Category Archives for General Coaching

Switching Play Drill

By Arthur Bell –

Setup:
Area – 30yds x 20yds.
Players x 18.
Mannequins x 2.
Markers x 4.
Balls x 2.

Execution:
Both groups start at the same time, at the same end.
Player 1 passes the ball to Player 2.
Player 1 runs between the mannequins towards player 2.

Player 2 lays off the ball to Player 1.
Player 2 runs to the next position.
Player 1 passes to player 3.

Player 3 receives, and switches play to Player 4.
Player 4 receives, and plays ball back to the start, then joins that group.

Movement pattern of the ball.

Movement pattern of players and ball.

Variations:
1. Players have a maximum of two touches.
2. The diagonal pass is lofted.
3. The diagonal pass is driven.

By Arthur Bell

Passing Combination Drills

By Arthur Bell –

Setup:
Area – 30 yards x 30 yards
Players x 12.
Markers x 12.
Balls.

Two players at each of the corner yellow markers.
One in the red marker gate.
A ball at each corner.

Execution:
Passing in an anti-clockwise direction. The player who is standing in the middle of the gate checking to their right and opening their body up so that they can see their team mate who is about to pass them the ball and also see player to their left who they will pass to next.

Players with the ball pass to the central player and then go to the central gate.

The central player who has just checked now receives the ball with their back foot, then passes to the player in the next group and then follows their pass.

The player who made the first pass now moves to the middle of the gate. All four corners at the same time.

Variations:
1. Central player checks to their left.
2. Passes in a clockwise direction.
3. The central players lay the ball back to the first player who plays the ball through to the next group.

The rotation remains the same.

By Arthur Bell

Diagonal Shooting SSG

By Arthur Bell –

Setup:
Area – One third of field.
Players x 8.
GK x 1.
Mannequins x 2.
Markers x 2.
Balls.

Players on both sides of the goal, one player 25 yards from goal behind mannequin and one GK in goal

Execution:
Players at A and C start with a ball.
Player A passes the ball to player B.
Player B controls the ball and takes it past the mannequin and shoots at goal.
Player A goes to position B, Player B goes to the end of position C.

This is then repeated by players C and D on the other side.

Variations:
1. Players have a maximum of two touches.

2. Player A passes to Player B who has come short and lays it back to player A.
Player B spins round the mannequin and player A plays the ball into their path.
Player B shoots for goal.
This is repeated on the other side.
Players rotate A to B to C to D to A.

By Arthur Bell

4 v 4 With Four External Supporting Players

By Arthur Bell –

Setup:
Area – 40yd x 60yd box.
Players x 12.
Attackers (Black) x 4, Defenders (Yellow) x 4, Neutral (Red) x 4.

Execution:
Area is divided into 2 equal rectangles. Play 4 v 4 in one half of the field with the support of 4 external players.
The attacking team keep possession in their own half for as long as possible. When possession is lost or ball goes out of play they try to recover it before the opponent moves into their own half.

If the defending team wins possession, three of their players can go into their own half, they try to keep possession as they try to pass the ball into their own half.

Variations:
1. Team in possession has a maximum of two touches.
2. The ball must be dribbled into the other half.

3. The ball can be passed or dribbled by a defender into the opponents’ half.

By Arthur Bell

Play Out of the Back 4v3 Game

By Arthur Bell –

Setup:
Area – 40yd x 60yd box.
Goals x 2.
Players x 14.
GK x 2
Mannequins x 3.

Execution:
Two teams of seven players plus a goalkeeper.
Each team has four defenders in one half of the pitch and three attackers in the opponents’ half of the pitch.
The aim is to play out of defence 4 v 3 and to pass into the opponents half of the pitch to play 3 v 4.
When the play breaks down it restarts from the defending team’s goalkeeper.

Variations:
1. After the ball has been passed into the opponents’ half, one defender can go forward to support, to play 4v4 in opponents’ half. The defender must return to his own half when the play breaks down.

2. Two touch for the team in possession.
3. The ball can be passed or dribbled by a defender into the opponents’ half.

By Arthur Bell

The Passing Box

By Arthur Bell –

Setup:
Area – 10yd x 10yd box
Players x 4.
Cones x 5.
Ball

Execution:
A player at four of the five cones.
First player with the ball can pass to any player then run to the free cone.
This is repeated pass to any player and go the free cone.

Variations:
1. Two touch control and pass.
2. Chip pass.
3. First time one touch.

By Arthur Bell

Passing Warm-Up

By Arthur Bell –

Setup:
Area – Full pitch
Players x 16.
GK x2
Cones x 12.
Balls

Execution:
Squad divided into two groups.
One player at each of the cones.
Rest of squad line up behind the players at first cones.
Both groups work at the same time.
First player dribbles towards the second player, passes from half way then follows his pass.
Second player, receives and repeats to the next cone.
The last player receives, shoots at goal, collects ball and joins the next queue.

Variations:
1. Two touch control and pass.

2. Chip pass.

3. Lay off and return pass.

4. Miss a player out with a longer pass.

By Arthur Bell

Four Group Passing Drill

By Arthur Bell –

Setup:
Area – 30 yds. X 30 yds.
Players x 16.
Cones x 4.
Balls

Execution:
4 players at each of the cones.
First player passes long to the second player, then follows his pass.
Second player, receives and lays ball back, then runs to the next cone on his left.

The first player then receives ball and plays it to towards the right.
Third player passes ball back then checks to go in the opposite direction.

Fourth player plays a longer diagonal pass to the moving third player.
Third player receives and dribbles to the next cone.

The sequence is repeated on alternate sides

Variations:
1. Players are restricted to a maximum of two touches.
2. Players play the ball one touch.

By Arthur Bell