
On the half-turn – small-sided game
Three-part session teaching players to receive on the half-turn and break defensive lines. By DAVID PONCIA MORE
This is a favourite game of mine in which players do anything they can to keep the ball or they get substituted
This is all about players getting out of tight situations with possession of the ball. After a few games watch how creative your players become when faced with losing the ball.
You need balls, bibs, cones and goals. Mark out a 40×30 yard area with a goal at each end. We used 10 players in the session.
Split your players into two teams of five players. You need a keeper, 3 outfield players and a substitute on each team. Play a normal game but the twist is that if a player loses the ball – it goes out of play, a pass is intercepted, gets tackled – they are immediately switched with the substitute. Play continues while changes of players are being made so oen team could have only 2 competitive players if the changeover is slow. Score a point per goal and an extra point for 5 passes. You can add rules like if a player is tackled he has 10 seconds to try and win the ball back before being substituted
The session involves intelligent passing, dribbling and shielding, as well as clever ideas such as playing the ball off an opponent to win a throw-in and keep possession.