Practice plans

Midfielder’s pass to striker’s feet

in Passing, Practice plans

Creating shooting opportunities is the only realistic way to win matches. A pass from a midfielder to a forward is one of the best ways your team can do this – and here’s how to teach them. MORE

Defending priorities

in Defending, Practice plans

When your opponent has the ball it is vital to focus on prioritising areas of danger in your defence. Once these areas have been identified, your team needs to keep the ball away from them. MORE

Cut it out

in Defending, Practice plans

Teach your players the art of intercepting or “stealing” the ball – like Real Madrid centre back Ricardo Carvalho or Manchester United’s midfielder Michael Carrick – with this session. MORE

It’s a long shot

in Practice plans, Shooting

This session aims to improve the willingness of your players to take a chance and shoot for goal from outside the penalty area. MORE

Ground control

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

Receiving a pass isn’t about just controlling the ball – your players also have to know what they’re going to do with it before it arrives. MORE

Win the ball back quickly

in Defending, Practice plans

Pressing the opposition to win back the ball when possession is lost requires teamwork, concentration and hard work. It’s a tactic Barcelona have used in recent years and, if it’s good enough for arguably the greatest club side ever, then it’s good enough for most teams. MORE

Feel the force

in Defending, Practice plans

Teach your players how to defend in 1v1 situations and force attackers away from goal. This will help your team concede fewer goals. MORE

The switch

in Passing, Practice plans

When your team attacks, a quick switch of play can be used to create space on the opposite side of the pitch. This can often lead to opportunities to dribble into space or attack the opponent in a 1v1 or 2v1 situation. Here is how you can teach your players these skills. MORE

Possession play

in Passing, Practice plans

Developing a calm and composed attitude when in possession of the ball will help your team. A great way to learn how to do this is with fun, small-sided games. MORE

Make the most of a 2v1

in Attacking, Practice plans

The wrong timing or weight of pass, poor control, badly judged runs – all these factors and more can combine to ruin a perfectly decent 2v1 attacking situation. Don’t let your players make those mistakes. MORE

Switch up

in Passing, Practice plans

When one side of the pitch is blocked by the opposition it is vital to “switch play” and move the attack to the opposite side of the field. A switch of play is used to create space to attack on the wings and may involve a 1v1 or 2v1 situation on that side of the pitch. MORE

Midfielder/forward combinations

in Midfield, Practice plans

Play a 6v6 match with goalkeepers but condition both teams to play a 2-1-2 formation. Encourage the midfield player on both sides to join the attackers at every opportunity. MORE

1v1 Composure

in Attacking, Practice plans

This practice builds your player’s confidence in creating chances and scoring goals when one-against-one with the keeper. MORE

Get in the box

in Midfield, Practice plans

Making runs into the penalty box and reaching the ball from crosses is key to any team’s chances of scoring goals. This session will improve your team’s ability to attack effectively. MORE

4v2 possession

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

This session will help players be more comfortable with the ball in situations where space is at a premium. MORE

Fast-feet switch

in Practice plans, Turning

Players will find the skills learned in this session helpful for when they want to change the direction of an attack or work their way out of a tight situation. MORE

Defending shots with body blocks

in Defending, Practice plans

The attacker is inside the penalty box and poised to shoot, but the defender isn’t close enough to make a tackle. That leaves one option for the defender: to block the shot by throwing their body between the ball and the goal. MORE

Defending

in Defending, Practice plans

This session is designed to improve the ability to defend in various game situations. The practices develop from 1v1 through to 3v3 and team defending. MORE

Zig-zag through the pitch

in Ball Control and Footwork, Practice plans

This session improves your team’s ability to play through crowded central areas of the pitch using quick combination “zig-zag” passes. MORE

Defending as a back four

in Defending, Practice plans

This session is designed to improve the individual players within your defence and the defence as a unit. The practices cover key aspects such as pressuring techniques, cover and support positions and the shape of the defence in relation to the ball. MORE

Finishing off attacks

in Practice plans, Shooting

Scoring goals is one of the key aims of football. This technical session works on finishing and movement. It gets players shooting from both sides of the penalty area and from the centre. MORE

Distance Passing

in Passing, Practice plans

It’s important to be able to pass the ball over long distances because it’s often the quickest way to exploit the space behind a defence, or the fastest method of switching the point of attack and so create space. MORE

The art of turning

in Practice plans, Turning

Being able to turn with the ball under close control is an important skill in any player’s armoury. “The art of turning” will improve your players’ ability to turn whilst dribbling the ball and turning away from a defender when receiving a pass. MORE

Break out

in Attacking, Practice plans

Test a range of attacking skills with this drill that requires your players to escape from a central area and keep their cool to beat the goalkeeper. MORE