Clever keeper

This session is about keeper distribution and retaining possession by building play from the back. It mimics short passes to centrebacks and midfield players, low driven and chipped passes to full-backs and wide midfielders, and longer passes to centre-forwards and wide attackers.

Set up

You need balls, bibs, cones and goals, initially use the defending third of the pitch. We used 4 players in the session.

How to play it

The four players work as a keeper, two passers and a server. The practice is maximum three touches and the ball cannot touch a cone or the practice is restarted. The server passes to the keeper who plays a one-two with the first passer, then passes into the small goal in the far corner of the 18-yard box. We now repeat this process six times ensuring the keeper switches between left and right sides (thus left and right feet). To progress get the server to press the keeper and change the set up so the goals are further away with an obstacle the ball must go over. Rotate players regularly.

Technique

This sessions widens the goalkeepers range of passing ability, improves awareness and lessens the risk of him losing possession.

1. To start the session the server passes from outside the penalty area to the keeper who must use his feet

2. The keeper receives, plays a one-two with the rebound board then feeds out the other side, into the mini-goal – this mimics a pass to a full-back

3. In the progression, the server presses, forcing the receiving keeper to control and pass into the goal under pressure

4. In Five-a-side goals, the original rebound one-two leads to a chipped or clipped pass over the poles and into the left or right goal – this mimics a pass to a midfielder or winger