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Accurate long passes

Soccer passing drills and gamesby Dave Clarke

Use this session to train your players to hit a team-mate with pinpoint accuracy. Good long passing from side to side or to an advancing player is important to the development of young players.

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Making a long pass is a great way to pass to a team-mate in a more advanced position and in space. Good long passing from side to side or to an advancing player is important to the development of young players. Having the ability to see when a good long pass can open up one side of the pitch or get players behind the defence is vital to the success of your team.

Set up

Set up an area of 40x30 yards with a 20x15-yard zone in the centre of the pitch. We’ve used 10 players in this session. You need bibs, balls, cones and two normal goals.

How to play it

Play 5v5 including goalkeepers. The game revolves around the centre zone where play is restricted to one touch but unlimited touches are allowed outside the zone on the flanks. Play a normal game around the zone with throw-ins, corners, goal kicks etc.

Technique

Because players only have one touch in the central zone it will encourage them to keep the ball on the wings and make longer passes across the zone where it is easier to control the ball and make progress. It’s also good for players turning their bodies to face goal so they can make the one touch easier in the centre zone.

1. The game starts with the goalkeeper who must play out to a team-mate. Keepers must remember the one-touch rule in the centre zone.
2. Here a good cross field pass to the wide player means he can attack the goal. A final pass in to the central zone works well with a one-touch shot at goal

3. The one-touch rule means passes to players in the zone must be good. Here the player has no option but to pass to his keeper, putting the goal under pressure
4. The player on the ball must look up to see the best options for a pass. With this wide player unmarked, the pass to him would have been the correct one

5. Once teams understand the problems the centre zone causes they will start to make lots of long accurate passes out of defence

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Dave Clarke

Dave has excellent coaching credentials, having coached U9s - U16s at grassroots level for over 20 years. He holds a UEFA B license and is qualified in FA Youth Award modules 1, 2 and 3, as well as the Coerver Youth Diploma Module.

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Soccer passing drills and games

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Coaches Testimonials

Gerald Kearney, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club

"I have been coaching competitive soccer for over 20 years in Las Vegas. I feel like you are my personal club director. My players and myself have learned a lot from your sessions. The exercises from Soccer Coach Weekly are easy to understand and implement. I never run out of ideas and there is always an exercise for whatever problem we need to fix. Thank you!"

Paul Butler, Florida, USA

"First and foremost, Soccer Coach Weekly is truly unique and exceptional for its clarity and for explaining the "why?", in addition to the "how?". Soccer Coach Weekly is also professionally managed - any issues, which are infrequent, are resolved in an expedient and courteous manner. I place Soccer Coach Weekly at the top of my recommendation list for any new or seasoned coach of the beautiful game."

Rick Shields, Springboro, USA

"I coach both young club players as well as players at the High School level and both genders. The talent range is wide at times, however with the use of Soccer Coach Weekly I am able to apply the information to all talent levels and player ages and make the session fun and challenging for all players. It has helped spark me at times when I am at a loss for what to do at the next training session or offers a different approach to a current problem."

Tony Green, Pierrefonds Titans, Quebec, Canada

"My team and myself are truly enjoying the Soccer Coach Weekly downloads. Pierrefonds Titans are a great group of U16 Females who compete in the Lac St-Louis Association of Montreal, Quebec, Canada."

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