Practice: Passing to break from midfield

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With limited passes before a shot must be made, players learn how to break from midfield with pace and precision

Why use it

Speed and incision are key elements in quick breaks from midfield and this activity uses fast movement to play past opponents. Accelerating across open areas of the pitch with swift and slick support play are the coaching points.

Set up

Set up an area of 35x30 yards, split into three zones: the outer zones are 15 yards and the central zone 10 yards. We are using 12 players in this session. The teams line up with two players in the home zone, two in the central zone and one in the attacking zone. You need balls, bibs, cones and two goals.

How to play

Players have four passes to score from the moment they get possession. Any more and possession is turned over. Players must stay in their zones if they are defending but when they have the ball they are free to roam.

Coaching points

In a match situation, the reality of recovery means that within five passes the opposition defenders will have time to recover and get back behind the ball, so this game revolves around a quick four passes and a shot.

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Paul Butler, Florida, USA

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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."