This post was provided  by World Class Coaching

This a great drill to work on being compact while defending and then spreading out quickly when possession is won.

By Sean Pearson

Area: 36 x 40 yards
Time: 20mins
Players: 5v5+2

Set Up:
The playing area one large area with 4 goals, 1 in each corner. The team in possession I spreads out on the outside of the area with 2 CB’s, 2 Wingers and a striker, the 2 neutrals are always the CMs. The defending team stays compact and presses when appropriate as well as aiming to cut off passing lanes.

Execution:
The team on the outside combines with the two neutrals to maintain possession they should move in accordance with their position. They are also allowed in the main area to receive a ball, however you they should mainly be on the outside so the team is spread out. The 2 CMs in the middle should always be at angles to one another and never be on the same horizontal or vertical line.

If the defending team wins possession they can go to any of the goals to score, the team on the outside must stop this by coming into the main area to compact the space around the ball. If they manage to win possession back they should transition back to being on the outside of the area.

If the defending team wins possession and scores, then the teams switch and they become the team on the outside looking to maintain possession.

Variations:
• Team in possession can score with a number of passes
• Team in possession scores in a goal after a certain number of passes
• If you have an extra player on each team leave one player in the middle to be an extra CM

Rondos are great because it allows players to work on all of the technical aspects of passing and receiving while also giving the coach an opportunity to discuss angles of support and possession.

Generally, players like Rondos and they are normally motivated to work hard to stay out of the middle.

The challenge comes with keeping the intensity up and getting the players to continue to play at game speed.

In the animated drill  below Tom Mura from World Class Coaching shows you how he made some simple adjustments to 6v2 Rondo that challenged the players to work harder and concentrate more.

This YouTube video has audio, so please make sure that your speakers are turned on and that you have access to the site. Note that some schools may block access to YouTube.

Click the arrow to play the video.

This post was provided by World Class Coaching

By Matthew Carroll

Description:
The 2 v 1 Striker Madness game is meant to simulate as many situations a striker may see in the box, with pressure, as possible. The idea is that although it is a team game that implements passing, defending, and movement on and off the ball, the focus stays on the striker receiving and shooting a ball.

Setup:
Have a pile of balls (the number of balls will determine the competitiveness and the length of the game) set up about ten yards out from the 18. Have your players get into, or assign, groups of three. Within those groups have the players designated as defenders (1s) wear yellow, your passers (2s) in red, and your strikers (3s) in black. Depending on age and ability assign 1-2 goalkeepers as well. Have the defenders and strikers arrange themselves inside the 18, with the passers lining up behind the pile of balls.

Execution:
The goal of the game is that within your team of three everyone has a role. The passer will collect balls from the pile (or from errant shots/passes/tackles) and feed passes to the striker that they are teammates with in the box. The passer only passes to the striker on his team. The passer can pass from anywhere, as long as he is outside the 18 (this includes from behind the net). It is the strikers job then to receive passes from his teammate, the passer, and score goals. Every goal scored by the striker is a point for his team. The defenders job is then to ensure that none of the other strikers are able to score, and defend as many balls played in as possible.

The game ends when either all of the balls have been scored, or a certain time limit has been reached. Once the game ends the 1 becomes the 2, the 2 the 3, and the 3 the 1, and the game begins again.

Variations:
Additional strikers/passers/defenders can be added to each team.

The number of balls and winning conditions can be changed to all balls are scored, a certain number of goals, or a time limit.

Goalkeeper numbers can vary, or be replaced by targets.

Touch restrictions can be made to the strikers.

Defenders can be assigned specific strikers to mark.

An additional twist can be that defenders can pass to their strikers in the box, working on the transitional phase.

This is a 10 player drill that emphasizes passing, receiving and finishing.

In the video below Marcus Wood, Hardin-Simmons University Head Women’s Soccer Coach; 2010 NCAA D-III National Champions; 2010 NSCA National Coach of the Year; first using a diagram to explain the drill on a whiteboard and then follows with actual practice footage of the drill.

In this example coach Wood is using 10 players (you could use more) with a goalkeeper in each goal and consists of three progressions

Progression 1 – Stretch Run

A player passes into a center player near the goal. The center player shows and then on a half turn will receive left and pass right to an outside player that makes a stretch run. Ideally the pass will lead the player making the stretch run into a finishing position. The player should shoot low far post or high near post.

Progression 2 – Wall Pass

The ball is played into the center as before and received left and passed right. However, this time the outside player will show and receive the pass from the center. The outside player now passes back to the center player who receives the wall passes. The center player now plays the fourth pass into the outside player for a finishing opportunity .

Progression 3 – 5 Passes

The first pass is the same as before and the second. The second pass is out to the wide player showing just like progression 2. Pass 3 is back to the midfielder. The fourth pass is made to the opposite wide player who is making a stretch run. The fifth pass will be a negative pass to the center forward for a scoring oppourtunity.

This drill is just one in Coach Wood training DVD entitled 21 Passing/Receiving Activities for Reinforcing Effective Ball Movement & Off-Ball Movement Skills. You can click the link for more information about that DVD.

The YouTube video below has audio so please make sure that your speakers are on. Note some schools may block access to YouTube.