
Scan, receive, turn – Small-sided game
Help your players make quicker and better decisions with this three-part session. By Matthew Thomas MORE
Get players used to passing and moving in different parts of the pitch.
Use an area half your normal pitch size. We’ve used four outfield players and a keeper. You can have two groups running at once and have two or three players to swap in on the wings for each of the three runs of wing play. You need bibs, balls and a goal.
Defender A passes to midfielder C. C then returns the ball to the defender, who plays a longer pass up to attacker D. D plays the ball wide to winger B who cuts in on the edge of the penalty area and shoots at goal.
In the second run the defender A exchanges passes with the midfielder C before playing down the line to the winger B, who crosses to the incoming midfielder and attacker.
In the third run, add a defender and play on the other side of the pitch to get the winger crossing on that side under pressure from an opposition defender..
You want to see good communication, passing and receiving on and to the correct feet. Look for players injecting good pace.