The session is about is all about awareness and decision making in a crowded area where two games are going on at once. Players are taken out of their comfort zones and must create space to dribble into the shooting zone.
Why use it
Dribbling in crowded areas means decisions are vital to constructive play.
Set up
You need balls, bibs, cones and four goals. Set up an area 30 x 30 yards with a central area 25 x 25 yards. You need a goal on each side of the outside square. We used 16 players.
How to do it
Split your players into four teams of four players – one player on each team is the goalkeeper. Four teams are on the pitch at the same time with two teams playing one direction and the other two in the other direction. Each game has its own ball with the other game is not allowed to touch. Players must dribble into the shooting zone to shoot at goal – one the attacker has crossed into the zone defenders are not allowed to make a tackle. All restarts are with the goalkeepers.
Technique
Dribbling, awareness, changes of direction, clever first touches, high tempo play and shooting.
1. The start and restarts are with the goalkeepers – they play out from the shooting zone into the central square2. Players should be aware of the opposition and make sure they do not block the players or the ball from the other game3. Players score by dribbling from the centre square into the outer zone and then shooting on sight4. Players must play with their heads up to try and find space in the crowded areas5. Coaches should be encouraging dribbling as often as possible
I was out walking on the local golf course where I live this week and in the distance I saw a child running from what seemed miles away at top speed. As the child got closer I realised that it was someone dribbling a ball. Of course on the fairways it was like being at Wembley on a well cared for football pitch! It was great to see a child enjoying dribbling a ball, chipping over the bunkers and swerving around the patches of heather that catch out an unwary golfer. MORE
Turning with the ball has always been a skill that draws names from the great players through the ages – think of the Cruff turn or Zidane spin turn. It used to make me wonder how players like Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Zinedine Zidane or Johan Cruyff could turn their opponents inside out, game after game – I now know it needs practice and from a young age. MORE
Use this game and it will develop the ability of your players to use dribbling skills to win one-on-one situations. Individual skills develop players so they can keep the ball when facing an opponent. MORE
This session is all about making decisions in the penalty area, communicating with a team-mate and using both feet to score. It gives all players an understanding of winning 1v1s in important areas and helps them to learn where to run to receive the ball in dangerous areas. MORE
I came back from a game on Saturday feeling a bit low – my Under 10s who were unbeaten this season lost a game 5-1. We played well but as the game wore on the opposition began to win the important challenges especially the 1v1s. So they will be part of my training session tonight MORE
