FineSoccer Drill 39

This first drill is a slight variation of a standard 4 v 2 keep a way game.  Start with a 12 x 12 grid and 6 players.  Have two wear red, two wear blue and two wear white. Start with red on defense. It's now white and blue vs. red.  If red wins the ball, whoever's team lost the ball then goes on defense.  If white loses the ball, then all of a sudden, it's blue and red vs. white.  The thing that makes this different then most 4 v 2 games is that there is none of the garbage like "first pass is free" or anything like that.  In order for the defense to switch to offense, there must be complete possession of the ball.  If the ball is knocked out of play, then the team it went off of is on defense.  Also, if you lose the ball, you are to immediately work to get it back (if I am on white and I lose the ball to red, I am allowed and encouraged to take it right back on the very next touch).  This encourages the player who won the ball to immediately get the ball away from pressure and the player who lost the ball (and her teammate) to give immediate chase upon loss of possession. Either the coach or someone else should be on the side to serve balls in as soon as they go out of play.  Done properly, this can be a very intense and very demanding game.

Next, this same game can be played with larger number which will emphasize this quick transition from offense to defense even more.  Keep the space small (if you have 12 players a 20 x 20 grid is great).  Really emphasize this quick transition and have people on the side to serve in new balls as well as to encourage the players to work harder and harder.

These drills work on  number of things including transition, offensive support, passing, receiving, movement off of the ball, conditioning, defensive support and much, much more.  

Give them a try and let me know what you think

Lawrence