We’ve had a lot of fun games this season with all the stopping and starting of the leagues due to coronavirus. But when I ask the players what it is they want to do they nearly always ask for a shooting game – and with only one match left before the Christmas break this is a great time to work on one of the most vital areas of the game.
I want my players to do things that will help them with their player development as we head towards the last training sessions of the year. So I’m happy for them to indulge in shooting sessions as long as there is a reason behind the game.
The type of shooting games I go for are ones that I would use anyway when my players are not hitting the target during matches as often as they should.
All teams go through periods when they are not scoring as many goals as you think they should, so the sessions that I have targeted for my players will help them to score more goals when they are playing games after Christmas.
If you are thinking about giving your players games that they will not only develop their ball skills but also one they will have great fun playing try these – and they are also going to help your team to score goals in your next match.
Having possession of the ball is one thing but making use of that possession and creating goals is another. A great session for creating goalscoring opportunities is Create in possession. Try it with your team and watch the goal count soar.
Working in overloads is a key topic for teams during the season as it allows players to take advantage of real match situations. 3v2 transitions is great for attacking and defending teams to practice before their next match.
Speed of play is a key factor in decision making for young players. It can often cause them to make mistakes and lose the ball, but lightning fast play is always a winner in grassroots – try Five seconds to score.
And of course scoring goals is one of the favourite topics for most players and my go to sessions is 7 goal shooting range which has plenty of ways to score with added game management key to success.
I hope you find the sessions useful going into 2020 and they bring you and your team success in the second half of the season!
We had a meeting this week at my club, where we were discussing the changes we face in a few months time. My U10s team goes from 7v7 into 9v9 and that means we are facing offside decisions. So how does a coach go about preparing for that? MORE
As coaches we are all obsessed with keeping possession of the ball... of course we are the best teams all do it and if you've got the ball the opposition can't score. And there is just that other coach called Pep Guardiola who swears by it... MORE
Fast is a word I like to use when my teams are attacking. Do it with speed and watch the opposition shrink away from it. It makes life difficult for your opponents and helps your team to dominate when in possession of the ball. MORE
The season has suddenly taken off again after 4 months of Coronavirus lockdown. I've been coaching for 14 hours for the last two weeks in an attempt to get the players back into some kind of shape for playing matches. It has its benefits but also it has a downside. Two of my players picked up injuries, one an ankle injury and the other had what he called "tired legs". Find out how we got on... MORE
in Defending, Email newsletters
Defending against overloads can happen whether your team is in an organised or disorganised state. You can plan defending when organised much easier than when you are defending disorganised. MORE
in Ball Control and Footwork, Email newsletters
I was talking to a coach this week about how to control balls in the air, especially when heading the ball in training is off the menu for most clubs. I imagine that there will be much more of a contest to win the ball with a volley once it has dropped from head height. So how do you coach controlling balls in the air? MORE
