The skill zone

This session is designed to improve the dribbling ability and skill level of your players through a series of technical exercises and small-sided games.

What this session is about

1.  Improving dribbling techniques to accelerate and change direction.
2.  Improving skills to beat defenders.
3.  Enhancing a winning mentality.

What to think about

When dribbling with the ball your players may have space and they must be able to pick up speed quickly to use this area.

However, when there is little space the players must be able to demonstrate quick feet, skills and turns to get past their opponent.

Set-up

•  25 x 25 yard area.

What you get your players to do

The circuit includes four different techniques that should be worked on for 2 minutes each.

1. Complete two turns inside the square to get to the opposite side.
2. Players must complete a skill on the mannequin.
3. Players must use quick feet to go diagonally through the crazy cones.
4. Players must accelerate and change direction across the area.
5. Four balls work at all times.

The players work their way around the circuit.

Development

Four goals and four players play a game. Each player has three lives, if a goal is scored into a player’s goal then he loses a life. The last player standing is declared the winner.

You can progress this game so that each player has a goalkeeper (diagram 3) this improves the ability to create space and shooting skills when under pressure.

The game is continuous and requires lots of footballs.

1v1 multi-goal game. The players try to defend their own goal and score in their opponent’s goal at the same time.

Game situation

Play a man marking game.

Each player must man mark a player on the opposite team and that is the only player they can tackle.

This will encourages lots of dribbling situations where the players can demonstrate their new skills.

2v2 multi goals game. The players have a goalkeeper, but the goals are now bigger.

What to call out

•  “Play at match speed.”
•  “Have lots of touches on the ball.”
•  “Get your head up and see where your going.”