions that promote critical thinking require players to consider a number of
responses before selecting an answer they feel to be most appropriate (Daniel and
▪ The question asks the learner to consider the opposition and the game; the Bergmann-Drewe 1998; Wright and Forrest 2007). However, for players to be able to
opportunities and threats they pose and some strategies to overcome it! consider their responses, rather than expecting immediate responses, coaches need
to allow time for reflection (McNeill et al 2008) and allow players the opportunity to
▪ It encourages players to communicate without the coach. What are they discuss answers amongst themselves. Wiersema and Licklider (2009) talk about the
noticing that they can share with their mates? You then hear conversations need to provide opportunities for learners to ask questions of themselves and others
emerge, “If you played wider I think we could switch the ball to you quicker.” as this results in greater levels of learning; to think and reflect more deeply about
When I hear young players communicate like this I get excited. their performance.
Time is required for critical thinking and reflection to happen (Chambers and Vickers
▪ It brings the individual back to their “super strength”. What are they good at 2006). The conversation analysis showed that coaches in this case rarely provided
and how will they get into a position/situation to use it? For example, if I’m players with time to think about their responses. As already discussed, when an
good at crossing the ball, what will I need to do to deliver the ball immediate response was not forthcoming, coaches filled the silence with an answer
consistently? Answers could be endless, but might include: winning my 1v1, or re-initiated through a re-phrased question. McNeill et al. (2008) argues that
receiving the ball behind the line of pressure, playing with fewer inexperience tends to produce too many questions in quick succession, and this
touches…etc. does not allow time to reflect on possible answers and their consequences.”

▪ If a player uses this approach game-to-game they will be able to draw on Are my players thinking “What is the game asking me to do?” And have they
these experiences, self organise and “find a way” to get success, without a got the skills to do it. If not it’s probably down to me.
coach. As if, learning is cool and makes us better at stuff.

▪ In a stealth way, it can help the players learn the principles of play. With the References:
ball – create and exploit space and without it – deny space and regain. If your COPE, E. … et al, 2016. An investigation of professional top-level youth football
team has a game model or game principles you can refer them to this. coaches’ questioning practice. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 8
“Which principle is the most important today and why?” (4), pp. 380-393.

What is the Game Asking You to Do?

By Dan Wright The Player Development Project
https://playerdevelopmentproject.com/what-is-the-game-asking-you-to-do/

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QUESTIONS?!
Asking the right question at the right time
A mentor of mine uses the phrase “the quality of your
feedback is directly linked to the quality of IS? DID? CAN? WOULD? WILL? MIGHT?
intervention.” The way I interpret this is, the behaviour PRESENT PAST POSSIBLY PROBABILITY PREDICTION IMAGINATION
or response we get from the player is shaped by how
we intervene and interact.
WHAT?
Asking the right question, to the right person at the EVENT
right time, is a real skill. When coaching you will often
know when you get this right and you certainly know
when you get it wrong…I know I do!
WHERE?
Questioning is such a powerful coaching tool. It is WHERE/WHEN

FACTUAL PREDICTIVE
worth thinking about the type of questions you are
asking;

▪ Consider how the question will ‘land’ with the WHEN?

player. Do they want or need it in that moment? CHOICE/TIME
Consider the psychological state and whether the
question will aid learning / performance or add
frustration and confusion.
WHO?
▪ Questions can be asked to frame the session, help PERSON
players in the session or reflect on performance.

▪ Try to avoid questions that are easy or too simple.

When the players shout ‘space’ or ‘time’ are they
WHY?
really showing us what they know or telling us what REASON

ANALYTICAL EVALUATION
we want to hear?

▪ Consider whether the question is for the team or

individual? This might influence when and where
HOW?
you ask it. ACTION
▪ Try to link 2 questions, to start conversations or
probe understanding. “What did you notice about From the Coaching Lab @The_CoachingLab
their defence?” followed with “..And how do you
think we could hurt them?”
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COACH COMMUNICATION
Coaching styles and interactions
There are many different ways to coach and teach sport. Although coaches might be familiar with ‘conditioned’ games or task constraints, they may be less aware that verbal information can also shape
or constrain a practice, and that even the most experienced or skilled practitioner can struggle to recall what they said during a session. Millar, Oldham and Donovan (2011) found a 40% difference
between what coaches reported they said versus their actual behaviour – even when being observed. Filming your sessions and observing yourself in action is one of the most powerful ways to
develop your coaching. You will see; how often you intervene, your preferred coaching style, how long your interventions are, which individuals you interact with and how often, what you coached
versus what you planned and what you might have missed.

Below are some of different coaching types or methods, although there maybe more these are broadly accepted as the core five.

Coaching Command Question and Observation and Guided Trial Error

Methodology Answer Feedback Discovery
Player coach intervention Coach tells and shows Coach leads with a question Coach observes the players in Coach asks a question or Player and / or coach decide
required solution to gain a response or check the practice and offers issues a challenge through on the challenge
for understanding. feedback. the set task.
Description Coach is king. Coach tells, Coach poses questions and Players and coach discuss Coach challenges and players Players are encouraged to
explains and shows how to do players offer verbal solutions what happened and why. demonstrate solutions or find solutions with minimal or
something. Often implies to the practice or challenge. This could be completely possible solutions through no support from the coach.
there is only 1 way! coach led, completely player the practice design. (Link to
led or co-created. Consider page 43 “Setting a mission”).
the framework or ask-offer-
ask.
Example “I want you to…” “What did you think you could “What did you notice when “Can you show me..” No instruction at all or just
“Stop. Stand still!” do in this situation?” the ball was in central areas?” “Which part of the pitch are enough to play.
“When might you play over OR “When the ball was in a they struggling to defend and
their press?” central area I noticed...” can you recognise how to “In this game you get 3 points
exploit it?” if you switch play before you
score. Off you go”

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The role of the coach can be a difficult tight rope to navigate. Not only are there pitfalls with physical session design
Prescribe (EDIP)
considerations (size, shape, players…etc), how and when we speak can have a huge impact. Common movement / Decision Making Model
“The information contained in an instruction acts as a boundary (constraint) that shapes the emergent intentions,
perceptions and actions of each individual. Specifically, instructions provide boundaries for spatial and temporal Explain – Prescribe – tell – instruct model
properties of a to-be-performed movement.”(Newell & Ranganathan, 2010) Demonstrate – Movement Decision Making Model
Imitate – Simulate Model
In non-linear pedagogy the role of the coach is to provide instruction and feedback to key information that facilities the
Practice – Execute-Perform Model
search for task relevant coordination and control solutions in action, during the learning. However, there is an incredibly
fine line between instruction and feedback, as the message could be used to guide the next action – or feed forward. Observe – compare
Difficult stuff! Error-Detection - Correction
The coach has to be mindful and strike the right balance, consider; Repetition – quantity
Feedback - Feedforward
▪ Directing the search when we know the key information sources
Plan – Do - Review
▪ Directing the search when we think we know the specifying information LINEAR

▪ Sharing information or capturing expert instructional knowledge

Guide (EDA)
▪ Directing the search when we don’t know!
Individual – Situation Movement – Decision Making Model
▪ Staying quiet! When not to talk

▪ Directing through questioning Explore – search for information

Discover – Functional Solution
This is the craft of coaching, blending your personality, in the context to meet the demands of the learners. It can take Adapt – Dexterity – adapt ability
years and years to improve, much like any skill. One way to approach this is to become more aware of when you are
prescribing and when you are guiding. A coach who prescribes might use the EDIP approach explain, demonstrate, Trial & Error (learn) – task feedback
imitate and practice. The guiding coach tends to use the EDA approach explore, discover and adapt. When Self directed – guestimation / summary feedback
designing and offering ‘free exploration’ the coach sets the task but doesn’t provide the solution. In a prescribed Guide using analogies, cues, constraints, questioning
approach the coach gives the solution and doesn’t ask the learner to search. This framework might allow coaches some
flex in their style, depending on the moment and the individual they are interacting with. Outcome – problem based
Constraints – manipulate – adapt
NON-LINEAR

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HIGH CHALLENGE HIGH SUPPORT
Developing resilience
Looking at the work of Dr Fletcher and Dr Sarkar in their study of This statement perfectly aligns with the ideal characteristics
Mental Fortitude Training, of fundamental importance to of a facilitative environment. As coaches we can be guilty of
developing high levels of resilience and subsequently smoothing out this process and removing bumps or
performance, are the notions of challenge and support. What do challenges.
these mean to athletes and what role does the coach play?
In order to facilitate both excellence and welfare in elite
Challenge sport, the environment must balance both high levels of
support and challenge. Therefore, coaches need to have an
▪ Having high expectations of people exceptional awareness of their athletes as an unrelenting
environment can be detrimental to an athlete’s well being.
▪ Increasing accountability and responsibility
However, for many coaches there is still a question of
▪ Stretching people outside of their comfort zones whether welfare should come before winning? In football
the ‘win at all costs’ approach is prominent even in youth
sports. Due to this, academics at Loughborough University
have identified the following characteristics of a facilitative
Support environment
▪ Enabling people to develop their personal qualities ▪ Supportive challenge towards a goal
▪ Building trust ▪ Individuals have input into and task ownership of goals
▪ Providing guidance and feedback ▪ Healthy competition

▪ A psychologically safe environment which encourages

risk-taking
What does a facilitative environment look like?
▪ Learn from mistakes and failure
Now this is the million-dollar question. In my opinion this phrase
sums it up: ▪ Good relationships between performers, leaders or
coaches
“Prepare the player for the journey, not the journey for the player”

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HOW HOT DO YOU WANT YOUR SESSION?
Coaching in the psychological corner
On pages 15-18 we briefly looked at the importance of representative design. For learning to transfer from practice to games, practice needs to be representative of the game itself . “Representative
tasks ensure that the processes of cognition, perception and action are functionally intertwined and integrated during each athlete’s performance” (Pinder et al 2011).

One area that is often overlooked or misunderstood is the designing in of psychological or social themes in practices. Essentially these are skills, and whilst we would expect players to develop their
technical skills through practice (team and individual) we often don’t touch on skills like emotional control, communication or resilience. However, we know that these skills are vital for young people in
both participation and high-performance settings. Many coaches would point at these mental skills as the difference between good and great players.

Whilst most coaches are not trained psychologists, they are aware and skilled in session design and dialing up or down challenge. One approach that has landed well with young players I’ve coached is
the analogy of the Nando’s Peri-Ometer. For those that don’t know, this is used in a UK chain of restaurants to decide how hot and spicy you would like your chicken. I’ve used this to frame the session
or ask the players how challenging they would like the practice to be. It is also useful to reflect; how often do players practice in moments that look and feel like a game? How do we strike the balance
between fun and competition?

A practical example of how to turn the heat up in a practice. Players can

choose how difficult they want the practice to be.

Extra Mild: Top left, a 2v1 very easy for the attackers to get success

Mild: Top right 2v2 but each defender is ‘locked in’ to create two 2v1 moments,
Again, quite easy and high chance of success.

Medium: (not pictured) The defenders are not locked in and it’s a regular 2v2
game, with normal football rules…but no Goalkeepers.

Hot: As above, but the attackers play to a goal with a keeper, but if they lose
possession the defenders counter to an unprotected goal. High risk if they make a
mistake!

Extra Hot: Instead of a 2v2, the attacker players individually in a 1v2 scenario. This
is incredibly difficult and super challenging. Almost guaranteed failure!

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THE PRINCIPLES OF VIDEO GAME DESIGN
What can coaches learn from Sonic the Hedgehog?
I was the perfect age when video games hit the UK in the early 1990’s. The emergence of the
SEGA Mega Drive and the Nintendo SNES meant if I wasn’t outside kicking a ball I would be
attached to one of these. The design of games like Sonic the Hedgehog or Super Mario is what
made them mildly frustrating, compelling and so fun.

Professor James Paul Gee of Arizona State University has considered video game design in
education and what design features school education programmes can take from video game
design. I was first introduced to this principle by Amy Price (@AmyPrice_10) who is doing some
incredible work in this space. She took Gee’s 16 principles and condensed them to five key
design principles that coaches and teachers can use to create great games. This is underpinned
by a theory of metacognition which no other coaching method really offers, it also offers coaches
another approach to their toolbox when designing practices.

This approach essentially promotes three metacognitive game skills which are based around the
opposition – how much you know about them, how you can get that information and how
you can make the most of it. It all boils down to strategising, and that’s what a well-designed
video game is all about. It gets the player to think, “how will the computer respond if I do this?”

This is a move away from things like game plans, coach led themes or telling players the answer
all the time.

THE 3 METACOGNITIVE GAME SKILLS

1. Planning ahead. Are players considering their next move as the game is going on around
them?

2. Setting problems. Can players see what effect they can have on the opposition, and how
that can be used to block what the opposition is trying to do?

3. Knowing what information you need, and setting out to find it. For example in football, a
Striker will want to know whether they are quicker than the Defender who’s marking them.
Can that Striker, and their teammates, plan for a ball to be played behind the Defender
early on to create that test?

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 THE PRINCIPLES OF VIDEO GAME DESIGN
Amy Price FA Women’s National Coach Developer

This is moving away from the How can we break this down into a When I used to play Sonic the Often these games can be really It’s quite common practice to work
traditional ideas of technical / series of simple-to-complex Hedgehog , I’d always look out for challenging and you don’t always get on one thing with players in training,
tactical / skill learning outcomes or problems for players to solve? the fast speed power (which was success at the first time of trying. The then come back the next session with
session focus, which coaches have Once a problem has been solved really well hidden!), it gave me the pause button puts the power in the a new or slightly different focus-
generally been asked to consider that player or team can move up a ability to run faster and jump high players hands to decide when they perhaps following a curriculum. But
when planning sessions. There is still level and a new set of problems are over the lava, which I could never do will stop the practice and why. You part of the reason why video games
an outcome with this approach, via posed. This can test the skill and without that super power. So on any might need to scaffold this approach are so successful at developing
the three metacognitive game skills, imagination of the coach, as these level I’d have to think: where do I for players, as it can be daunting or learning and performance is that
but it’s not as clear as an outcome problems can’t just be random, they need that power? What do I need to not seen as traditional coaching! when you return to play the game,
like a type of pass, an interception or need to be well designed and do to earn it? As it only lasts a few you start from where you left off
creating a goal. So therefore, when structured in a way that meets the seconds, how do I make best use of it Amy suggests a ‘4C’ framework last time. For example, training ends
we are devising a mission, avoid needs of the players as they improve. while I have it? That makes players during the pauses, to encourage on level three, and next time training
sport specific language because this This challenges traditional forms of plan, set and solve problems and players to strategise about when, starts on level three! That means
will automatically imply that you’re coaching where we look to progress find out key information. It is how and why they use their pause. you’re offering players the time to
asking players to focus on something the practice. Instead, Level-ups are important that players must earn the They can choose to use CHEAT master problems that are in the
specific to do with the game. automatically woven into design, power first (not just be given it by the (giving an answer or example), game. Not having to spend time
meaning that the task is made more coach)! CHANGE (how the game is designed starting from scratch also allows them
difficult by levelling up - not when the to your advantage), CLUE (questions to be more creative and bold with
coach decides it’s time to progress or or prompts) or CHALLENGE (make where they are.
move on. the task more difficult).

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 F O O T B A L L
P R I N C I P L E S

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FOOTBALL PRINCIPLES
People say the same thing, but do they mean the same thing?
In 2008, I took the UEFA B / Level 3 through the Football Association. On this course at the
time you were encouraged to start and develop a “Football Philosophy”. This was a broad
project which could include your values, playing style, systems of play, player characteristics
and so much more! At the time this was quite daunting and I ended writing something very
‘wordy’ but pretty meaningless.

In this section I have tried to unpick some of this. Although its semantics I like to call this
football principles, as that is the language I use when coaching younger footballers. This is
just my way, its not the answer or an all-encompassing piece of work, but it should highlight
some language you might see when using these plans.

Through the session plans you will notice there is lots of ‘football language’, although these
phrases are meaningful for me, they might appear foreign or jargon for other coaches. The
intention here is to explain a few of these principles and what they might look like in training
and games.

A few points to consider;

▪ Although these ideas might work in my context, they might not work in yours. I would
encourage you to build your own document of ideas / principles of how you coach and
what you coach. In different regions or sociocultural settings, you might prioritise different
things or select more appropriate language.

▪ These principles are not complicated, but the idea is to have a common language so when
we are discussing a specific situation,we are all talking about the same thing. This could
be coach-player, coach-coach or coach-parent.

▪ Some of these principles will work with players of all ages, whereas some are a little more
advanced. Again, understanding the context (age, participation or performance,
motivation of the group...etc.) will be vital.

▪ I didn’t invent football, so some of the ideas have been influenced by other coaches – but
perhaps adapted or simplified for youth football.

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OUTPLAYING 1V1
Winning your 1v1’s and outplaying using your super strength
I could write hundreds of pages on 1v1’s – they are such an integral part of the game. They are
often misunderstood and delivered in a way which is not always representative of situations
players face in the game.

STARTING POINT

Outplaying 1v1 is the starting point for footballers. They need a relationship with the ball and the
ability to beat or ‘outplay’ their direct opponent. I prefer using the term ‘outplaying’ – as it
removes some of the tradition around 1v1s or a 1v1 player. When someone says “1v1” they are
often only talking about a specific skill or 1 type of player – a dribbler, a risk taker…etc, but in
reality, all players face 1v1 moments in every game they play.

FIND A WAY

For players to get success, they need to understand their super strength. What is it that allows
them to compete and how can we make this skill razor sharp? Neymar, Lukaku, Van Dijk and
Iniesta are all great players, but they find different ways to get success. The idea of prescribing
one technique or one way to outplay your opponent is redundant when you consider how
different players play the game.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF 1V1

It is widely accepted that there are 6 types or variations of 1v1 duels in the game;

• Pressure from the front • Pressure from side • Pressure from the back

• Recovering defender on an angle • No defender due to movement • Aerial duels

From a session design perspective, it could be helpful to think about; which of these do our
players need? Which are most likely to occur in the practice? What are the skills needed to
compete?
THE GAME IS NOT 11X 1V1
Another misconception or extreme approach is that the game is only about 1v1. I think its important to consider that football is a team game, players need to collaborate to get success. Of course
at younger ages the focus should be on skill development, which often links to actions and touches of the ball. In my opinion we are doing the players a disservice if we don’t shine a light on the
shared opportunities or affordances to interact with teammates. From simple pictures like 2v1 or 3v2 with very young players to more complex ideas in the 11v11 game, deconstructing the game
to just 1v1 is means we are only learning one aspect of it.
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PASSING AND RECEIVING
Remembering your ABCD!
This is a nice “sticky” for young players – the A,B,C,D is easy to remember, its not all inclusive but it points at some of the key
factors or important parts when passing and receiving the football. I will try and explain these using these 3 diagrams.

ANGLE: In the diagram below left, the central defender is bringing the ball out from the back, due to the pressure from the
Blue forward it is very difficult to play into the #4 (DCM). The 2x highlighted areas suggest positions where he / she could
adjust his / her angle of support to create a clear passing line for the #6. Interestingly both of these are diagonal from the
ball carrier – that’s not to say straight passes don’t work, there are just a ton of positive returns from supporting and passing
diagonally.

BODY SHAPE: In the bottom right diagram, we have a slightly different challenge. Here the ball carrier (#4) has a clear
passing line to the central midfielder (#10), however his body shape is closed. This makes it difficult to play forwards. In the
diagram bottom left, the #10 is in a great spot – he / she is open and with the right weight of pass could dribble or pass
forward into the final third.
CHECKING: In the bottom right diagram, the #10
might not have ‘checked his shoulders’ or ‘scanned’.
He or she is outnumbered by defenders and is unlikely
to play a penetrative pass from this position. (For more
on scanning see page 57).

DISTANCE: Finally, this is a topic which is tied into

angle of support and one which young players find
quite difficult. In the diagram top right, the #8 has
come too close to the ball carrier and left a superior
position (highlighted). Of course, this is subjective,
but the highlighted position might be superior
because;

▪ It is higher up the pitch and therefore closer to the

opposition’s goal

▪ It pinned back 2x players making space for others

▪ He or she was able to play through 360˚ there

▪ It allowed the ball carrier to pass into a bigger area

or to switch play

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THE OPPOSITION DECIDES HOW WE SCORE
Where and how can we get success?

On page 34, I shared a blog where I discussed the benefits of posing the question “What is This is an idea introduced to me by Jose F. Tavares of FC Porto. He believes “always the
the game asking you to do?” As a club or team, you might use some ideas, principles or opposition tells us how we score, so we are not coaching the exercise, we are coaching our
shared language when playing the game for speed and efficiency. These buzz words or principles.” I understand this to mean that when the coaches are working in the academy
quick phrases can be underpinned by sessions, analysis and informal chats, but as the they do not just copy and paste their coaching sessions or interventions, they are coaching
game emerges its gives us all a common language. The biggest constraint on our their style and helping to create the context for the young players to learn.
performance is the opposition, as they decide how we score…

Image 1: A deep block denies space centrally, but there is space out wide Image 2: A high but uncoordinated press creates an opportunity to play through.

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 OVER , AROUND OR THROUGH
A simple way to frame penetration, specifically passing forwards is to use over, around or
through. Again, this could be broken down into more detail with older players, but it creates a
really broad understanding and encourages the players to explore the opportunities…where is the
space and how could we exploit it.
Where is the space?

OVER AROUND THROUGH

WHAT? Playing over their defensive shape. Playing around their defensive shape. Playing passes through their defensive shape.

WHEN? When there is lots of space behind the defensive line. When there is lots of space out wide. When there are lots of gaps or pockets of space inside.

HOW? Forward runs and movement. Stretch the opposition out across all 5 lanes. Stretch the opposition out across all 5 lanes.

Recognise space beyond the defensive line. Quick or long passes into these areas. Movement and rotation.

Support wide player to create overloads. Skill to receive and combine in tight spaces between
Defenders.

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THE GAME WITHIN THE GAME
Winning your positional battle
A useful way of looking at SSG is to think what they might look like in the 11v11 game. Essentially every player is
constantly playing in an SSG whether that’s 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, 4v4 or underloaded/overloaded.

By looking through this lens we could design the practice in a number of ways;

▪ What are the players experiencing in the 11v11 game?

▪ Who is involved?

▪ Where does it take place and in what space?

▪ What skills do they need to get success?

▪ What are the demands? (psychological / physical)

Image 1: GK-4-3-3 vs GK-4-3-3

In image 1 the teams are ‘matched up in a GK-4-3-3’, the scenarios here could be;

WHITE: A Goalkeeper and Central Defenders playing out from the back against a 1-man press.

RED: 1v1’s face to face and with pressure from behind (other examples exist too!)

BLUE: A 2v2 in a wide area, how does the winger get free to receive the ball from the full back?

YELLOW: A Midfielder 3v3 match up – this could cover man marking, zonal marking, rotation, forward runs,
weight of pass…the list is virtually endless.

GREY: A Striker underloaded near the goal 1v2 / 1v3 with the Goalkeeper. How does he / she hide the ball?
Does he / she go for goal or wait for a Midfielder runner?

Think how these scenarios might change against different shapes or quality of opposition, image 2 looks at a GK-
3-5-2 against a GK-4-3-3. What changes? What remains? What gets more difficult? Where might we find a free
man?

Image 2: GK-3-5-2 vs GK-4-3-3

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THE GAME WITHIN THE GAME
Taking inspiration from the game
Left, Wolves’ Raúl Jiménez leads the
counter before releasing Adama Traoré.
A 2v2 with a recovering Defender.

Right, FC Barcelona find a way through in

the remarkable comeback in the
Champions League. There is a 1v2 for
the player in possession and a 4v8 in
front of him!

Left, Liverpool vs Atlético Madrid this

could be viewed as a 2v3 or a 4v6 – in
either scenario the forwards are
outnumbered, although there is quite a
bit of space.

Right, Inter Milan builds from the back

against Juventus. Here Inter are looking
to use their Goalkeeper to create an
overload and play through the press.

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THE PIVOT PLAYER
Building on the concept of the 5 lanes / 3 thirds, we can start to develop
collective ideas or mental models which might help players. One of
these is the concept of a pivot player. For some coaches this might be a
designated role in the team – I prefer the understanding that the
concept is important and needed, and any player can perform this
role…at any time.

A PIVOT PLAYER when switching play…

A PLAYER OFTEN DEEPER THAN THE BALL

This will allow the player to see more of the pitch and make better
decisions around where the opportunity is to play into a 1v1, free man
or overload.

A PLAYER THAT CAN SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE PITCH

To see both sides of the pitch, the player will need to take up a good
body position so he / she can see; the player in possession and where
he / she would like to play next.

A PLAYER THAT CAN SWITCH PLAY

This could be a simple 10m pass or a 30m lofted diagonal ball. Does
the pivot player possess the technical skills to perform the switch?

ANY PLAYER CAN PERFORM THIS ROLE... IN ANY THIRD

Although its more likely to be a central midfielder, central defender or

goalkeeper, anyone could perform this role. Firmino at Liverpool is a
good example as is Kyle Walker at Manchester City, both help the team
play around and through the opposition.

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5 LANES + 3 THIRDS
Speaking a common language
With the influence of foreign coaches on the English game, it has become more commonplace
for coaches to divide their training pitches to help players understand their idea of football. This
has infiltrated coach education via The Football Association although I believe this has been
commonplace for a number of years in Germany and Spain.

Different coaches, clubs and federations will have different rationale behind the pitch markings,
for example Louis van Gaal’s choice was to cut the pitch into 18 rectangles, 6 vertical by 3
horizontal, in which players have certain tasks and responsibilities. This approach and ones
similar led to the concept of ‘zone 14’ being the key area to penetrate to score goals.

Guardiola (below right) prefers to split his pitch into 20 zones, with 5 vertical lanes – this is broadly
used to coach his players positioning in relation to the ball carrier, hugely influenced by the work
of Johan Cruyff. This has led to English football fans becoming more aware of concepts like the
‘half space’. This is a term Jurgen Klopp has used in post match interviews – which might have
baffled English fans in the past.

The current RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann, favours splitting his pitch into 6 vertical lanes –
and when in charge at Hoffenheim even installed a 40 square metre video wall to review footage.
"We can leave the players in their positions during most match situations, but still show them
solutions," says Nagelsmann. "For this, I have an iPad in my hand that I can use to control the
cameras. When I stop a situation, I have the opportunity to draw my solutions and suggestions for
improvement all from the iPad.“

In youth football these zones or marking can be really useful to help players learn the game and
their role in the team, within different moments of the game. We must be cautious not to use
them to over constrain or confine individuals within the team so that the coach is king and almost
acts like a puppeteer to replicate something he or she has seen on TV.

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5 LANES + 3 THIRDS
In this eBook we will simplify some of these approaches using 5 vertical lanes and splitting the pitch into 3 thirds. The idea
of this approach is to help players understand some key concepts, both in and out of possession. These broadly tie into
what traditional coach education would call the Principles of Play. For young players these concepts could be simplified
for example:

▪ In possession we aim to make the pitch as big as possible (width, length and depth)

▪ We strive for players to take up good supporting positions of each other and the ball carrier (See page 55-56)

▪ Recognise when to switch play and have a pivot player at all times (See page 52)

By using the 5 lanes and 3 thirds we can help players understand their role in the larger game, as well as a loose framework
as the game unfolds. For example;

5 VERTICAL LANES

▪ In possession attack across 5 lanes – creating as much width as we need!

▪ Encourage players to “Play on different lines” – Maximum of 2x players vertically and 3x horizontally.

▪ Out of possession defend 3 lanes of the 5 lanes.

3 HORIZONTAL THIRDS

▪ The thirds can be used to talk about positioning in possession, so for example when playing out from the back, are we
threatening or pinning back the opponent so we occupy all three thirds?

▪ The thirds are a great visual to talk about overloads (numerical superiority) where do we need support and who can offer
it?

▪ Out of possession alter your defending approach depending on where the ball is. This can be explained as ‘traffic light
defending’ – when the ball is near the opposition’s goal, green light – press hard, as its high reward and low risk. In the
middle third. Amber – think about where to show them? To tackle or force play? Finally, in our defensive third, Red light –
high risk so defend intelligently to stop penalties and dangerous free kicks.

▪ The thirds can wrongly (in my opinion) be used to talk about risk – don’t take risks in your own third for example.

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SUPPORT
The 4 B’s of support
When young players are learning the game, their use of space is vital. As
players learn to create and exploit as an individual, they start to discover the
BESIDE
skills needed create space for their teammates too.

This can be a complex process – but one key area is body shape and
support. This 4x B’s method is quite easy to remember and tends to cover
all the necessary positions to help the player in possession.

SUPPORT BEHIND

This can be explained as a player positioning themselves behind the ball

carrier, so if he or she can not play forwards they have a safety pass to start
BEYOND
again. Often the Goalkeeper and Central Defenders are well placed to
offer support from behind. With older players you can add more detail –
offering support diagonally away will allow the Goalkeeper to play around
quicker than support straight behind the ball.

SUPPORT BESIDE

In the diagram the full back (#2) is offering support beside. This can be a
tricky decision for players, do they support inline, slightly behind or slightly
ahead? For me, it would depend on the type of pressure and if we have
good (secure) possession of the ball. BEHIND
BETWEEN
SUPPORT BETWEEN

In this picture, the midfield 3 (#4, #8 and #10) are playing in between the
defensive lines. By pinning the opposition back or flattening out their press
it can allow the player in possession to pass forward and break lines.

SUPPORT BEYOND

This is the space available beyond the last Defender. This is the best pass
as it puts the forward in front of goal – but the hardest to complete!
However, if we threaten beyond it can stretch the opposition and create
space for others to receive between the lines.

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THE 4 B’S OF SUPPORT 56
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace 24th June 2020 – Fabinho sets up Salah for the second goal COACHDANWRIGHT.COM
SCANNING
Visual Exploratory Activity
Scanning, checking your shoulders, taking pictures or awareness, it has lots of One phrase that I have found useful is “scanning for BOTS”, I’ve adapted this following a
conversation with Briac Williams, Technical Development Manager at South West Football
different names. Visual exploratory activity, in which the movement of the eyes, Queensland . Football is a random and dynamic sport, which asks the performer to
head and body allow perception of affordances provided by teammates and perceive and act very quickly. To help players make decisions or recognise these moments
opponents, is a key component to skilled perception-action (Reed, 1996). This in training and games, there are 4 reference points*;
exploratory behaviour informs a player about the environment and supports
performatory behaviour, in which the player interacts with and manipulates the BALL: Where is the ball now and where do we want to go next?
environment (Gibson, 1979). Indeed in football, increased exploratory behaviour
before a player receives a pass leads to improved performance with the ball OPPONENT: Where are the opposition and how will we (individually and collectively)
outplay them?
(Jordet, Bloomfield, & Heijmerikx, 2013).
TEAMMATES: Where are my teammates – For my next pass? So I don’t block a passing
“The key findings of the study reveal that the players performed more forward line? So I take up the correct supporting position?
passes, more attacking-half passes and performed more turns when
opportunities arose; as well as experiencing less defensive pressure when the SPACE: Where is the space to exploit? Where is the space to stand in? Where is the space
players had performed visual exploratory activity prior to receiving the ball to attack? Where is the space to take my first touch?
compared to when they did not conduct visual exploratory activity. The results
* A fifth could be the goal, this doesn’t move so I’ve not added it in. Plus it ruins the
suggest that visual exploratory activity prior to receiving the ball, can aid players
acronym!
in their next action during a game. It would be suggested that coaches should
encourage players to conduct visual exploratory activity prior to receiving
possession of the ball. Coaches should be aware that visual exploratory activity
can influence the technical and tactical aspects of performance and
could aid player development.” “The problem in football is that you learn how to
Eldridge, David, Pulling, Craig and Robins, Matthew T. (2013) Visual exploratory activity and resultant play the wrong way round – first execution, then
decision making and perception last… As a player
behavioural analysis of youth midfield soccer players. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 8.

How do we break down this complicated language to help the young players we
coach? The role of the coach is to speak in a simple and age appropriate whenever I get the ball I have to analyse, then
manner that resonates with the players he / she coaches. A good chess player
sees the next move before it happens, how can we help players to think one
decide and finally execute!”
step ahead and “play in the future.”
Arsène Wenger

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 OUT OF POSSESSION
Simple language when defending

TRAFFIC LIGHT DEFENDING THE NET DEFEND 3 LANES

This principle uses a traffic light system to help players when This is a visual for how much of the pitch we are defending Using the 5 lanes out of possession builds on players’
defending – it broadly uses the thirds of the pitch but there is and how compact we are. In the 2018 World Cup, Croatia understanding and again, uses pitch geography. There is
some detail needed in different situations such as overload / (437m₂) and France (542m₂) had very small and effective context – but generally we would ask the group to defend 3
underload or in moments of transition. ‘nets’. A more expansive team like Brazil had out of lanes at any given time.
possession shape that covered 679 m₂ - a big net has more
RED – Danger zone! This is high risk, if we dive into tackles holes! I like this wording as it is quite simple but also layered; In the diagram the ball is central, so we have protected the
here, we might concede a free-kick, penalty or a goal. central lane and the 2x half spaces or inside lanes. If the ball
▪ How big is our net? Why? Who is not making it small? shifted out wide, we might protect the wide lane, the inside
AMBER – This is the most difficult zone, here we must think lane and the central lane. This isn’t an exact science but helps
about where to force players and to make smart choices ▪ It implies we are connected and play together. the players in terms of recovery and holding shape if required.
about balancing numbers to delay or regain.
▪ It touches on distances vertically and horizontally.
GREEN – Low risk if we make mistakes and high reward if we
press with a plan, if we get it right, we could score!
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S M A L L S I D E D
G A M E S

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BUILDING FROM BACK
Playing out from the back
Central area or
5v4 1 Goalkeeper
half pitch

Optional 10 minutes 3 goals

ORGANISATION In this game the Reds are playing out from the Goalkeeper into the
target goals or gates. The Blues look to intercept, counter and score in
the large goal past the Goalkeeper. The 2x Red Defenders and the
Goalkeeper are ‘locked in’ to one zone versus the Blue Striker, with the
Midfielders in a separate zone playing 3v3.
INTENTION For the Reds there is lots of repetition of playing out from the back, with
a 3v1 scenario into a 3v3 scenario, replicating limited pressure to high
pressure. For the Blues, intercepting the ball and attacking the big goal.
LINK TO 11V11 - Starting the attack from the Goalkeeper
- Defenders playing into midfield
- Midfielders receiving to play forwards (overload or underload)
OBSERVATION - Width to play from the Goalkeeper by ‘splitting’
- Patience to build up and pass forward at the right time.
- In midfield – playing on different lines, receiving to play forwards and
when to combine. (Play around or through?)
PROGRESSIONS You can remove the zones to increase the instability and challenge for
the Reds. This will increase the realism and relate it to the real game.

Adjust the numbers to suit your players and the formation you play in
matches.

Challenge or reward the central defenders, can they play directly into
the target goals when the opportunity presents its self?
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WHEN TO PLAY FORWARDS
Playing out from the back

Flexible Rectangle 2 Goalkeepers

2x 6 minute 2 goals
Yes
halves 2 target goals

ORGANISATION A 2 goal pitch with a halfway line and 2 smaller target goals in the
one half for the defenders to play into.
INTENTION The Red team are playing out from the back with an 4v2 overload,
so a Goalkeeper, 2x Central Defenders and a Central Midfielder,
against 2x Strikers. The Reds are looking to play forwards into their
Strikers who are in a 2v2. If the Blue Defenders win back possession
they can play into either target goal.
LINK TO 11V11 - Building the attack from the goalkeeper
- Play around or through the press?
- Recognising when to connect and when to create.
- Supporting positions (4 B’s)
- Goalkeeper as a pivot player
OBSERVATION - Goalkeepers supporting position behind the ball and
distribution with feet.
- In possession; switching play, changing the tempo and
finishing.
- Out of possession; securing possession and counter attacks. This game was contributed by Mark Lyons @MarkLyons14
PROGRESSIONS There are a few different variations to explore with this practice;

- When the Blue Defenders win back possession they counter via
their Strikers
- The Central Midfielders can join in the attack to make it a 3v2 in
the opposition’s half
- Alter the set up to reflect your teams shape or the opposition, for
example pressing with 3 players in the top half.
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PLAYING OUT USING THE GOALKEEPER
Playing out from the back

4v4 upwards Rectangle 2 Goalkeepers

2x 6 minute
No 2 goals
halves

ORGANISATION A 2 goal pitch, size according to the age and stage of the players.
Try not to make it too big, as it can make it too easy for the
Goalkeepers!
INTENTION Either team can score in either goal. Before scoring, the Goalkeeper
must have touched the ball – to replicate playing out from the back.
In the diagram, Reds play back to the Green Goalkeeper before
attacking the Yellow Goalkeeper’s goal. This could also work in the
opposite direction, using the Yellow Goalkeeper first and attacking
the Green. The defending team look to steal possession and start
the process again, visiting a Goalkeeper before attacking the
opposite end.
LINK TO 11V11 - Building the attack from the Goalkeeper
- Recognising when to connect and when to create.
- Supporting positions (4 B’s)
- Goalkeeper as a pivot player
OBSERVATION - Goalkeepers supporting position behind the ball and
distribution with feet.
- In possession; switching play, changing the tempo and
finishing.
- Out of possession; securing possession and counter attacks.
PROGRESSIONS If you use both Goalkeepers then score you are rewarded with 3
goals!
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GOALKEEPERS HANDS OR FEET?
Playing out from the back
Rectangle with
4v4 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
corners
2x 6 minute
Not required Not required
halves

ORGANISATION Use an area suitable for the number of players and their age/ability.
There are two target areas marked out in the corners at each end. A
larger pitch might allow the players to get more success and
repetition of longer passes, a smaller pitch might increase the
intensity and make it more difficult.
INTENTION Goalkeepers support the team in possession using their feet
between the target areas (Yellow Goalkeeper). To score players
must play the ball in the air to a Goalkeeper who catches inside
their target area (Green Goalkeeper). Teams can score in either
direction, if you score you keep possession.
LINK TO 11V11 Improving the Goalkeepers distribution and starting attacks from
the back.
OBSERVATION - The Goalkeepers supporting position behind the ball
- Goalkeeper’s distribution (type and distance)
- Recognising the moment to support and score
- The Goalkeeper acting as a pivot to build or switch play
PROGRESSIONS You can make the game directional, so the Reds play left-to-right
and the Blues play right-to-left.

Can structure the scoring mechanism by restricting or rewarding a

specific type of pass into the Goalkeeper.

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PLAYING OUT USING THE HOLDING MIDFIELDER
Playing out from the back
ORGANISATION In this practice each team attacks 2x goals and defends 2x goals – similar to
Rectangle with the Four Goal Game (page 70). The holding Midfielder (#4) is the primary
4v4+1 No
wide zones player in this game and he / she makes it a 5v4 scenario in possession. The
2x 6 minute Reds are set up with 2x Central Defenders and 2x Full Backs or Wide players.
No 4 target goals
halves
The fact that the Blues have to defend 2x goals, should allow the Reds to pin
them back and makes it difficult to press the ball carrier. If the Blues do press
hard they can be drawn into a 2-2 formation, this will allow the Reds to play
around or through the opposition.
INTENTION The intention of the practice is for the team in possession to get repetition of
playing out from the back in central areas.
LINK TO 11V11 Playing out from the back using the holding Midfielder (#4).

OBSERVATION For the Full Backs

- Offer width occupying the wide zones
- Pin back the Blues to make space for the Central Defender and holding
Midfielder
- Adjust their position in relation to the ball, opposition and teammates

The Midfielder/#4
- Receiving the ball in the ‘opposite diagonal pocket’
- Support beside and between
- Passing choices; to switch? To break lines? Into the target goals?

For the Central Defenders

- Playing forward passes into compact and congested areas
- Recognise when to play around or through
- Stepping in / carrying the ball to draw the first man out

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PASS AND JOIN ORGANISATION Here we have 4 slightly different versions of a similar game. They all
have; 2v2 on pitch with a target player between the target goals.
Playing out from the back Each game invites slightly different opportunities;

Top left: 2v2 + targets and 2x wide players (Yellow). In this game
Rectangle with the team in possession can score from anywhere, but must visit
6 -8 players No
end zones either a wide player or their target player.

No 6 minutes 4 target goals Top right: Similar to before, but no restrictions on scoring – so if the
Blues defend poorly, the Reds can score directly.

Bottom left: There are no wide players in this version. In this

practice all goals must be scored in the end zone, the target player
is ‘locked in’ the end zone. You could progress this by saying you
have to play off your target player and / or score with a 1 touch
finish.

Bottom right: Similar to the first game, but by angling the goals, it
makes it harder to score. The team must make intelligent runs,
often diagonally, to score.
INTENTION To encourage forward passes and support, ‘pass and join’.

LINK TO 11V11 This practice develops players’ understanding when playing out
through central areas.

OBSERVATION For the Yellows (wide players)

- Repetition of when to play around
- Weight and accuracy of pass to assist
- Supporting positions (behind, beside and beyond)

For the Reds / Blues

- Try to have at least 1x player ‘high’ in the opposite half
- Try to have at least 1x player lower in the half nearest the ball
- To recognise the movement and position of your teammates
- To play forwards and run forwards

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3V3 HIGH PRESS
Playing out from the back

3v3 Final third 1 Goalkeeper

1 large goal
Yes Can be adapted
3 target goals

ORGANISATION This is a wave practice, where players work in groups of 3. The practice takes place in a
central area, so the wide zones are not used – this could be added as a progression. The
practice starts by the coach or Blue team firing the ball into the Goalkeeper (image 1), this
is the trigger for the Blues to press the Reds. The Reds are set up with 1x Goalkeeper, 2x
Central Defenders and 1x Central Midfielder. The Reds are looking to play out from the
Goalkeeper and score in 1 of the 3 targets goals. The Blues are looking to press high, with
the aim of stealing possession and attacking the large goal. When the ball is dead – a goal
or it leaves the practice area…etc., the Pinks enter the practice and the process restarts.
INTENTION For the Reds to explore solutions to play through a high press in central areas.

LINK TO 11V11 This game is designed for the Reds to get comfortable in moments where the opposition
will press high and to find solutions to play through central areas.
OBSERVATION The Goalkeeper is vital in this practice as he / she is the ‘free man’ and creates a 4v3
scenario. He / she may be used as a pivot so the team can play around the press or cold
practice breaking lines playing straight into midfield (image 2).
PROGRESSIONS You can adjust this practice in several ways;
- Prescribe a way the Blues must press, for example man mark the Central Midfielder. This
will create repetition without repetition for the Reds.
- You can allow the Blues to press however they like; this will create a little more
uncertainty for the Red team.
- You can challenge the Goalkeeper to score directly into the target goal, this might free
up a player as 1x Blue might drop to protect the space / goals.
- Adapt the numbers to suit your team shape or the opposition you are going to play
against.
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PLAYING OUT CREATING A DIAMOND ORGANISATION This game can be used to help players understand their role when
Playing out from the back. This practice is for older players who
are playing 11v11 football. The area is split vertically so the right
Playing out from the back side and the left side practice independently, the practice
alternates left side, then right with the holding Midfielder (#4) and
Goalkeeper being the only players who play in both sets of the
Unit vs Unit Final third 1 Goalkeeper practice. The other players are ‘locked in’ to their respective side.

Can be 1 large goal The Reds look to play out into the target goals, the Blues press
Yes from the front and if they regain they attack the large goal.
adapted 3 target goals
INTENTION The players are looking to create a diamond between CB-FB-CM-
CM. On the right side this would be 5-2-4-10 and on the left 6-3-
4-8. This shape allows the team to play around or through the
pressure from the Blues.
LINK TO 11V11 Image 1: Here the Blues block the central space and deny passes
through, this allows the Central Defender to play around into the
Full Back.

Image 2: Here the Blues have pressed more aggressively, the

Central Defender can play through, although the #10 is tight
marked this ‘up-back-through’ move can release the Full Back or
1: RCB playing around using the Full Back 2: RCB plays through, CM can bounce to #4 or FB #4.

Image 3: In this picture the Blues have tried to man mark high up
the pitch, the Red #8 must adjust his supporting position to allow
the Central Defender to play through the press.
OBSERVATION This practice is quite advanced, but it will give the players
opportunity to practice some of the ideas / concepts in the Playing
out from the back section (pages 60-66). This practice links well to
pictures players will see in a 11v11 game.
PROGRESSIONS Image 4: To progress you can join the two sides together into a
Phase of Play. Now the Red team can use the full width of the
pitch, it may allow for switches of play using the Goalkeeper or
Central Defenders as a pivot player.
3: High Press, CM adjusted position to play through 4: Using the full width, unit vs unit

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PLAYING WITH WIDTH
Switching play
Rectangle with
4v4 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
wide zones
2x 6 minute
Can be added 2 goals
halves

ORGANISATION A regular 2 goal pitch, with wide zones on either side. These areas
can have different task constraints, such as; the number of Defenders
allowed to enter, the number of touches in possession…etc.
INTENTION To encourage the team in possession to use the width of the pitch,
the ball must visit a wide area before a goal can be scored. (Restrict)
LINK TO 11V11 - The need for a pivot player
- Attacking across 5 lanes (having width)

OBSERVATION - The variety of pass to get the ball into the wide zone
- Dispersal – have we got at least one person in each zone?
- The relationships in wide areas (overlap / underlap)
- Supporting positions (4xB’s)

PROGRESSIONS Remove the condition that the ball ‘must’ go into the wide area and
reward a goal scored if the ball goes wide with double or treble
points!

Adapt or alter the number of defenders allowed in the wide zone.

For younger groups, if a player receives the ball in the wide zone he /
she has a super power – he / she can’t be tackled, unless he / she
chooses to come into the central area.

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CLASSIC SWITCHING PLAY
Switching play
Rectangle with
4v4 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
wide zones
2x 6 minute
Can be added 2 goals
halves

ORGANISATION A regular 2 goal pitch, with wide zones on either side. These areas
can be conditioned by changing who is allowed to enter, the number
of touches or rewarding a specific action in the wide zone.
INTENTION To encourage the team in possession to switch play, the ball must
visit both wide areas before a goal can be scored.
LINK TO 11V11 - Dispersal – Have we got at least one person in each zone?
- Variety of pass to get the ball into the wide zone
- The relationships in wide areas (overlap / underlap).
OBSERVATION Dispersal – Have we got at least one person in each zone?
Using a pivot player to link the sides – GK? DCM?
PROGRESSIONS Remove ‘must’ and reward the team if a goal scored when the ball
goes wide; 1 zone = 2 points, both zones = 5 points.

Remove all constraints, do the group recognise when and how to

switch play? (relate)

If the team wins possession high up the pitch there is no need to

switch play, to increase realism.

This might be a good game to practice using the pauses (see page
42-43), this will protect space for the players to strategize and find
solutions without the coach.

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THE FOUR GOAL GAME
Switching Play
Rectangle with
4v4 upwards No
wide zones
2x 6 minute
Can be added 4 target goals
halves

ORGANISATION A 4 goal pitch, with a few different variations.

INTENTION Each team defends 2x goals and scores in 2x goals. This is a great set up to
encourage dispersal and switching play. Out of possession, a good one for
defending as a team, which goal to cut off?
LINK TO 11V11 Switching play in the middle third.

OBSERVATION In possession
- Disperse and use the full width of the pitch
- Have the ability to switch play through a ‘pivot’ player in the centre
- Recognise when to switch from a highly concentrated area to a low area

Out of possession
- Dictating the area the attackers can play into
- Defending in 1v1 / 2v2 around the goal
- Emergency defending to block and stop shots
PROGRESSIONS This game also works well with a wider shorter pitch, this might allow for
more success and / or encourage the team out of possession to defend with
more structure.

You can use zones to relate, restrict or reward specific interactions

between players. In the second diagram (bottom), we’ve added scoring
zones so players must ‘arrive’ and score. In the top diagram you can score
anywhere in the wide zone…adapt it to suit your players and their needs.

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FOUR GOAL: DRIBBLE OR PASS?
Switching Play
Rectangle with
4v4 upwards No
wide zones
2x 6 minute 2 target goals
Can be added
halves 2 gates

ORGANISATION Similar to the 4 goal game, but with two of the goals replaced with
gates for the team to dribble through.

Normal directional practice – each team defending 1x gate and 1x

goal.
INTENTION The players can focus on when and how to switch play. On a
successful switch they must choose whether to dribble through the
gate or pass into the target goal.
LINK TO 11V11 Switching play in the middle third.

OBSERVATION In possession
- Disperse and use the full width of the pitch
- Have the ability to switch play through a ‘pivot’ player in the
centre
- Recognise when to switch from a highly concentrated area to a
low area

Out of possession
- Dictating the area the attackers can play into
- Defending in 1v1 / 2v2 around the goal
- Emergency defending to block and stop shots
PROGRESSIONS You can add scoring zones in front of the goal / gate so players must
be inside that area before they can score or dribble.
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FOUR GOAL SWITCH
Switching Play

4v4 Upwards Rectangle pitch Can be added

No 6 minutes 4 target goals

ORGANISATION This game takes place on a rectangle pitch, which is split into 2x halves.
Each half has two goals – each team defends two and attacks two. The
diagrams shows two different versions which have slightly different returns.
In image 1, the game starts on the left in 3v3 with a 1v1 on the right, the
idea of the game is to encourage a switch of play. In image 2 a neutral
player plays in the free half – the team in possession look to switch and join
the attack.
INTENTION To switch play to score.

LINK TO 11V11 I see this as a switch in the middle third, perhaps out to a Winger or wide
player in a 1v1. The second diagram could be used to focus on overlaps
from a Full Back. This game links well to the principle of creating width
and “attacking across 5 lanes.”
OBSERVATION By playing around with the constraints you will invite different ways to get
success. Think about the pictures you are trying to encourage and / or the
needs of the players. Who needs practice attacking in a 1v1? Which
players need to work on their range of pass to switch?
PROGRESSIONS Variations to this practice could be;

- Goals can be scored without a switch of play, this would challenge the
players to recognise when to switch (relate) or reward a switch with
extra goals
- Are the players locked into their zones (restrict) or does the switch
trigger a ‘normal’ game?
- In image 1, can the players join in the 1v1? Maybe just one attacker to
create a 2v1 – this could easily be adapted.
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6 GOAL GAME ORGANISATION Similar to the switching play game but with an added twist! In this
version there are 6 goals and we have adopted a video game
approach using ‘level up’, so each team is competing to complete all
Switching Play 4 levels first.

Rectangle with Level 1: Score 2 goals in either of the wide goals

5v5 upwards 2 Goalkeepers Level 2: Score in the large central goal
wide zones
Level 3: Score a goal with a switch of play (using the wide zone)
2 goals Level 4: Score from a cross
Can be added First to finish!
4 target goals
For level 1, the goals must be scored inside the wide zone to count.

The Goalkeeper can defend all three goals!

INTENTION In this game we are challenging the players to explore different ways
to switch play and complete each level. The aim is that the session
design achieves this rather than the coach giving or guiding them
towards the answer.
LINK TO 11V11 Different strategies to switch play.

Strategies to win!

OBSERVATION How do the players communicate and organise themselves to

achieve the challenge?

Does their strategy cover in and out of possession?

Which technical and tactical aspects do individuals struggle with?

PROGRESSIONS Modify the levels – ask the kids they always have great suggestions!

Encourage the kids to use the pause button to discuss their

approach.

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6 GOAL GAME V2
Switching Play
Rectangle with
7v7 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
wide zones
2 large goals
Yes First to finish!
4 target goals

ORGANISATION In this version of the 6 goal game, the large goal is pulled forward and the 2x smaller goals are
tucked around the side. It looks a little crazy, but creates some great opportunities for the players.

This game can be played in 2 different ways;

1. Similar to the 6 goal game on page 73, score twice in either wide then attack the central goal.

OR

2. Each team attacks and defends all 3x goals.

INTENTION The idea here is to encourage runs from ‘outside to in’, so rather than playing super wide the
Winger will make more aggressive and purposeful runs, similar to Raheem Sterling for example.
LINK TO 11V11 Different strategies to switch play.

Forward runs to get behind the defensive line

OBSERVATION This game is a little less traditional so it might take players a while to get comfortable with the
structure. When I’ve tried it teams have organised to switch one way, then fake and open the other
side. As the defenders block the goal on the right, the attackers open with a longer diagonal pass
to score in the left. This also caused the Goalkeeper problems as he / she moves around the
corner, he / she can’t protect the other goal in the time that the attackers can move the ball there!

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HALF PITCH SWITCH
Switching Play
Rectangle
4v4 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
pitch

Can be added 6 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game takes place on a rectangle pitch, split vertically down the middle
(goal to goal) with flat markers ideally. The idea of the game is when your
team regains possession on one side of the pitch you switch and score on
the opposite side.
INTENTION To encourage a switch of possession upon regain

LINK TO 11V11 - Attack across 5 lanes

- Support the attack quickly

OBSERVATION This game is great to watch for moments of transition (defence to attack
and attack to defence), as teammates will need to support the attack
quickly to enable the ball carrier to switch.

The hidden learning here is interceptions. It is easier and more effective to

intercept than to tackle. How do the players position themselves
(collectively and as individual) to intercept the pass?

PROGRESSIONS Remove the restriction of ‘you must switch’ and consider;

Reward – “If you switch and score it is worth double!”

Relate – “Can you recognise when to go directly to goal and when to

switch?”
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BACK TO BACK GOALS
Switching Play

4v4 upwards Rectangle Can be added

2x 6 minute
Not required 2 goals
halves

ORGANISATION A 2 goal pitch, but with goals back-to-back in the centre of the field.

INTENTION Each team can score in either goal, on a turnover of possession you
can tweak the rules to suit your players. Options could include; score
straight away, have to complete ‘x’ number of passes or have to
dribble to the edge before they can attack. I quite like must switch
zones before you can score!
LINK TO 11V11 - Moving the ball or switching the point of attack
- Support play to create overloads or 1v1 moments
- Compact when defending
OBSERVATION This is a great game for switching play and supporting the ball
carrier.
PROGRESSIONS Think about;
- Scoring mechanisms as above or add 1 touch finish
- The size of goals

For a reward or challenge “can you play through all 4x boxes before
scoring?”

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OCTAGON SWITCHING PLAY ORGANISATION An octagon pitch with target players at each end, the 2 goals are placed
back to back inside the pitch, facing out – not towards the target players.
The pitch is split into quarters to help players with spacing and
Switching Play recognising the moment to switch to a free space.

1 or 2 To score teams must visit both target players, before scoring in either
4v4 upwards Octagon Pitch goal.
Goalkeepers
2x 6 minute 2 goals
Not required INTENTION Switch play to create a goal scoring opportunity
halves back to back

LINK TO 11V11 A number of aspects of switching play or playing around can be touched
on here;

- Support or positioning to switch play. Around the ball or away?

- Switch with a number of short passes, dribble or a longer direct
switch?
OBSERVATION In this game there are lots of decisions for the players both in and out of
possession;

- Where is the free space or free man?

- Will we switch quickly or use a number of passes to get success?
- Out of possession, preventing gaps and forcing play to prevent the
switch
- Finally, stopping the ball going in the goal!

PROGRESSIONS Modify some of the rules for the target player (restrict touches).

Modify the type of finish, for example a 1-touch finish (reward).

To get more success you could consider adding a neutral / magic man /
joker to create overloads.

There is lots going on here, so might be a good game to use the pause
button or play in short bursts to create space for conversations.

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SWITCH OR COUNTER?
Switching Play
Rectangle with
5v5 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
2 gates
2x 6 minute
Not required 2 goals
halves

ORGANISATION A 2 goal pitch with 2x gates (coned, markers or poles) on the halfway
line.
INTENTION One team (Blues in the diagram) look to press the opposition, win
the ball and score in either goal past the Goalkeeper. The Reds will
focus on switching play through either gate, by dribbling or passing
through, before scoring in either goal. Rotate roles at half time.
LINK TO 11V11 Overload to isolate, can we drag the opposition to one side and
exploit the space on the opposite side.
OBSERVATION For the Blue team;
- Pressing together
- Countering quickly (early pass, dribble, forward runners!)

For the Red team;

- Do they have depth and width to retain possession and switch
appropriately?
- In possession do they use the Goalkeepers to build effectively?
- Do they have a pivot player to link the game from side to side?
PROGRESSIONS A variation could be to make the game directional, so both teams
are looking to score once they’ve played through a wide gate, or
alternatively a ‘normal’ game but goals that come from switching
through the gate are worth treble (reward).

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 SWITCH TO SCORE 8-12 players Final third 1 Goalkeeper

Yes 6 minutes 1 goal

Switching Play

ORGANISATION This game works like a rondo, with a breakout. The set up is as follows; the Reds and
Blues are matched up in a 3v3 in one of the boxes on top of the penalty area. In the
opposite box there is a 1v1 – these would be in the same colours as their teammates, I’ve
just marked them like this to make their role obvious. At either side of the boxes there
are 2x Wingers to represent a #7 and #11 (Yellow). Finally there is a Goalkeeper in the
goal.

The idea of the game is to switch and score. This can be done in a variety of ways. In
Image 1 the Reds switch using their #10 (1v1 box) then into the Winger.

In image 2 the Red player bypasses this option with a longer pass straight to the Winger.

Once the ball has been switched successfully the attack is played out to a finish (see
progressions). If the Blues steal possession the game continues, and the roles are
reversed.

INTENTION To recognise the moment to switch and highlight the need for support away from the
football.
LINK TO 11V11 Switching play, creating width and supporting position away from the ball

OBSERVATION Which players can get their eyes off the ball to see the switch? (Scanning)
How do the players switch? (long pass, short pass, via the 10, directly...etc.)
What is the approach of the Winger? (dribble, touch and cross, go for goal?...etc.)
PROGRESSIONS Here are a few ways to link this practice to the 11v11 game;

- Must visit the Winger in your box before you can switch to the opposite side (restrict)
- Defenders can track and recover to stop the attack
- Winger can go directly to goal, doesn’t have to assist
- Add a 1v1 in the penalty box – so a #9 vs a Central Defender, increasing realism

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 PLAY AROUND OR THROUGH ?
Octagon pitch
3v3 +1 Not required
(small)

Switching Play No 4 minutes 6 target goals

ORGANISATION This practice looks quite complicated, but players pick it up quickly. This is a 3v3 (Reds
vs Blues) and 1 neutral player in Yellow. The practice starts with a 3v1 ‘keep away’
scenario – the #10 (Yellow player) always plays in the opposite half and always for the
team in possession.

Reds look to score in any of the 3 goals in the opposite half, they can pass in directly from
where they are or use the Yellow player. If the Blues regain possession they can score in
any 3 of the target goals in the Red’s half. The practice would start again, but this time it
would be a mirror image – so 3x Blues vs 1x Red, with the Yellow now in the top half.
INTENTION The practice will provide opportunity for the team in possession to play through or
around the press to score.
LINK TO 11V11 This game links to a few principles in possession; playing out from the back into midfield,
breaking lines to switch or score and keeping possession under pressure.
OBSERVATION Image 1: Reds play around the press and through the defenders into the #10, who has
found space between the Blues.

Image 2: Blues have forced play well, the Reds use the Yellow to ‘bounce’ and unlock on
the opposite side, the Red could now score in the unprotected goal.

Image 3: Here the Red player can play directly though into the free goal, as the Blues are
preoccupied by marking the #10 and covering the other goals.

This game was PROGRESSIONS For more passing and receiving, keep count of which team can make the most
contributed by consecutive passes in the 3v1 scenario, in a set time or with a certain number of balls /
Graham Mills go’s.
@g_mills84
Make the central goal more valuable, for example goals scored in the central goal are
worth 3 points. This will adding realism as often the central area is the most difficult to
penetrate.

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LINEBALL
Combination & Movement
Rectangle with
4v4 upwards Not required
end zones

Yes 6 minutes No

ORGANISATION A pitch size to suit number of players and age / stage. This game needs no
goals, so great for an arrival activity or if you are struggling for equipment.
INTENTION The aim of the game is for the team in possession to penetrate the end
zone, by running with the ball or receiving a pass inside. The ball must be
under control inside the end zone for the goal to count!

LINK TO 11V11 Forward pass and forward run (playing through or around)
Supporting positions (4x B’s)
OBSERVATION In this game, some of the following may emerge;
- The balancing of running with the ball and passing, to score a goal
- Recognising the space available to carry the ball into
- Drawing in opponents to release a teammate

PROGRESSIONS Manipulating the area size offers different returns in this practice, if it is
large it can encourage individuals to drive into the space, running with the
ball taking larger touches. If it is tighter, you might see more combination
play, as players utilise teammates more frequently.

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FORWARD PASS AND FORWARD RUN
Combination & Movement
Rectangle with
6v6 upwards Not required
end zones

Not required 6 minutes No

ORGANISATION A rectangle with 2 small end zones. To score a team must make a
pass into the end zone to a player that has made a forward run, a
second player must make a supporting run into the end zone to
receive a pass. They maintain possession and attack the opposite
end.
INTENTION Recognising when to support around the ball or away from the ball.

LINK TO 11V11 When and how to offer support (behind, beside, between and
beyond).

OBSERVATION This is a good practice to observe the team in possession, but not
necessarily the player in possession. We can look at the behaviour of
the players around the ball, do they recognise when and where to
support?
PROGRESSIONS Allow the opposition to add a defender who can track and stop the
square pass in the end zone.

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FORWARD PASS AND FORWARD RUN V2
Combination & Movement
Rectangle with
8-12 players Not required
end zones

Not required 6 minutes No

ORGANISATION This version is a little more advanced. A rectangle with 2x small end zones, in each
end zone there is a gate made from poles / cones / flat markers. To score a team
must make a pass into the end zone to the target player or a player that has made
a forward run, then they must pass through the gate to score a goal. They
maintain possession and attack the opposite end.

In this version the defending team (Blue in the image) can defend in the end zone,
so he or she might block a target player or gate. To stop them blocking both you
can reward the team in possession, every 10 passes = 1 goal. This should draw
the opposition out to try and regain.
INTENTION Recognising when to support around the ball or away from the ball.

LINK TO 11V11 Supporting positions in possession (behind, beside, between and beyond).

OBSERVATION Top image: The Reds are attacking the left side, the timing to arrive is super
important so that the Yellow player can play through the gate, but before the Blue
recognises it!

Bottom image: The Blue player has decided to block the gate, this gives the
Reds an overload in the middle! Here the target player recognises the space and
this allows the Red player the time to play through the gate, before the Yellow
plays back into the practice.

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THIRD MAN RUN
Combination & Movement
Rectangle
4v4 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
pitch
Can be
Yes 2 goals
adapted

ORGANISATION In this game goals can only be scored from a third man run.

INTENTION To improve players movement of the ball to support the attack. For
the player who assists, the weight and accuracy of pass will be vital.

LINK TO 11V11 This practice is great to encourage movement off or away from the
football. These runs will often be beyond or between the
defensive line.
OBSERVATION This game is great for timing and chemistry between players.
When supporting the attack the players will need to ‘play in the
future’ and think 2-3 passes ahead.
PROGRESSIONS Think about using the reward and relate approach, rather than
goals can only be scored form a third man run. Can we reward a
goal scored in this way, with double or treble goals?

A nice way to frame this game is using a video of goals scored

from a third man, you could use your phone or tablet to show
different ways of joining the attack and arriving into key areas.
Link to the 11v11 game: This is called a third man run because the runner is the
third man in the play. The third man can sometimes start the passing sequence, and
sometimes he / she is on the blind side of the play and not involved at all when the
run starts.
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3V3 WITH END ZONE
Rectangle
3v3 upwards pitch (small) Not required
with end zones
Combination & Movement Yes – in the
6 minutes 2 target goals
end zone

ORGANISATION A small pitch with 2x end zones near the goals.

This can be played with target goals or with
Goalkeepers in larger goals.
INTENTION To score players must release their teammate
with a forward pass into the end zone,
teammates must time their run to score.
LINK TO 11V11 This game encourages two main ideas;

Breaking lines with a forward ‘killer pass’ (over,

around or through?)

The importance of timing of your run to score

OBSERVATION Things to observe here;
- Variety of forward pass – split, scooped,
curled, driven…etc.
- Variety of forward run – straight, curved,
double movement, blindside…etc.
PROGRESSIONS To increase the challenge you can add in an
additional pass in the end zone, so now the
attacker needs a supporting run to square the
ball to apply the finish.

To add realism allow defenders to recover into

the end zone.

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THE TRANSFER GAME ORGANISATION This game has a few variations, some of which might
be a bit difficult for younger players. Version 1 (left) is
the easiest. Here each team has 4 players who start in
Combination & Movement their own half. The coach feeds the ball into 1 team
(Blues), the out of possession team (Reds) send 2x
Rectangle pitch players to press and win the ball back in a 4v2
3v3 upwards Not required scenario.
(small) with end zones
Yes – in the The Blues score a goal by completing 10 passes, the
6 minutes 4 target goals
end zone Reds score by winning back possession and either
scoring in the target goals behind the Blues, or
transferring the ball back to their teammates in the
opposite half and maintaining possession.

If the Reds force a mistake, they retreat back to their

box where the coach fires in a new ball – and the
process starts again, 2x Blues come in to create a 4v2
against the Reds.

INTENTION In possession, there is a focus on passing and receiving

in tight spaces – this is technically demanding. Lots of
repetition without repetition!

Out of possession the focus is pressing in a pair, to

ultimately win back possession or force a mistake.

OBSERVATION This game has lots of psychological returns, every

player will make a mistake or face adversity being 2v4
when trying to win it back.

PROGRESSIONS Version 2 (right), is a similar structure to the first game,

but instead of the Blues keeping possession, they
break out and try to score past the remaining Red
Defenders. This links to playing through or around,
but is quite advanced for younger players.

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4V4+3 ORGANISATION This positional game is a favourite of Pep Guardiola. The normal set up is
a 4v4 with 3x neutral players. The team on the outside (Red) keep the ball
working with the 3x neutral players (Yellow), Blues are defending. When
Combination & Movement the outside team lose possession they immediately press and the other
team (Blue) take up the positions on the outside. There is opportunity for
the Yellows to play in positions they might experience in a game – the end
11 players 2x 12x12m No player could be a Central Defender, the inside player a DCM/#4 and the
other end player could be a Central Striker (#9).
Can be INTENTION This game is fantastic at shinning a light on positioning and simple pictures
No Not required
adapted of when to play around or through.
LINK TO 11V11 / - To develop 3 passing options for the ball carrier (image 1)
OBSERVATION - Supporting positions (behind, beside, between and beyond)
- Players awareness of ball, opposition, teammates and space (BOTS)
- For the inside neutral player, a focus on supporting between or
receiving inside the net of the blues
- Whether to play around of through
- Weight and accuracy of pass

Supporting positions and potential passing lines Moving the opposition creating an up-back and through Moving the opposition and playing around

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3V3 MIDFIELD MOVEMENT
Combination & Movement
Rectangle with ORGANISATION This game is played in a tight space with 4 target goals facing
3v3 +2 Not required outwards, as per the diagram. The team in possession can score in
end zones
any of the goals, but only with a 1 touch finish. Its important to note
Not required 2 minutes 4 target goals they must receive the pass from the target player (Black) in the end
zone, otherwise it can be too easy to score.

With older players the target players are just feeders – who start the
practice, this will increase the interactions between the 3 players
inside. You could remove this constraint with younger or less able
players to get more success.
INTENTION The aim of the game is to move and combine quickly to find the
spare goal. As there are only 3 defenders – they can’t block all four
goals, can the attackers move the ball quickly to find the gap?
LINK TO 11V11 - Positioning of a midfield 3
- Support (4’Bs)
- Scanning for BOTS
- Movement as an individual and awareness of my teammates

OBSERVATION Initially players might find this game challenging, there are quite a
few new ‘bits’ that take a while for them to adapt to. In time they will
start to move the ball with a clever pass or dribble and find solutions.
PROGRESSIONS This practice can work with larger numbers in a wave style practice,
so the resting team enters when the team scores – knocking the
other team off.

This game was contributed by Graham Mills @g_mills84

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MIDFIELD ROTATION
Combination & Movement
Thirds pitch with
7v7 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
quartered central area

Not required Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game takes place on a 2 goal pitch, split into thirds, with the middle
third split into 4x quarters, as per the diagram. The end third represents
“attackers vs defenders” (1x Striker vs 2x Central Defenders), the central
areas are replicating the Midfield in a 4-3-3 so is 3v3.
INTENTION In possession the Midfield 3 must look to occupy different spaces using the
4 grids so that they play on different lines and create different passing lines
for the ball carrier.
LINK TO 11V11 - Movement and rotations in midfield
- Spatial awareness and timing to ‘empty and fill’ space
- Scanning for BOTS

OBSERVATION In this practice I would look for;

- The movement / rotation and relationship between the 3x Midfielders
- Playing in different spaces and off different lines
- When playing from the Goalkeeper, use the 3v1 to build with patience
and support from behind once the ball is played forward.
- When the ball is in advanced areas, encourage running forward, whilst
maintaining ‘balance’.
PROGRESSIONS Start this game with players ‘locked in’ zones, but progress as you see fit;
- Can move up / down 1 zone in possession
- Pass forward / run forward to create a 2v2 in the end zone (reward)
- Out of possession, Midfielders can track their runner
- Remove the zones for complete freedom! (realism)
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#10 IN THE DIAGONAL POCKET
Combination & Movement
9 players can 2 Goalkeepers or
20x20m grid
be adapted target players

No 8 mins Not required

ORGANISATION This practice looks complicated, but it is essentially a possession box, with a few constraints
added. A 2v2 (Reds vs Blues) takes place in one half of the grid. The game is directional with
the team in possession looking to play from target player to target player (Goalkeepers in this
version). The Yellow players play a vital role in this practice, always playing for the team in
possession – 2 of which play on the side to replicate 2x Full Backs and finally the #10 (also
Yellow) always plays in the opposite half.
INTENTION The team in possession (Red or Blue) look to play from end to end using the #10. The #10
can only receive in the opposite half and on the opposite side to the ball (diagonal pocket).
LINK TO 11V11 This game is designed to encourage the teams understanding of when to play around or
through. For the #10 to focus on helping the midfield by supporting away in the ‘diagonal
pocket’.
OBSERVATION For the team in possession this game is all about breaking lines by playing through or
around – do they recognize the moment to do this?

For the Full Backs, they must focus on their distances when offering support – come close to
help the ball carrier or further way to stretch the opposition? When in possession, are they
aware of their next pass to play around the press?

PROGRESSIONS This is quite an advanced practice, it can be made more difficult by:
- Adding competition and keeping score
- For the pass that breaks a line, from half to half, to be 1 touch (restrict)
- Full Backs can only play forwards using 1 touch (restrict)

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THE COMBINATION CORRIDOR
Combination & Movement

5v5 upwards Thirds pitch 2Ggoalkeepers

Yes – in the
2x 6 minute halves 2 goals
final third

ORGANISATION Regular 2 goal pitch with the middle third designated as the “combination
corridor”. Within the middle third the coach restricts the players touch (1 or
2) to encourage clever and quick combinations. No conditions in the end
zones, where players can dribble and control the tempo.
INTENTION To encourage clever and quick combination play to score!

LINK TO 11V11 - A Midfielder or attacker receiving the ball in congested areas, high up the
pitch (between)
- Recognising when and how to change the tempo
OBSERVATION I really like this practice for a number of reasons, things to observe here
include;

- The players scanning habits especially in the central areas, are they aware
of the space / teammates / opposition and their next move?
- The individuals ability to play off 1 or 2 touches and adapt their ideas to
what is emerging in front of them.
- The groups movement and support to allow combination play in the
central third. (4x B’s)
- The teams strategies to build up to play through the corridor, will they
play slowly or quickly? How many passes?

PROGRESSIONS Alter width of the middle third, to make it easier or harder.

Increase / decrease number of touches, be mindful this can alter the realism.
Remove the condition and check the transfer to the real game. (Relate)
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EVERYONE IN THE OPPOSITION’S HALF
Combination & Movement

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A very simple constraint here, for the goal to count the attacking team must
have every outfield player in the opposition’s half.

INTENTION To encourage the team to maintain distances in possession.

LINK TO 11V11 / The benefits of this constraint could be;

OBSERVATION
- The are physical benefits to the team having to be in the opponent’s half
- There can be moments of transition as the Reds push up, if the Blues steal
possession and counter attack
- It challenges the teams understanding of how and when to support the
developing play (4xB’s – behind, beside, between and beyond)

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KILLER PASS
Combination & Movement

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game takes place on a 2 goal pitch, with a halfway line with flat
markers or cones.
INTENTION All outfield players must play in one half, so in this diagram the Blues are
looking to press high and score, whilst the Reds are looking to play a ‘killer
pass’ into the opposition’s half, breaking the press and creating a goal
scoring opportunity.
LINK TO 11V11 This game encourages two main ideas;

Breaking lines with a forward ‘killer pass’ (over, around or through?)

Running forward from deep to get beyond the defensive line

OBSERVATION In this game the following things might emerge;

- A variety of forward passes; curled, driven, stabbed, lofted,

fast/slow…etc.
- The types and timing of forward runs; blindside, curved, clever,
late…etc.
- Retaining possession under pressure when playing out (Reds).
- Pressing with a plan (Blues).
PROGRESSIONS Allow the defenders to recover and track the runner. (Relate)

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BREAKOUT… MIDFIELD RUNNER
Combination & Movement

5v5 upwards Thirds pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes – in the final third 2x 6 minute halves 2 goals

ORGANISATION In this game all the outfield players play in the middle third, to score the team
look to break the line with a forward pass and a forward run.
INTENTION To encourage runners from the middle third and develop the passing range
and awareness to assist.
LINK TO 11V11 For the player in possession of the ball;
- Forward passes (short, long, through, over, around, reverse…etc.)
- Choosing to play over, around or through?
- Awareness to see these passes

For the goal scorer;

- Recognising the moment to run forwards
- Different types of run (blindside, between, curved, opposite
movements…etc.)
- Finishing

For the defending team;

- Preventing gaps
- As a progression, tracking / recovery runs to prevent shots
OBSERVATION Sensing the moment and trusting your teammates is important in this game. If
I’m the runner, will my teammate spot the pass? For the player playing the
pass, will my teammate commit to the run?
PROGRESSIONS Allow the defending team to track – how many?
Once the line is broken it’s a ‘normal’ game – other attackers can join and
defenders can recover.
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THROUGH THE THIRDS
Combination & Movement

5v5 upwards Thirds pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Can be added 2x 6 minute halves 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game demonstrates another way to use a thirds pitch. Here the
players are locked into their zones. Whilst this lacks realism it can
allow the players to get lots of repetition.
INTENTION In this example, the Reds are playing against an overload (3v4) this
makes it hard to play through midfield into their 1v1 in the final
third.
LINK TO 11V11 Playing out from the back into a congested midfield.

OBSERVATION Think about what players will experience by playing in different

positions. Consider their individual needs – technical, tactical,
social, psychological or physical?

Strikers
- Red Striker is in 1v1, whereas the Blue striker is in a 1v2

Midfielders
- Reds under constant pressure 3v4
- Blues screening and intercepting passes

Defenders
- Reds lots of repetition of playing into midfield
- Blue Defender is in a 1v1 situation – with no cover!
PROGRESSIONS This template can be adapted in almost any way you like.

You can also release some of the constraints to allow players to

move up and down the thirds. (Relate)
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MESSY FOOTBALL
Combination & Movement

8 upwards Square pitch No

No Can be adapted 4 target goals

ORGANISATION A small tight square pitch, with 4 target goals or coned goals. I tend to
play without Goalkeepers for this one. This works well as an arrival activity.
This is a basic 2v2, with 2 games going on simultaneously on the same
pitch. In this diagram, the Reds are playing the Blues (North to South) and
the Yellows are playing the Pinks (East to West). The interference and
chaos from the other game allows players to dribble and pass under no,
some and full pressure.

INTENTION The inference and lack of space encourages lots of scanning, dribbling
and adapting on the move.
LINK TO 11V11 Lot of technical returns; receive, run, release or retain.

OBSERVATION Observations for this one;

- When to play as an individual when to combine?
- Playing with your head up (awareness)
- 1v1 / 2v2 / 2v1 playing with a underload and overload

PROGRESSIONS You can play each game with a time limit or “first to…”..

You can keep score of games won, draw and lost…or just play for fun!

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THREE, TWO, ONE!
Combination & Movement

5v5 upwards Thirds pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes – in the final third 2x 6 minute halves 2 goals

ORGANISATION In this game the players are restricted to the number of touches they can
take in each third. In this version the Reds can take 3 touches in their
defensive third, 2 touches in the middle third and 1 touch in the final third.
INTENTION For the team in possession to strategize how they will play in each third to
progress up the field of play.
LINK TO 11V11 The idea here is that the speed of play will increase as you get closer to the
opponents goal, hence the decrease in touches as you get closer.

OBSERVATION Support will be key in this practice, as you get higher the need for options
and combinations will be vital. (4xB’s)
PROGRESSIONS This game lacks realism but will allow for repetition of combination play
in the middle and final third. It would be worthwhile removing this
constraint as see if the players can relate the principle of managing tempo.

A word of caution, this game will not suit the dribblers in your group – it
can be overly restrictive, so use sparingly.

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RECREATING STREET FOOTBALL ORGANISATION In this practice we split the squad into small teams this could be 2’s,
3’s, 4’s or 5’s. The coach prepares a number of different pitches for
the players to play. In this version we’ve selected; 3v3 Lineball, 3v3
Combination & Movement with Goalkeepers, 3v3 4xgoal game and a 3v3 Back-to-back game.
INTENTION For the players to play and the coaches to observe. There will be
lots of pass, dribbles and shots in these games compared to 7v7/
Squad practice 4 pitches 2 Goalkeepers 9v9 or 11v11. (See Manchester United Study page 4)
LINK TO 11V11 These games will focus on individuals and connections between
2 goals
No 2-3 minutes individuals rather than 11v11 pictures.
6 target goals / gates
OBSERVATION Lots to observe here for coaches.

Technical
- More touches than a larger format of the game
- Different games posing different questions, have the players got
the skill to get success? Where are their strengths and gaps?

Social
- How do teams organise to compete and get success
- As a larger group, how do they decide who plays on which pitch?
- As there are no set positions how will the decide who does what?

Psychological
- Although this session is really fun, there will be lots of challenge
- Games are quick so the players will need to refocus quickly after
every game
- This will be super competitive, it will challenge players resilience
in adversity…made even more difficult as its against their peers

Physical
- The spaces are small so lots of accelerations/decelerations and
change of direction

PROGRESSIONS Add competition – scores, league tables, promotion/

relegation…etc.

Constraints could be added to any of these pitches depending on

100 the intended themes.
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1 TOUCH OR 4 OR MORE
Combination & Movement

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes 2x 6 minute halves 2 goals

ORGANISATION In this game players can only play using 1 touch, or 4 or more. If they use 2
or 3 touches it is a freekick and the opposition regain possession.
INTENTION The idea here is to encourage quick combination play – using 1 touch. The
fact they can’t play with 2 or 3, means they must scan effectively, and
teammates must support. Players can play with more than 1 touch – using
4 or more, this might allow dribbles but will also highlight moments where
they could have combined with 1 touch.
LINK TO 11V11 This game works well when looking at combination play and movement,
especially when trying to create or score, where time / space is limited.
OBSERVATION The constraint of 1 touch or 4 or more, means there is very little need for
command or instructional coaching. As players miss the opportunity to
play with 1 touch, do they self correct and improve with more exposure to
the game?
PROGRESSIONS I like to use this constraint in a whole-part-whole / play-practice-play
approach. This allows for players to experience the constraint, then see if
they can recognise moments to combine – without the restriction. This game was inspired by Ben Bartlett @benbarts

Alternatively, teams could be encouraged to use a pause to search for

solutions.

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NO BACKWARDS PASS
Combination & Movement

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes 2x 6 minute halves 2 goals

ORGANISATION In this game a regular 2 goal pitch is used, the constraint on the game is
that once your team is in possession, they can not pass the ball backwards.
INTENTION This constraint will encourage forward play; passing, running and
individual possession
LINK TO 11V11 - Encouraging inventive and creative play to score
- Encouraging players to take risks with forward passes and dribbles

OBSERVATION For this game look out for the following;

- The players ability to play as an individual when needed and combine

effectively (outplay)
- In possession the dispersal of the players to make the pitch wide and
long. Do they have a structure to play out and forward?
- The support ahead of the ball for the player in possession
PROGRESSIONS Some progressions for this game could include;

- If the group are finding it too difficult allow 1 backwards pass per
possession
- Remove the condition, can the players recognise when to play positively
and when to recycle. (Relate)

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ONE TWO TO SCORE
Combination & Movement

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Can be added 2x 6 minute halves 2 goals

ORGANISATION This is one of my favourites! The constraint here is you must perform a
one-two / wall pass to score.
INTENTION In my eyes are there are two types of one-two;

- To tease (image 1); to draw the opposition out of position to allow

a forward pass or movement from a teammate
- The classic “wall-pass” to play around and eliminate the defender
(image 2).
LINK TO 11V11 This links to combination play or triggers for players to move / rotate.

OBSERVATION - Recognising when to change the tempo. (Slow - fast)

- Eliminating the opposition with clever combination play (through)
- Lots of forward runs / support to break lines
- In terms of technical aspects you could look at when and how
players retain, run and release the ball
PROGRESSIONS Progressions for this one could include;
- Split the pitch into thirds, can the team perform the one-two in the
final third?
- Remove ‘must’ and reward a goal scored after a one-two, with
double or treble points!

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2V2 COMBINE TO SCORE
Combination & Movement

2v2 + 4 Small / tight pitch Can be added

2 target goals or
No First to 2 goals wins
larger goals with GKs

ORGANISATION A great game for quick and clever combination play. This practice uses a
tight 2 goal pitch, with a 2v2 or 3v3 with ‘bounce’ players either side of a
goal. The bounce players play using 1 touch. Goals must be scored with 1
touch inside the scoring zone – you don’t have to use the ‘bounce’ players,
you can combine with your partner.
INTENTION The pair on the pitch must work together to combine and score within the
end zone, can use the outside players if needed.
LINK TO 11V11 Forward passes and forward runs

OBSERVATION This game will give the players lots of repetition of;

- Clever and quick combination play with limited touches

- Eliminating the opposition by playing through, around or over
- Lots of forward runs to support the attack or break lines
- Finishing with variety (inside, outside, headed, volley…etc.)
PROGRESSIONS To add variety the bounce players could play from one end to the other
and miss out the midfield, be aware this might lead to more direct play
and less combination, but it can be good for recognition of movements
away from the ball.

You can play a larger version of this practice, using Goalkeepers and larger
goals.

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MIDFIELD PLAY THROUGH OR AROUND
Combination & Movement
Rectangle with end ORGANISATION A practice set up in a small tight area, with 4 target goals. The Pink players, who
9 upwards zone and divided in Not required play for the team in possession, play on the outside to replicate a Central
half Defender or Goalkeeper and Full Backs on either side.
INTENTION The objective for the Red team is to receive the ball and play forward to the
Not required Can be adapted 4 target goals target goals. The Blues look to deny them and if they steal possession, counter
into the target goals at the opposite end.
LINK TO 11V11 - Recognising when to play through or around the opposition
- Movement and rotations in midfield
- Spatial awareness
- Scanning for BOTS
OBSERVATION For the Pinks:

- Supporting the midfielders allowing them to switch play.

- Full backs: where to support – come towards or away? Play on different
lines.

For the Reds:

- Movement and rotation to receive the ball (using the 2x halves).

- When to retain, when to switch and when to play forwards.
- Role of the 10, play behind the pressure or drop into the midfield.

For the Blues:

- Screening forward passes.

- Intercepting passes.
- How do they mark? (zonal or man).
PROGRESSIONS - Remove the overload players
- Adapt the numbers to replicate your team’s shape (4-4-2/3-5-2/3-4-3)
- Restrict or reward the #10 – for example play must go through the #10 to
count
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MIDFIELD OVERLOAD
Combination & Movement
Rectangle pitch with
11 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
central zone

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A 2 goal pitch, with a central zone 3-5m wide. The game starts with a ball
into the Pink player (CM) from the coach. This players starts an attack with
a pass or dribble to immediately create a 3v2 scenario.
INTENTION The Midfielder’s (Pink) role is to create an attacking overload 3v2 scenario
to assist the 2 Strikers. This game can be good for transition (defence to
attack) when the Defenders dispossess the attackers and counter.
LINK TO 11V11 This game can replicate lots of 3v2 scenarios, touching on when to pass,
dribble or shoot.
OBSERVATION This game allows for repetition of attacking and finishing with numerical
superiority (overload).

For the Defenders there is lots of emergency defending; blocks,

tackles…etc to prevent efforts on goal. If the Defenders win possession
they can counter by playing into the attackers in the opposite half.
PROGRESSIONS At the start only the Pink player can play in both halves, to progress, on the
turnover you could allow the Defender to drive into the opposite half to
create a 4v2.

Another way to alter the practice is to play a 1v1 in the central zone,
removing the overload. (Realism)

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IMPROVING MIDFIELD RELATIONSHIPS
Combination & Movement

Can be adapted Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A regular 2 goal pitch suitable for the age and stage of your players.
The diagram on the right shows an example for players who play the
11v11 game, but it could be adapted for younger ages and different
formats. This is a normal game, except that the Midfield two (Yellow)
always play for the team in possession. This creates a constant
attacking overload, for more success and lots of repetition of
Midfielders receiving the ball and making decisions.

INTENTION This game creates lots of repetition for the Midfielders, both starting
the attack and supplying the final ball.
LINK TO 11V11 For the team in possession;

- The distances and relationship between the Midfielders in Yellow.

- When do the Midfielders retain possession and when do they risk
progression? Play over, around or through
- Intent and execution of killer passes and assists

For the team defending, lots of repetition of defending outnumbered.

OBSERVATION How do the team in possession utilise the overload?

PROGRESSIONS Restrict the Yellows…They ‘must’ combine before the team can score.
Reward the Yellows…if they combine the goal is worth double.

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1 TOUCH ASSIST
Combination & Movement

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game takes place on a pitch with 2 goals suitable for the age / stage
of the players. With more able players you might want to make this pitch
tighter, to restrict the space and time available. A twist on a classic, teams
must score using a 1 touch assist. The finish is not restricted in any way.

INTENTION To encourage clever and quick combination play, as well as the principle
of a ‘forward pass and a forward run’ to score.
LINK TO 11V11 Combination play in the final third and/or the use of central striker as
‘target’ player.
OBSERVATION Things to look out for in this game might include;

- This is a great game for combination play; One-two’s, third man runs,
overlaps / underlaps …etc.
- Support play is vital in this one (4xB’s).
- Recognising the moment to change the tempo; are we looking to score
or are we looking to keep possession?
PROGRESSIONS This game is already quite challenging, but to increase the difficulty you
could;

- Add 1 touch finish, so the move is 1 touch assist and 1 touch finish, this
is really tough!
- Add an area where the assist comes from E.g. (Zone 14, Wide
areas...etc.)
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THE PLAYMAKER
Combination & Movement

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION I find players really enjoy this one! A normal 2 goal game, with each team
assigning a ‘playmaker’. The playmaker must be involved in the possession
for a goal to count.
INTENTION For the goal to count the ‘playmaker’ must be involved in the move. This
can be interpreted in a number of different ways! For example, the
Goalkeeper could be the playmaker and start attacks like Ederson, it could
be a ball playing Central Defender, a dribbler, a passer…the options are
endless!
LINK TO 11V11 The principle here is that anyone can start an attack and be a ‘playmaker’ –
its not just the #10 or a ‘creative’ player.
OBSERVATION Observations to look out for;

- How do the team use the playmaker?

- How does the playmaker play – simple and safe or right in the middle of
the game?
- How do the opposition stop the playmaker?
PROGRESSIONS This game can be played in 2 different versions. One where everyone
knows who the two playmakers are, but its quite fun to play the ‘secret
playmaker’ and see if the opposition can work out who the danger man is!

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 COUNTER ATTACK WITH LAZY WINGERS
Combination & Movement

5v5 Upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes 6 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION This template can be used to highlight or develop a number of different themes. In the diagram, the Red
team defend with 2x players less so the game is 6v4 (not including goalkeepers). The Blue team are
looking to score – utilising their overload and the Reds are looking to defend outnumbered, regain
possession and counter-attack using their wingers who are parked on the halfway line. If the Reds counter
successfully, the roles flip over – so now the Blues defend with 4 and the Reds start in possession.

INTENTION For the defending team to regain possession and counter. For the team in possession, to break down a
block and score.

LINK TO 11V11 / For the defending 4 (Reds);

OBSERVATION - How do the players strategize to defend in a 4v6 situation?
- Who leads this plan and how do they gauge success?

For the ‘Lazy Wingers’

- Staying in the game (onside, alert...etc.) for the through ball
- Ability to finish under pressure

For the attacking team (Blues);

- Breaking down the deep block
- Do they play around or through? Over might be difficult
PROGRESSIONS A few variations on this practice could be:
- This game can also work with each team having 5 attempts each, keeping score.
- Allow the defenders to track and recover, adding realism. (image 2)

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3V3 MIDFIELD JOIN THE ATTACK
Combination & Movement

8 upwards Funnelled pitch 1 Goalkeeper

1 goal
Yes Can be adapted
2 target goals

ORGANISATION In this practice, the area is split up into 2 main sections. Near the goal
there is a Goalkeeper and a Defender (Pink) playing up against a Striker
(Yellow). In the area at the top of the practice there are a group of
Midfielders playing a 3v3 – you can alter these numbers to suit your team’s
shape or the players you have available for the session. If the Blue team
regains – they play out into the target goals, they would then start in
possession and the Reds would defend.
INTENTION The Red and Blues look to play into the Striker (Yellow) who plays in a 1v1
or 2v1- with supporting player, ultimately looking to finish in the large goal.
LINK TO 11V11 The link here is finishing – under pressure and from a variety of different
passes. As well as movement to out-think the Defender to score!
OBSERVATION In possession Midfielders must develop recognition of what is around
them and the moment to play forwards. For the Striker (Yellow) he / she
has decide whether to outplay the Defender with clever movement, pace
or strength.
PROGRESSIONS Some ideas for progressions could include;

- Don’t allow a supporting run, so just a 1v1 to goal. (Restrict)

- Allow a Midfielder runner to form a 2v1.
- Allow the Midfielder to make a tracking run to make a 2v2 in the end
zone. (Realism).
- You can play around with who can join – for example to focus on a third
man run, the player who passes in can’t join, this challenges his
teammate to recognise and anticipate the moment to join.
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COUNTER ATTACK GAME
Combination & Movement

4v4 upwards Rectangle – narrow 2 Goalkeepers

Yes 6 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION A 2 goal pitch, to encourage the principle of attacking quickly this works
best on a long thin pitch, as per the diagram. Here we will see lots of
forward passes and transitional moments.

INTENTION By removing the width, the opportunity is to play forwards quickly.

LINK TO 11V11 Regain and counter

OBSERVATION Things to watch out for on this game;

- The ‘early decision’ – Run or release?

- The variety of forward pass, to feet? To space?
- Away from the ball we will see forward running to support the attack.
- For the Goalkeepers distribution on the regain.
PROGRESSIONS You can add a timer in possession, E.g. must score within 8 seconds or
number of passes to encourage quick play. (Restrict)

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3 TEAM TRANSITION GAME
Combination & Movement
Rectangle with central
8 upwards 2 Goalkeepers
zone

Yes 6 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game works with 3 equal teams on a 2-goal pitch, with a central ‘free’ zone
across the centre. This game works best with Goalkeepers, as they improve the
quality of the finish, but more importantly they allow quick attacks once they’ve
gained possession. To start the coach feeds the ball into Blues who attack the
Yellows. If the Blues score they turn, receive a new ball and attack the Reds at the
opposite end. If they are unsuccessful or the ball turns over the Yellows would
carry the ball into the opposite half and take on the Reds (transition to attack).

INTENTION Challenge players understanding with constant changing pictures for example; IP-
OOP, supporting the attack, defending 1v1, defending as unit...etc.
LINK TO 11V11 Constant reaction to transition and in / out of balance moments.

OBSERVATION This game is all about transition; attack to defence and defence to attack. In
possession look for the players understanding of changing the tempo; are they
building, retaining or creating?
PROGRESSIONS As the Blues attack, the Yellows defend, if the ball is turned over you can allow the
Blues to counter press to regain immediately and stop the Yellows reaching the
safe zone. (Realism)

You can play this game with a ‘x’ attempts rather than turning over the attackers on
each outcome, so the same team would attack for a set of 5 for example.

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KEY PASS 6 upwards Rectangle 1 Goalkeeper

1 large goal
Finishing Yes Can be adapted
2 target goals

ORGANISATION A wave style practice, with attackers working towards the large goal OBSERVATION For the Yellows;
and the Defenders looking to regain and score in either target goal
on the halfway line. The 2 attackers (Red) play into attacking - Repetition of combining to assist (over, around or through)
Midfielders (Yellows) and run forward, before attacking the - Playing on different lines and awareness of space
Defenders (Blue). More pairs could be added for larger groups.
The Reds will get repetition of;
INTENTION Exploring different ways to break lines – with forward passes and
runs.
- Passing forwards and forward runs
LINK TO 11V11 Recreating assists and key passes in the final third. - Variety of runs (overlaps, through, blindside..etc)

The Blues can work on;

- Defending in a pair
- Regain and counter

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 3x spaces the width of
Unit vs Unit 1 Goalkeeper
OVER, AROUND OR THROUGH ? Yes
the penalty box

3x 6 minutes
1 large goal
3-4 target goals
Finishing

ORGANISATION This game takes place in three different areas – each one the width of the INTENTION To challenge the attackers game intelligence essentially asking them to
penalty box, with one team attacking (Red) and one team defending make decisions of when to play over, around or through the opposition.
(Blue).This game is played in 3 sets each lasting 6 minutes. In each set the
LINK TO 11V11 Defenders are focusing on ‘defending as a unit’ as well as defending
Defenders protect a different space – getting closer and closer to their
different distances from their goal.
goal. The attackers must find different ways to get success, based on the
oppositions approach. You could allow the Defenders to recover or track
The attacking group must find a way to get success, being attuned to the
runners as a progression.
opposition and the space available.
Image 1: The Defenders start high so there could be space behind. OBSERVATION There are many different ways to deliver this practice in terms of
interventions and coach communication – none are right or wrong!
Image 2: Here the Defenders defend on the edge of their box, so there
might be space to play through or around, over would have to be very You could choose to nudge the players towards the answer, not tell them
clever! at all or even give the answer and see if they can put it into action.

Image 3: in this scenario the Defenders are very deep and are protecting
the goal. This might be the hardest challenge!
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1 GOAL AND OFF
Finishing

3 equal teams Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION This one is a players favourite. A good game if you are struggling
for space, which tends to get very competitive! A 2 goal pitch with 3
teams, one of which is waiting to come on (Blues).

The team that scores first wins the game 1-0 and the next opponent
enters the field.

INTENTION Finishing under pressure and exploring strategies to win.

OBSERVATION In this game you might see;

- Strategies to win!
- Clinical finishes in a game context
- Playing under pressure

PROGRESSIONS As per the diagram, the team that score keeps possession and
restarts from their Goalkeeper. The team entering the pitch (Blues)
have to press quickly to stop the Reds scoring.

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TARGET MAN
Finishing

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A normal 2 goal pitch, split in half using cones or flat markers. In this game
each team must always keep 1x player in the opposition half (The Target Man) .
The team in possession must play into their ‘Target Man’ before they can score.

INTENTION This practice allows for a lot of repetition of playing into a central Striker, who
can develop his/her hold up play. For the others, supporting the attack (behind,
beside or beyond?)

LINK TO 11V11 Playing with a single Striker / back to goal skills.

Pass forward and run forward.

OBSERVATION Observations for this game include;

- How does the group decide, who the ‘Target Man’ is?
- Is there a strategy to use the ‘Target Man’ ? A style of play?
- There will be lots of defending outnumbered, as the teams are forced to
leave one player up
- This may lead to counter attacks on the regain – pass, run with the ball…etc.

PROGRESSIONS You can play this game with each team having a fixed ‘Target Man’ that has to
play in the opposition half, or alternatively you can rotate this player within the
flow of the game (relate). Add a consequence if this condition is broken, I like to
use a penalty!

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FOX IN THE BOX
Finishing

6 upwards Penalty box 1 Goalkeeper

Yes First to 2 goals wins 1 goal

ORGANISATION A fun game which is great for improving finishing, players will need to be
instinctive and must be able to adapt their ideas quickly. This practice takes
place in and around the penalty box, two teams play inside (Blues and Reds) with
neutral players on the outside. If the defending team wins possession they must
play back to the ‘top’ players (Yellow) . This example works with 4x pairs – but it
can be adapted to suit most numbers (see progressions).
INTENTION This game is tight and frantic, players need to perceive and execute quickly to be
successful. First team to score 2x goals wins, then rotate roles to change the
outside team.
LINK TO 11V11 The link here is finishing – under pressure and from a variety of different passes.
As well as movement to out-think and outplay the defender to score!
OBSERVATION This game is about;

- Deciding early whether to shoot or assist.

- Utilising the outside support players to create an overload and an assist.
- Variety of finishes – wont always be what you want!
PROGRESSIONS You can adapt this practice in a number of ways to suit your group size;
6x players = 2v2 inside, wide players and coach at the top
8x players = as per the diagram, players work in pairs
9x players = 3v3 inside, 2x wide players and 1x player at the top
12x players = 3 teams of 4, 4v4 inside and 4x outside

Restrict the touches the outside players can take – I like 1 touch to keep it quick.
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3 TEAM FINISHING
Finishing

4v4 +4 Two penalty boxes 2 Goalkeepers

Optional First to 2 goals wins 2 goals

ORGANISATION This one is another players favourite. The group is split into 3
teams, in this example its Reds vs Blues, with the Yellow team on the
outside as target or bounce players. These games can be
structured in a number of ways, I really like first to 2 goals – its
competitive and a little more realistic than a 1 goal and off. When
1x team wins, the losing team swap places with the outside team.

INTENTION The intention is to recreate goal scoring opportunities that look and
feel like the game. This practice encourages a lot of close range and
1 touch finishes.

LINK TO 11V11 This is all about creating and scoring goals.

OBSERVATION This practice will be fast paced, with lots to take in. I would try to
look at the movement of the players to evade the Defender and get
that precious ‘half a yard’ to score. There are also lots of
psychological and social returns here, how do the players cope with
winning, losing, mistakes…etc?
PROGRESSIONS The two diagrams show how you could distribute the Yellows. In
image 1, they could work on crossing or combinations, in image 2 it
allows the team in possession to pass forward and run forward with
more ease but perhaps less realism.

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1V1 KNOCKOUT
Finishing

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch (small) 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION Two teams (Reds and Blues) are split either side of the pitch. The game starts
with a 1v1 as per the diagram. When a goal is scored, the team that
conceded replace their player and a new 1v1 game starts. The player that
scores starts with a new ball from his Goalkeeper.
INTENTION To create lots of 1v1 opportunities close to the goal.

LINK TO 11V11 The game highlights 1v1 skills or ‘outplaying’, both in and out of possession.
In possession the focus is beating your direct opponent to score. Out of
possession, can you steal possession and counter?
OBSERVATION This game will be high challenge for a number of reasons;

- Its 1v1 so there is no place to hide!

- Lots of eyes on the game, could increase the perceived pressure
- High consequence if you concede
PROGRESSIONS Add competition;

- Add up the teams scores (Red vs Blues)

- Play as an individual, so which player can win the most games

Be mindful of the queue and the work to rest ratio. This game should be fast
paced where the rest is welcomed, with a larger group you could use 2 or
more pitches.
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TURN AND BURN
Finishing

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION This is a regular two goal game with a rugby inspired twist! Once
the goal is scored, the attacker is given a bonus ball and must turn
and attack the opposite goal – the play quickly shifts direction and
the Defenders have to respond quickly. The ‘turn and burn’ player
can not pass he / she must go on a Messi-style mazy dribble.
INTENTION This is a fun game – but might encourage the players to take more
risks in their dribbling. Out of possession it will test the Defenders
reaction to mistakes.
OBSERVATION - How brave are the attackers in possession to take players on in
a 1v1 situation?
- How do the Defenders respond? They’ve conceded but there
is always a ‘next job’!
PROGRESSIONS Allow the ‘turn and burn’ player to assist as well – perhaps adopting
the scoring mechanism below;

Score going solo (no pass) = 5 goals

1 pass to score = 3 goals
More than 1 pass = 1 goal, normal rules

This game was inspired by Russell ‘ Rusty’ Earnshaw @russellearnshaw

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LONG RANGE SCREAMER
Finishing

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch (small) 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A regular game with the added incentive to shoot from distance. If
a goal is scored in open play it counts as normal, but if you score
from your own half its worth triple! (Reward)
INTENTION To encourage players to take more risk and shoot from range!

LINK TO 11V11 Although this game is fun there can be some strong links to the
11v11 game;

Image 1: If the opposition don’t press, it allows the player to step

out and shoot.

Image 2: Here the Blues are in a low block, which makes it difficult
to play over, around or through. One solution could be to shoot
from distance!
OBSERVATION This can be a good game to encourage players to take a little more
risk and not worry about missing the target.

As the players grasp the concept, you can start to discuss when to
shoot from range and when to try a clever pass to break a line and
create a higher quality shooting opportunity.
PROGRESSIONS Alter the spaces, perhaps a thirds pitch where goals in the middle
third are worth more than the final third.
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IN THE POCKET
Finishing

7v7 Thirds pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game works on a thirds pitch, but without any designated Midfielders. Each
team is set up in a GK-4-0-2 formation. So the Strikers are outnumbered. The
middle zone is used as a free space for the forwards to ‘drop in’ or play ‘ in the
pocket’ or ‘between lines’ – to start the Defenders can not follow (see progressions).

The Full backs / wide players can join the attack in the wide zones.
INTENTION For central Strikers to work on their receiving skills and movement as a pair.

LINK TO 11V11 This could replicate a #9 and #10 in the final third. The phrase ‘thinking opposites’
works well here, so one short and one long, one right one left…etc.

Also great for Full Backs to explore when to support (beside, behind or beyond)
and when to stay connected with the back four.
OBSERVATION - Young players sometimes find it hard to work together or to be aware of their
teammates movements
- Are you making the run for yourself (to score) or an unselfish run to create space
for your teammate?
PROGRESSIONS - Reward specific types of assists
- Allow Defenders to enter the middle zone on the strikers first touch (realism)
- For more success, restrict how many Defenders are active to create a 2v2

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DIAMOND PITCH
Finishing

4v4 upwards Diamond pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A 2-goal pitch but marked out in a diamond. The change in shape not only
makes the pitch narrower but also forces both defence and attack to focus
on the action closer to goal. Instead of putting in crosses, the attacking
team will have to use more through passes in central areas, which are
congested.

INTENTION The teams will learn to maintain possession by providing width in the
middle third in order to create opportunities to penetrate in the final third
of the pitch. (Through / around).

LINK TO 11V11 Attacking through central areas – either as an individual or collective.

OBSERVATION The Goalkeeper and Defenders are looking to play into the midfield third
quickly, as there could be limited space near their goal.

Maintain possession in the widest point of the pitch.

Creative and aggressive play in the final third, due to the lack of space.
This might include reverse / diagonal passes, clever runs, dribbles and
quick finishes.

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TOP BINS!
Finishing

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals – with hoops!

ORGANISATION This is a small sided game that the players designed, linked to finishing.
They placed hoops into the top corners of the goal - to do this they
weaved the net in and out of the hoop, but you could tie bibs to the
crossbar to make it easier! The objective is to score a goal that goes
through the hoop – this can be worth ‘x’ amount of goals or even just first
to do it wins the game.
INTENTION For players to get repetition of finishing! This is quite difficult to do in an
unopposed setting, so extremely difficult in a small sided game.

LINK TO 11V11 To score a goal with a top corner finish.

OBSERVATION This game is fun but challenging – it is interesting to see who sticks to the
task despite the low success rate.
PROGRESSIONS The players always chose top corners – hence the name, but you could
move this down towards the bottom corner too. Perhaps, top corner is
worth 5 goals, bottom corner is worth 3.

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SECRET STRIKER
Finishing

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION In this game, each team nominates a ‘Secret Striker’ and lets the coach know – but not
the opposition. The aim of the game is for the Secret Striker to score. You can adapt
this practice to suit your players, some examples could be;

- If the Secret Striker scores its worth 2x goals

- If the Secret Striker scores your team wins!
INTENTION For each team to strategise to put their Secret Striker in the best position to score a
goal.
LINK TO 11V11 This is a good game to promote teamwork - this is a team effort, so each player will
need to play their part to get success.

It puts a spotlight and pressure on the player who is tasked with scoring the goals.

OBSERVATION In this we can look at how the players interact and self-organise;

- Who do they select as the Secret Striker?

- Where does he / she play?
- How do they work collectively to put the Secret Striker in a moment to score?
PROGRESSIONS Variations could include;

- Only the Secret Striker can score, nobody else (restrict)

- Both teams know who the Striker is, this will increase the level of challenge and add
more realism or relate to the game.

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3 – 2 – 1 FINISHING GAME
Finishing

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A regular 2 goal game. The game starts 0-0, when a player scores his /
her first goal is worth 3, the second is worth 2 and their third goal is worth
1.
INTENTION Players might self organise to get their highest value player in front of goal.
In the diagram the player in possession could score, but it would only be
worth 1 goal, if he / she squares it he / shehas teammates who could score
a 2-pointer or even a 3-pointer.
LINK TO 11V11 This game is fun, but can also be linked to creating high quality chances.

OBSERVATION Do players make decisions for themselves or the team in front on goal?

PROGRESSIONS One variation, the goal is worth the sum of the parts. So two players are
involved in the goal, and both are still on 3 points the goal would be worth
6. In the diagram the goal could be worth 6 if the players squares to his
teammate (Red Defender 2 + Red Striker 1 + Red Striker 3 = 6).

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WIDE BREAKOUT
Finishing

5v4 Final third No

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A practice which focuses on a particular moment of the game, here the
Blues are looking maintain possession they have a 5v4 scenario (Diamond
Support page 67) . The Reds are looking to regain possession and
breakout.

INTENTION In possession (Blues) creating a diamond to POFTB and maintaining

possession under pressure.

For the Reds, initially how do they press or force play to regain? Then
counter via a breakout.

LINK TO 11V11 Counter attack in wide areas

OBSERVATION The vital moment will be upon regain, the early decision, is it best to pass
or run. For the teammates who will support beyond and beside?

PROGRESSIONS Target goals could be added for Blues to increase realism and motivation
for the Defenders.

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LEVEL UP 4V4
Finishing

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch (small) 1 Goalkeeper

1 goal
Yes Can be adapted
2 target goals

ORGANISATION A really simple game, where the attacking team (Blue in the diagram) have
5 attempts to get from Level 1 – scoring a goal 4v1 to Level 4 scoring a
goal 4v4.

INTENTION To increase the difficulty of scoring (See page 41).

LINK TO 11V11 Finishing in different scenarios – from easy to more difficult

OBSERVATION The key in this practice might be the assist, does the ball carrier choose the
right moment to release the ball at the right weight so that the attacker can
score?

For the defending team, challenge individuals “Who is the best Defender
and fancies the challenge of defending 4v1?”
Level 1: A 4v1 scenario Level 2: A 4v2 scenario
PROGRESSIONS Add competition, each team has 5 attempts, can the Reds prevent the
Blues from getting to Level 4 with excellent defending?

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FOUR GOAL FOUR KEEPERS
Finishing

4v4 upwards Square pitch 4 Goalkeepers

No Can be adapted 4 goals

ORGANISATION This game is quite simple, the winners are the team that score past all four
Goalkeepers first.

INTENTION In possession, how do we create and exploit space to ultimately score?

LINK TO 11V11 This game is all about finishing and creating chances to finish.

OBSERVATION - Do players take risks in 1v1 situations to shoot? (Outplay)

- Do they recognise the lack of pressure to shoot from distance?
- Out of possession, do individuals show the desire and competitiveness
to regain possession?
- Each Goalkeeper could work on their distribution to help the teams
score in the other 3x goals, but not theirs!
PROGRESSIONS With younger players you could split into 3 teams, two teams play 4v4 on
the pitch the third team act as Goalkeepers. Rotate roles every goal or
every 2 goals.

Another variation can be each team defends 2x goals and attacks 2x goals.
For example, the Reds could score in the ‘North and South’ goals, and
defend the ‘East and West goals’.

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BEAT YOUR DIRECT OPPONENT
Finishing

3v3 Rectangle pitch 3 Goalkeepers

Yes First to 5 3 goals

ORGANISATION Split the group into two colours (Red and Blue). Teams compete in groups
of 3, with the resting players ready to come on. The Red team defend one
large goal and attack two large goals and the Blue team defend two large
goals and attack one large goal.

Each game is ‘1 goal and off’, so if Reds score past the Blues they go 1-0
up and a new set of Blues enter the field. The Red team of 3, stay on until
they are knocked off.

First to 5 goals wins, swap sides and repeat.

INTENTION This game is tight and fast paced with lots of opportunity to beat your man
and shoot.
LINK TO 11V11 - Winning your 1v1, in and out of possession, outplaying your direct
opponent
- Finishing in different scenarios
- Competition to stay on the pitch
OBSERVATION The rationale of using a small team of 3 players, is that it is difficult to get
defensive cover once a player is beaten in a 1v1.

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 Squad Practice Final third 1 Goalkeeper

FIRST TO 30…1V1, 2V2, 3V3 Yes First to 30!

1 large goal
2-3 target goals
Defending

ORGANISATION This game takes place in the final third and is essentially Defenders vs INTENTION To recreate realistic and relevant pictures players face in a game.
attackers. The practice has a few variations, finishing with a game – which
is first to 30 wins. In all versions the attackers are looking to score in the
LINK TO 11V11 Progressing from individual (1v1) to small groups (2v2 / 3v3).
large goal, the Defenders (Reds) protect the goal and if they regain
possession, score in the target goals at the top of the practice.
OBSERVATION This game is very competitive, be mindful of over stressing one side.
Round 1: 1v1 (image 1) the attacker (Blues) takes on the Defenders (Reds). Adapting the score mechanism will be key to striking the right balance.
I would recommend starting with a pass to increase realism. PROGRESSIONS You can tweak the practice by altering the scoring;

Round 2: 2v2 (image 2) similar to round 1 but now a 2v2 in a central area. - Making it easier: Shot on target = 1 point, Goal = 2 points
- Rewarding actions: For example, score with your weaker foot = 2 goals
Round 3: 3v3 (image 3). This is the main game! The attackers start 20-0 - Relate: Can you recognise when to finish first time?
up, they have to score 10 goals to win. The defending group have to - Restrict: Defenders must score with a 1 touch finish
regain and score 30 times to beat them – hence the name first to 30. See
progressions for a few variations.

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2V2 FORCING PLAY
Defending
Rectangle pitch
6 upwards No
(small)

Can be added 2 mins 2 target goals

ORGANISATION This is a wave style practice, so the Blues and Pinks take it in turn to attack
the Reds. To start, the Reds are ‘locked in’ so 1x player in each box – the
attackers have no restrictions, so this creates a 1v2 scenario.
INTENTION In this game the focus is on defending as a pair. I explain this as ‘Defender
#1’ – who is closest to the ball and ‘Defender #2’ who is second closest.
This game can be adapted to focus on a few different themes.

LINK TO 11V11 The role of the Defender #1 is to force the play one way so his teammate
can cover and anticipate the next action (image 1).

Defender #2 looks to block the line of the goal and offer cover (image 2),
essentially doing two jobs at once.
OBSERVATION - How do the Reds choose to defend in a 2v2?
- How can we help Defender #1 fix the overload and turn a 1v2 into a
2v2?
- Can Defender #2 offer cover, intercept and block the line to goal?
- If Defender #1 is played around how does he / she recover? (see
progression)
PROGRESSIONS To progress the practice, remove the restriction – so now the Reds can
defend however they see fit. They might choose to be more aggressive
and press high or defend deeper. This practice can also be used to coach
when and how to ‘hand over’ the attacker.

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PROTECT THE SQUARE
Defending

4v4 Upwards Square pitch No

No 6 minutes 4 target goals

ORGANISATION A 30x30m square with a 8x8m central square inside, adjust the size depending
on the age and ability of the group you are coaching.

INTENTION To score a goal the team in possession must pass through or receive inside the
central square. The defending team looks to win possession and score in any of
the target goals.

LINK TO 11V11 Forcing play and recognising the triggers to press

OBSERVATION In possession;

- How do the team disperse to allow the team to play around and create gaps
inside (through).
- Supporting positions to create structure to play around or through.

Out of possession, the team strive to find the balance between screening to
protect the central areas and pressing to win back the ball.

PROGRESSIONS Restrict the number of Defenders allowed outside of the central grid, this is
also good for recovering to protect the space when you’ve been played around.

Restrict or reward the number of touches attackers can take in

the central grid i.e. play out with 1 touch.
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SIMEONE DEFENDING GAME
Defending

12 upwards 4 zones (small) No

Can be added 4 minutes 4 target goals

ORGANISATION Most of the time I would not suggest lifting practices from the professional game,
but this one is superb and a slight variation of a practice lots of coaches use.

The practice is quite easy to explain, to start players are restricted or ‘locked in’ their
zone. Each team is trying to penetrate a wall of 4x screening players to play into
their 2x Strikers, who score in the target goals.

INTENTION For the 4x screening players to block forward passes, regain and then penetrate.

LINK TO 11V11 This is great for coaching distances within a unit.

OBSERVATION This practice allows for lots of trial and error. If the 4x screeners are too tight, they
can be played around with a quick switch of play. If they are too wide, they can be
played through, this links to the concept of the ‘net’ (Page 58).

PROGRESSIONS A few progressions to consider;

- Strikers play using only 1 touch, so they can shoot or ‘set’ their teammate to score
- Allow the Strikers to pop up in the middle third, so now the defending team has
two jobs – marking and screening
- Add a Defender in the end zone to create a 2v1
- Play with larger goals and add Goalkeepers

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3 TEAM KEEP AWAY
Defending

9 – 12 players Square No

No 4 minutes 4 target goals

ORGANISATION Here we can see two versions of a similar practice. In both versions, 2 teams keep possession
away from 1. This could work in 3’s – 6v3 or in 4’s – 8v4. In image 1 there are no goals, the
Blue team must win back possession from the Reds and the Yellows. The Yellows support on
the outside in this version.

In image 2, the 3 teams play inside the space and we’ve added 4 target goals. In this version,
when the Blues regain possession, they can score in any of the 4 target goals. This could be a
trigger to swap roles, or you could keep score over a period of time.
INTENTION In possession, lots of repetition of passing and receiving (A,B,C,D). The supporting angle and
distances are also vital here. Dividing the area into 4 can help players understand their
position in relation to the ball, opposition, teammate and space.

Out of possession the team are focusing on pressing or forcing play.

LINK TO 11V11 Maintaining possession under pressure.

Pressing with a plan / forcing play.

OBSERVATION The purpose of the game is for the players to be comfortable maintaining possession and
creating a goal scoring opportunity after a good spell of possession. Support (4xB’s) will be
key!

PROGRESSIONS Add competition – how many consecutive passes can the teams in possession make?

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SLIDE AND SCREEN
Defending
3x teams of 3
Thirds pitch 2 Goalkeepers
or 4

Yes 6 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION A twist on a classic defending practice. A small tight pitch split into three
thirds, Blues and Yellows work together trying to pass through or around
the Reds who defend the middle third. When the Red team regain
possession, they can score in either goal, the other team must react quickly
and protect their goal. If the Reds score, they swap places with the team
they scored against.

INTENTION For the Reds to screen passes through and around, and upon regain
counter-attack.
LINK TO 11V11 This game has a few different focuses;

Reds – defending and transition to attack.

Blues and Yellows – Breaking lines with passes and transition to defend
when required.
OBSERVATION Reds must get compact with correct distances from the ball and each other
to prevent passes. (Net)

Reds should look for triggers to press in the end third; longer passes, poor
touch, lack of support…etc.

Communication and connection to work as a team.

PROGRESSIONS Allow the Reds to send a player into the end zone to press or force play.
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THE SWEEPER
Defending

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch (small) Can be added

Can be added Can be adapted 2 target goals

ORGANISATION In this game a 3v3 takes place in the central third. Each team has a
Sweeper (marked ‘S’) who sits in the defensive third to block and intercept
forward passes.
INTENTION To score the team in possession are looking to breakout from the middle
third, the Sweeper is there to stop killer passes and dribbles into his / her
third.
LINK TO 11V11 For the Sweeper to read the developing play and ‘smell the danger’,
although this is labelled as a Sweeper game, it’s a useful skill for all players
especially Defenders. In possession this back player can also support the
play from behind as well experience lots of repetition playing into midfield.

OBSERVATION I think this game is all about distances. As a Midfield three how do they
screen and slide to stop forward passes, and for the back player how does
he / she adjust his or her position to intercept the next pass?
PROGRESSIONS You can add a central Striker to create a 1v1 in the end zone.

Reward – if the Sweeper can intercept a pass (not tackle) he or she wins a
point for their team.

Reward – if the Sweeper can intercept and create a goal from the regain,
the goal is worth double.

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DEFENDING OUTNUMBERED
Defending

6v3 Rectangle pitch (small) 2 Goalkeepers

Yes 4 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION I think a simple practice like this is one of the easiest ways to create the
need to defend well! The level of challenge can be adapted based on the
needs of the group, but in this example 3x Reds are defending against 6x
Blue attackers.

INTENTION Creating an overload means the Reds must force the play into less
dangerous areas. They must also prioritize who and when to engage in
duels or tackles.

LINK TO 11V11 This could be good for improving individual and unit defending.

OBSERVATION This practice is extremely challenging, I would suggest playing for a short
period of time and trying to incentivize the defending team. For example,
can you keep a clean sheet for 4 minutes?

PROGRESSIONS This can be a nice practice to focus on the psychological or social returns.
How do the group plan to defend? What will they change if they concede?

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WIPEOUT
Defending

5v5 Upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes 6 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game is used with a defensive theme in mind, but there are some in possession
returns too. The practice takes place on a normal 2 goal pitch, when 1x team score
(image 1) they restart the game from their Goalkeeper – for that goal to count they
must keep possession for 15 seconds. The Blues can cancel this goal out, if they can
regain possession before the 15 seconds are up.

INTENTION To improve a team's response and attitude to defending.

LINK TO 11V11 For the team in possession, once they’ve scored they have to maintain possession or
build an attack under a high press. For the Blues, reacting positively and pressing
together.
OBSERVATION This game has lots of psychological returns, we are looking for individuals who can
stay present and switched on to the next opportunity.

PROGRESSIONS You can manipulate the ‘wipeout’ in a number of ways;

- Must keep possession for ‘x’ number of passes

- Must keep it even longer (time constraint)
- Reward the Blues, if they regain and score – after conceding, that goal is worth
double. So a positive reaction to a mistake puts you ahead!
- Flip the game around – when the Reds score, the Blues restart the game. For the
goal to count the Reds must win the ball back within 15 seconds.

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OUR HOUSE!
Defending

5v5 Upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes 6 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION A regular 2 goal pitch, split in half using cones of flat markers

INTENTION Each team must choose a half for their ‘house’, its not a problem if they both
want the same half. In their ‘house’ they can tackle (normal rules), in the half
they didn’t select they can only intercept, so no tackling.

LINK TO 11V11 This game looks to develop understanding of forcing play, pressing high and
building a block.

OBSERVATION Do they choose to press high? (Reward)

How do they defend when they can’t tackle?
Do they tackle near their goal (risk?) or tackle high? (Traffic light defending)

PROGRESSIONS This is a great game if you want to coach pressing, how do we as a group
block passing lines…etc? It also works well if you trying to avoid rash
decisions and giving away fouls near your own goal / penalty box.

Allow players to discuss; why did they choose that half? Why not the other?

How will they defend in the half they can’t tackle in – force play or drop off?

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MAN MARKING
Defending

4v4 Upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes 6 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION This practice is a 2 goal game, with each player given a man marker. If
your player scores you are out of the game for 60 seconds.

INTENTION Players are paired up so you can only tackle the person you are man
marking.

LINK TO 11V11 Taking responsibility for you direct opponent.

Outplaying your direct opponent.

OBSERVATION How do players track their opponent and still effect the game in
possession?

Can players know where the opponent is AND intercept passes?

When a player is removed, how do you play outnumbered?

PROGRESSIONS To challenge the players further, and promote awareness play the game in
silence for a period.

This game can work well as a part in a ‘whole-part-whole’ or ‘play-practice-

play’ approach.

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PRESS HIGH = DOUBLE GOALS
Defending

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes 6 minutes 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game works on a pitch with 2 goals with a halfway line marked out with flat
markers or cones. The halfway line needs to visible ideally.

INTENTION A simple task constraint to reward proactive pressing, if you win possession of the
ball in the opposition’s half and score, its worth double goals!

LINK TO 11V11 Pressing from the front and traffic light defending.

OBSERVATION In this game look out for;

- How do the team press together?

- What are the triggers to press?
- What happens if you get the press wrong?

For the team playing out or being pressed there will be opportunity to play either
over, around or through. Can they execute their idea to cause problems for the
pressing team?

PROGRESSIONS Think about how you want the players to press on matchdays – will it be focused
around areas of the pitch, individuals' errors, pressing with high numbers…etc. Try to
relate the 11v11 ideas into this Small Sided Game.

Don’t forget the Goalkeeper, his positioning as a sweeper keeper is important to

anticipate longer passes or through balls in this game.
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RECOVERING FULL BACK
Defending

Unit vs Unit Final Third 1 Goalkeeper

1 goal
Yes 4 x repetitions
3 target goals

ORGANISATION This practice takes place in the final third. The Reds are defending the large goal
and have a Goalkeeper, the Blues start with the ball and look to attack. If the Reds
regain possession they play out into one of the 3 target goals at the top of the
practice. The Red Full Back starts outside the practice area and is ‘live’ on the first
Blue pass.

INTENTION In this scenario the Reds’ defence is unbalanced and outnumbered, how do they
choose to defend? There is a nice link to traffic light defending and defending 3
out of the 5 lanes. (See page 58)

LINK TO 11V11 The link here is that we are looking to recreate a moment of transition, where the
Full Back has been caught high up the pitch.

OBSERVATION For the Reds

- Which play will cover this area and what are the knock-on implications?
- How can we readjust to fix the overload and prevent being played around or
through?

For the Blues

- Repetition of attacking in a moment of transition.
- Finishing the attack – do they play over, around or through the opposition?

PROGRESSIONS This template could be used for different players to practice recovering, for example
you could remove the Red Midfielder for a different challenge.

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 Unit vs Unit Final Third 1 Goalkeeper
POSITION SPECIFIC DEFENDING Yes 6 Reps
1 goal
3-4 target goals
Defending

ORGANISATION This practice allows for lots of position specific defending and progresses INTENTION For players to experience defending situations they might face in a game
from individual defending to a phase of play (unit vs unit). situation.
LINK TO 11V11 This practice can be used to highlight;
Image 1: Goalkeeper distributes the ball to the Right Winger #7, he / she
takes on the Left Back looking to score past the goalkeeper. The other
- Defending in a 1v1 (wide or central)
players rest and observe.
- Defending in pairs or units
Image 2: As before, but now the Left Winger #11 faces the right back in a
1v1. OBSERVATION This scenario puts the Defenders ‘in balance’ – they are between the
Image 3: Goalkeeper distributes the ball centrally – coaches choice here, it attacker and the goal, which makes it easier. However the amount of
can be used for 1v1s, for Central Midfielder #8 vs the Central Defender space they have to defend can be manipulated to make the practice
and repeat for #10 and #9. Alternatively you can play a 3v3 with #8,#9 and harder.
#10 against the Central Defenders and holding Midfielder. PROGRESSION Reward the Defenders – if they can regain and score.
To relate this to a game, in the phase of play (unit vs unit) can you set
To progress, put the whole practice together so Reds vs Blues – unit vs scenarios for each team, for example “Defenders you are 1-0 up, if you can
unit. keep a clean sheet for 6 minutes you win!”
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DEFENCE VS ATTACK
Defending

Unit vs Unit Double penalty box 1 Goalkeeper

1 goal
Yes Can be adapted
2 target goals

ORGANISATION This is a simple ‘attack vs defence’ situation using the space of 2x penalty boxes
with a free zone at one end. Offside applies inside the penalty area. With older
players there might be opportunity to play players in their position, so they
experience scenarios similar to a match day.

INTENTION The objective for the attackers (Reds) is to score in the big goal, for the Blues
defending in and around the box. The free zone allows the Reds to “start again..”
and recycle possession, without the risk of losing possession. If the Blues win
possession, they can score in either target goal at the top of the practice.

LINK TO 11V11 Defending in and around the box, this would be ‘red’ in the traffic light
defending approach.
OBSERVATION In possession the focus is on retaining possession in advanced areas, choosing
the right time to penetrate and score. (Over, around and through).

Out of possession, we are looking at defending as an individual and as part of a

unit, to create cover and balance.

PROGRESSIONS You can adjust the numbers to suit your players, be mindful of making it too easy
to score – it will be difficult in matches!

One adaption could be, if the Blues win possession and dribble the ball into the
free zone, the roles swap over.
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 4v6 Rectangle pitch
2 Goalkeepers
COUNTER PRESS 4V2 TO 4V6 Can be adapted

No
with a central grid

5 attempts 2 goals
Defending

ORGANISATION This game covers a number of themes, so it could be a template for in LINK TO 11V11 Counter pressing and pressing from the front.
possession too. In this version, the Red team start with the ball in a 4v2
rondo in the central space (image 1). Here the 2x Blues look to regain and
OBSERVATION The Blues might find a solution of playing a longer aerial pass, this might
limit the passes the Reds make. When the Blues win possession (image 2)
challenge the Reds to be a little less frantic and recognise the triggers to
they look to keep possession, and can use either Goalkeeper to help them.
win the ball back, e.g. Slow pass, poor touch, lack of support…etc.
The Reds have to react quickly (counter press) to stop the Blues (image 3)
with the ultimate aim of scoring! The Reds get 5x attempts then the roles PROGRESSIONS Add competition / rewards:
are swapped. - Reds score 1 point for every pass they make in the 4v2 and 3 points if
they can regain and score.
INTENTION For the Reds to quickly shift their mindset from in possession to counter
- Blue score 1 point for every pass they make in the 6v4 scenario.
press.
These scores can be totalled up, after both teams have had their 5x
attempts. This makes the practice feel more important and like a real
game.

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 8v8 to 1v1 Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

CHAMPION TRAINER! Yes

8v8 - 4 minutes
4v4 – 3 minutes 2 goals
2v2 – 2 minutes
Scenarios 1v1 – 90 seconds

ORGANISATION This game is basically “last man standing”. OBSERVATION Often in development football “winning” can be seen as a dirty word.
However, it is part of sport and children actually enjoy this competition and
In this version we start with a 8v8 plus Goalkeepers, the first game lasts 4 if its framed appropriately there can be some fantastic returns. Often the
minutes. The losing team are eliminated and watch, the winning team is discomfort of not winning fuels the players, so next time you do it the
divided into a 4v4. After each game, this process is repeated so the players will be eager to get to the final!
winning team is halved until a 2v2. After this game you have a 1v1 with
PROGRESSIONS You can manipulate the timings, space and numbers to suit your players.
Goalkeepers. The winner of the 1v1 is crowned “Champion trainer!” You
can alter the pitch size where appropriate.
INTENTION This game is uber competitive, so probably not suitable for very young
players. It challenges players to perform under pressure, so can have
some good psychological returns.
LINK TO 11V11 - Emergency defending
- Clinical finishing
- Performing under pressure
- Wining and losing!
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PRESSURE PENALTY
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A very simple game, but with some interesting returns. The game starts
with a penalty.
INTENTION By starting with a penalty there are a few possible returns;

- The taker feels under pressure to score

- One team is possibly 1-0 up or 0-1 down from the kick off
- Alternatively it could be missed, how do the individual and team cope
with this?

LINK TO 11V11 Teams often practice penalties, but in isolation or moments that don’t
recreate the feel of a game. This is one way to address that!

OBSERVATION - Emotional control in adversity

- Strategising and adapting to the state of the game (1-0, 0-1 or missed
pen)

PROGRESSIONS You can select which team and individual take the penalty however you
like. Once it has been decided that its Red or Blue, it might be best to
allow the team to decide amongst themselves who will take it. This will
create some social interaction and strategizing.

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PROMOTION AND RELEGATION
Scenarios
ORGANISATION This game gets very competitive and is a favourite with players. Essentially
Squad practice 3 pitches 2 Goalkeepers the squad / group is divided into small teams of 3, 4 or 5. The coach
prepares 3 pitches (it can work with more) – in this version I have a 4 goal
Yes Can be adapted Can be adapted game, a 2 goal game with end zones and a normal 2 goal game with
keepers.

The pitch on the right is the Premier League, the middle is the
Championship and the left is League One.

Games last 2 minutes, winners get promoted moving to the right and
losers get relegated moving to the left. The idea of this game is to be the
winner in the top pitch at the end of the allotted time.

INTENTION Performing and competing under pressure (consequence and time).

LINK TO 11V11 Linked to the principles discussed on page 42-43, the players will need to
strategize to get success. Lots of this will be based on the opposition; how
much you know about them, how you can get that information and how
you can make the most of it.

OBSERVATION This session gives the coach opportunity to observe the players in action.

Think about what lens you are using to view the players;

- Who is a good teammate?

- Who tries even when its hard?
- Who is brave in possession?
- Who is getting success and why?
- Who is exciting to watch and why?

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FETCH YOUR RUBBISH
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION The name of this game might have to be adapted with younger
players! Essentially for this game you only use 2 footballs – leave
the rest in the bag.

When the Red Striker misses his opportunity as per the diagram, the
Blues start with the spare ball. Whilst the Red striker “fetches” his
ball, it leaves the Reds a man short.
INTENTION Creating constant underload and overload situations

LINK TO 11V11 - Finishing, there is a consequence if you miss the target!

- Adapting to the state of the game (overload / underload)

OBSERVATION How do players adapt the behaviour based on the numbers on the
pitch?

How do players cope with the consequence of missing the target?

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10 BALL
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION This is a game that can be used for a number of different themes, but
primarily it looks at finishing and managing the game or adapting to the
state of the game.

Each team has 5 footballs beside their goal. Each teach takes it in turn to
start an attack from their Goalkeeper, when the ball leaves the field it is out
of action. There are no corners, throws...etc.

When a goal is scored, that ball is left in the net, this makes it easy to count
at the end to see who has won!
INTENTION To challenge the players’ decision making in and out of possession, with
some added psychological challenge.
LINK TO 11V11 - Finishing, which team can score the most from their 5x attempts?
- Strategies to compete
- Adapting to the state of the game, do teams defend better when more
is at stake?
OBSERVATION In the diagram the Blue team have scored 2 goals, whilst the Reds have
only scored 1. The Reds are just starting their second attempt. How will
the Reds fare under pressure of being a goal down? Do the Blues alter
their approach now they are winning?
PROGRESSION You can reward certain actions to link to your theme. For example any
goal scored with a weaker foot is worth double or any goal that is scored
following a regain is worth double.

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BIB UP!
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes First team to bib up! 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game is inspired by the video game approach (Page 42-43). The concept is
simple, every time a player scores, they earn a bib – so the Reds are adding a
white bib when they score and the Blues are adding Yellow bibs when they
score. To win the game, you have to get every player to score, then score a
winning goal. In the diagram, all the Red players have scored, so they're in white
bibs – now they score the winning goal to defeat the Blues and win the game!
INTENTION This game is fun, but there is strategizing too because you could be 1-4 down
and still win.

LINK TO 11V11 Encouraging the players to problem solve without the coach.

OBSERVATION This game will get the players thinking and self-organizing;

- Which player do we want to score first?

- Will it get easier or harder as it progresses?
- How will we position ourselves to put the player who needs to score near the
goal?
- How do we stop the opposition achieving their objective?
PROGRESSIONS You can change this in several ways;

- Challenge the best Striker, he / she must score 2 or 3 times to earn their bib
- The player who scores first gets a superpower, for example, for any goal he /
she scores a bib can be gifted to a teammate.
- Reward based around the needs of the individual, for example if a player
scores using his / her weaker foot its worth 2 bibs.
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SCORE AND MOVE
Scenarios
1x Rectangle pitch
4v4 upwards 1x Rectangle pitch 4 Goalkeepers
(small)

Yes Can be adapted 4 goals

ORGANISATION In this game the two teams (Red and Blue) play 2 matches across 2
different pitches. Every time a goal is scored the goal-scorer must
“move” to a new pitch, creating uneven teams and constant
overload / underload situations. The scores across the 2 pitches are
added up to see which team is the winner.
INTENTION Creating overload and underload situations to challenge the players
both in and out of possession.
LINK TO 11V11 Defending outnumbered
Attacking overload
Attacking underloaded
OBSERVATION Strategies to win;

- How and where do the teams choose to distribute their players

at the start?
- How do the players deal with playing with numbers up or
down?
- Social side, how do they communicate with their teammates
quickly and effectively?
- Encourage the players to reflect, “What would you change for
next time, what went well? Why?”

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TWO NIL UP OR TWO NIL DOWN?
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A regular 2 goal game, but one team starts with a 2 goal lead. At 2-0 up, do they
protect and counter or go for a third? If you are 0-2 down, what is your strategy to
get back into the game?

INTENTION A simple task constraint to encourage the players to strategize and find a way to
either get back into the game or maintain their position.
LINK TO 11V11 This game will develop game management skills and dealing with pressure!

OBSERVATION There will be lots of social interaction to discuss and implement a strategy to get
back in the game or maintain your lead.

Psychologically the teams will need the ability to follow or adapt the strategy
depending on the state of the game. This constraint means players are playing
under pressure or in the context of a ‘ real game’ immediately.

PROGRESSIONS To add realism and excitement, use the players favourite teams, so for example
Barcelona are 0-2 down against PSG. This works well with Champions League
Semi-Finals and aggregate scores.

To assist you can add some “Bias Ref” (page 157) to assist the team trying to pull
back the deficit.

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 ORGANISATION In this game the numbers keep changing to create overload and

CONSTANT OVERLOAD underload situations. The practice starts with a 1v0 or 1-on-1 with a
Goalkeeper (Level 1), this is played out until the ball is dead (goal,
missed chance…etc). Each level sees more players enter the field as
Scenarios we progress to Level 2 which is 1x Blue vs 2x Reds, Level 3 a 3v2,
Level 4 which 4v3 and finally Level 5 an equally matched 4v4.

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers INTENTION This game is designed to challenge the players’ decision making and
recreate simple pictures that might be seen in a game. (Relate)
Yes Can be adapted 2 goals
LINK TO 11V11 - Defending outnumbered / forcing play
- Attacking with an overload
Level 1: 1v0 Level 3: 3v2 - Creating high quality chances

OBSERVATION How do the players adapt their decision making in and out of
possession, when they are numbers up or numbers down?

PROGRESSIONS This game works well if you play a few ‘sets’, with the Reds and Blues
alternating turns when starting, this will breed familiarity and allow the
players to explore a bit more. It is important to change which
individual starts too.

I ask the Goalkeeper to restart each time to work on their distribution.

Level 2: 1v2 Level 4: 4v3 Level 5: 4v4

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TEAM BINGO!
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION Football but with a bingo twist, each team is looking to complete
the challenges and be the first to achieve a “Full house”.
A regular 2 goal game, with a white board or piece of paper to
keep track of each team’s progress.

INTENTION This game is great for the social corner – lots of strategizing and
teamwork to get success.
LINK TO 11V11 You can adapt the bingo theme to the age / stage of your players.

OBSERVATION I really like this practice, if you are creative with the challenges you
can really test the group across the 4 corners; technically, physically,
psychologically and socially.
This template can be found in the ‘notes’ section on page 163
PROGRESSIONS Think about how you can relate the challenges to themes you have
been working on, so that they consolidate their learning. You could
reward certain interactions or behaviours.

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INDIVIDUAL BINGO!
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A normal 2 goal game, with a white board

or piece of paper to keep track of
individuals progress. Football but with a
bingo twist, for an individual to ‘win’ he /
she must be the first to complete all the
challenges and earn a ‘full house’.

LINK TO 11V11 You can adapt the bingo theme to the age
/ stage of your players.

OBSERVATION This works really well in a tournament or 3x

team scenario, so when 1 group is off
individuals can see their challenges. If you
think this through individual challenges will
need team outcomes – so lots of social
corner work!

PROGRESSIONS Think about how you challenge all the

players in the group, what will be easy for
some might be hard for others. With This template can be found in the ‘notes’ section on page 165
mixed ability you could blank out some
challenges.

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BIAS REF!
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION A regular 2 goal pitch, with equal teams. I don’t introduce this
condition, just say “we are going to play a game”…then let the fun
begin! This might mean giving decisions the wrong way like throw-
ins, corner kicks, free-kicks…or even give some penalties! In this
game, the players will start to find coping strategies and strive to
win despite the referee.
INTENTION In this game the coach referees unfairly to test one side
psychologically.
LINK TO 11V11 This is great preparation for match days when decisions don’t
always go your way!
OBSERVATION Which players can manage their emotions and who finds it too
unfair!

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WIN BY ONE
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION This game takes place on a regular 2 goal pitch, suitable for the
number of players and the age / ability. In this game when a team
scores they lead 1-0 but can not score a second, they must look to
keep possession and run down the clock. However, if the
opposition equalise to make it 1-1, both teams are free to try and
win the game 2-1. You can only ever win the game by one!

INTENTION The challenge in this practice is to adapt to the state of the game.

LINK TO 11V11 If your team is in front: Keep possession or build a block to win the
game

If your team is behind: Find a way to score and get back in the
game!
OBSERVATION In this practice I would be looking at the psychological and social
interactions between teammates. How they build a strategy and
adapt it based on the state of the game.

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 TACTICAL POSSESSION
Scenarios

11v11 / 9v9 Full size pitch Optional

Target goals
Yes Can be adapted
Mannequins

ORGANISATION This game is aimed at older players, who are playing 11v11 or
working towards 11v11. The idea here is to use the goals and gates
(formed by mannequins) to develop themes of your choice.
INTENTION In the diagram, the Reds are trying to penetrate the central space – this
is the highest reward but the hardest to do. Conversely the Blues are
protecting this area and forcing their opponent outside, away from the
most dangerous area.
LINK TO 11V11 In possession this game could look at penetrating key areas with
forward passes, runs and dribbles. It could also shine a light on one or
more of the football principles (Pages 40 to 58). For example,
attacking across 5 lanes or using a pivot player.

Out of possession, the group could be looking at defending 3 of the

5 lanes, defending with a tight compact net or defending in different
areas (traffic light defending).
OBSERVATION - How do the attackers self organise to attack the central space?
- How much of the information is given from the coach or do the
players explore and then we feedback?
- How do we manipulate the time the players have to achieve the
task?
PROGRESSIONS This game can be tweaked in lots of different ways. This template is
easy for coaches to use and is a twist on a normal 11v11 or larger
sided game.
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GOLDEN BALL
Scenarios

4v4 upwards Rectangle pitch 2 Goalkeepers

Yes Can be adapted 2 goals

ORGANISATION In this game the coach has a good supply of footballs, one of which is
different to the rest – a yellow ball works well. This ball is the ‘Golden
Ball’. The players are told that this ball is different to the rest – a goal
scored with the Golden Ball wins the game, regardless of the score
line.
INTENTION To add spice to a regular training game! The Golden Ball wipes the
score and puts everything up for grabs!
LINK TO 11V11 This game is just good fun.

OBSERVATION How do players adapt their individual and collective strategies when
the Golden Ball is in play.
PROGRESSIONS The Golden Ball could be used in a number of different ways;

Restrict
- Goals with the Golden Ball must be; 1 touch, 2 touch, volleys…etc.
- Goals with the Golden Ball must be scored with some collective
idea; switch play, up-back-through…etc.
- Only certain players can score!

Reward
- Goals scored with the Golden Ball are worth more (3 goals, 5
goals...etc. This is great for balancing uneven games.

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 Helping to develop players’ understanding of
the importance of body position
Coaching young players to understand the importance of body position in team sports is critical to them
being able to play quickly, and at the highest level.

Shapers
Shapers were invented to show orientation (body position) clearly
and unambiguously. Engage your players and communicate with
clarity.
Available in 3 sizes: Shapers MINI, Shapers and Shapers MAX.

Session Planner
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WWW
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N O T E S

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BINGO!
FIRST TO COMPLETE IT WINS!

SCORE WITH 1 TOUCH SCORE AFTER A SCORE A GOAL WHERE

FINISH DRIBBLE EVERYONE TOUCHES IT

NON-DOMINANT SCORE FROM A

1-2 AND SCORE
FINISH COUNTER-ATTACK

FULL ROUND THE SCORE FROM A

VOLLEY GOALKEEPER GOALKEEPER’S RESTART

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BINGO!
FIRST TO COMPLETE IT WINS!

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INDIVIDUAL BINGO!
FIRST TO COMPLETE IT WINS!

NAME

NAME
NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME
CHALLENGE

CHALLENGE

CHALLENGE

CHALLENGE

CHALLENGE

CHALLENGE

CHALLENGE

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SESSION PLAN:
Theme:

# of players? Pitch size & shape? Goalkeepers?

Offsides? Timings? Goals?

ORGANISATION

INTENTION

LINK TO 11V11

OBSERVATION

PROGRESSIONS

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TWITTER: @coachdanwright

EMAIL: coachdanwright@gmail.com

WEBSITE: COACHDANWRIGHT.COM

100 Small Sided Games (2020)

Copyright © 2020, coachdanwright and coachdanwright.com

Authored by: Dan Wright
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or
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permitted by copyright law. Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not
assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any
other cause. The information in this book is meant to supplement, not replace, proper football (soccer) training. Like any sport involving speed, equipment, balance, and environmental factors,
football (soccer) poses some inherent risk. The author and publisher advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the skills described in this
book, be sure that your equipment is well maintained and safe.
Patents apply: Reg. US Pat. | Reg. EU Community Designs | www.gamechangers.coach/patents © Coaching Game Changers