Close attacking passes
Often in crowded areas of the pitch teams lose the ball by trying to hold on to it or with misplaced passes. Short passing in areas like the penalty area is key to keeping the ball and creating space for the goal scorers. MORE
Win your 1v1 duels
This session is designed to improve 1v1 duels in the midfield. The players are forced to continually attack and defend 1v1 in order to get a chance to attack and score a goal.
What this session is about
- Improving the winning mentality of players.
- Reaping the benefits of winning 1v1 duels.
- Going past / stopping your opponent.
What to think about
If your players have the correct winning mentality to win their individual duels across the pitch then your team will dominate possession of the ball and have a greater chance of winning the game.
Winning a 1v1 will often remove an opposition player from the game allowing your team to attack in greater numbers.
Set-up
- 50 yards x 30 yards area with a 10 yards x 10 yards area in the centre of the pitch.
| Warm up | Session | Developments | Game Situation | Warm Down |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-15 minutes | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 10 minutes | 10-15 minutes |
What you get your players to do
You pass a ball into the 10 x 10yd area where two players must compete for it.
The player successful at taking the ball outside of the area gets to run and have a free shot at goal.
1v1, which player can dribble outside the zone to run and shoot at goal?
Development
Now the player that gets out of the area has to run and take the defender on 1v1 to score.
However, if the defender wins the ball from the attacker then they can pass the ball back to their team mate in the centre square.
The team mate can now go 1v1 at the opposite end.
Now the player who breaks out must face a second defender in a further 1v1.
Game situation
Now when winning the 1v1 duel your player attacks as he would in a game with the attackers outnumbering the defenders (3v2 in diagram can be changed to suit the players available in your session).
The main aim is to show the players in your team the benefits of competing and winning the duel against their immediate opponent in the game.
Beat your midfield opponent in a 1v1 and you can combine with your strikers to score a goal.
What to call out
- “Compete for the ball”
- “Can you go past the defender”
- “Can you stop the attacker”
