In the video clip from below Wayne Harrison, a former professional player and coach, instructs players during his Playing Out of the Back in a 4-2-3-1 Formation demonstration.  Coach Harrison runs this session in a half field setting with players doing a walk through with no defenders or second team.  The 4-2-3-1 is used by several of the top professional soccer clubs in the world and can be very effective if used and executed properly.  This formation has four backs or defenders with two midfielders in front of this line.  A second group of three midfielders follows with one forward up top.  There is a lot of movement and shifting within this formation which requires players to understand roles and not only how to play their position, but how others need to play their positions in order to be effective.

Coach Harrison discusses both sides of the ball in using this formation:

Defensive Shape

The back four defensive players need to play deep in that they are dropped off and not leaving lots of space behind.  This forces teams to have to go through the midfielder and defenders when attacking.  This hopefully reduces long or through balls that an attacking team may try to use.  Al

so, the team as a whole needs to be tight and compact.  This eliminates gaps and extra space, which makes it more difficult for the offensive team to penetrate.

Offensive Shape

When the team has the ball and is on offense in a 4-2-3-1 formation, the players need to be wide and spread out.  The outside backs and midfielders create width by pushing to the outside, while the forward can create depth by pushing up the field to the defenders or back line of the opposing team.  The focus of the offense should be to make it difficult for the other team to defend and cover all the space while creating extra room for their team to possess the ball and attack.

The YouTube video below is from World Class Coaching and has sound, so please make sure that your sound is turned on and that you have access to the site. Some schools block access to YouTube.

 For a complete guide to attacking out of this formation, click the link Attacking in the 4-2-3-1 and get more information about how to purchase this e-book from World Class Coaching

In the video clip below Randy Waldrum, former head coach of the University of Notre Dame women’s soccer team and current head coach of the Houston Dash, runs a session on Defending 4-3-3. This drill is set up in a 25 yard long area that extends from sideline to sideline on a field. There are two teams with seven players each. The defensive team has four backs that are playing in a flat four shape with three midfielders in front of them. The offensive team has one defender or center back with four midfielders in front. These players are set up with two center midfielders and one wide or outside mid on each side. Two forwards are in front of this line even with the defenders from the other team.

There are several important areas to focus and work on during this drill:
Midfielder Covering Outside

Coach Waldrum breaks down how the closest defensive midfielder to the ball should be moving to close down the outside player while the ball is traveling. By moving early, this midfielder is closing down space and providing pressure. The other midfielders are able to shift across during this time and mark up so the team keeps a good defensive shape.

Communication

This drill does not work without communication from players on the field. The defenders and midfielders should each be working together while keeping good balance on the field. Constant talking about where players are moving, how to force the ball, and proper marking should all be part of the communication happening on the field.

Game Like Practice

This drill allows both offensive and defensive players to train in a game like setting. You can do all the drills you want, but the players ultimately must understand how it all works and comes together on the field as a team.

The video is courtesy of World Class Coaching YouTube Channel. The YouTube clip below has sound, so please make sure that your sound is turned on and that you access to the site. Some schools block access to YouTube.

By Matt Settles

Coach Settles recently completely his 11th season as a high school coach in Indiana. The former collegiate player at the University of Southern Indiana is also a regular contributor to the Soccer Toolbox

Some coaches love them and some coaches hate them.  Regardless of your personal opinions or experiences, penalty kicks are a part of soccer and not going away.  If you have coached long enough, you have more than likely been on both ends of penalty kick shootout.  The excitement and joy of one of your players making a deciding PK to win or the gut-wrenching feeling from the opposing goalkeeper making a save to win the shootout.  It’s a tough and not very fair way to end a game, but the other side of that is that both teams had two halves and overtime to decide the game before it got to that point.  If it’s a regular season game where the rules require a winner or a postseason match where one team must advance, the penalty kick shootout creates winners and losers every time.

There are no secrets to penalty kicks.  There are several important steps you can take though to help prepare your team if and when a shootout occurs:

1. Preparation

One of the biggest mistakes any coach can do is to not prepare or practice for a PK shootout.  Let your players hit PK’s on their own in practice and then make competitions for them to compete against each other.  Play a scrimmage and end it with a PK shootout where both teams send five players to take shots.  It’s important that players are taking PK’s under pressure and learning how to handle it.  It’s not only a great way for you as a coach to evaluate who your top players are for PK’s, but it gives the kids repetition and experience.  As soon as you don’t practice PK’s because you don’t think they will happen, you will find yourself in the middle of a shootout.

2. Placement Over Power

A big mistake that players make when taking PK’s is that they don’t understand placement over power.  I see kids each season trying to hit a PK as though they are shooting 40 yards away from goal.  They swing so hard that they are off balance and most importantly, they lack accuracy.  Young kids see pro players hitting PK’s high into the corners and think these upper 90 shots are how you do it.  The fact is that shooting a PK low and to the corners is the best option.  Goalkeepers struggle the most with diving to the side to get a hand on low shots.  Also, it doesn’t take the powerful shot to score.  If players can understand that PK’s are more like a firm pass, they will be much more successful in the long run.

3. Importance of GK’s

A goalkeeper that is good at saving PK’s is a huge advantage.  Your players taking shots still need to focus on scoring, but knowing you have a goalkeeper that can make saves relieves some pressure and provides confidence to the team.  It’s just as important for goalkeepers to get reps in practice.  The more PK’s they see, the more prepared they will be.  The best goalkeepers don’t guess on a side where the shot is going.  They watch the shooter’s movement, their run to the ball, foot placement, etc. and they know where the shot is going.

Putting pressure on your opponent and making them uncomfortable can get your opponnets out of their normal style of play and might cause turnovers.

In the clip below Schellas Hyndman, current Men’s Soccer Head Coach at Grand Canyon University, leads a classroom training session on the basics of Team Pressing. He has over 30 years of coaching experience and has excelled at both the collegiate (Eastern Illinois, SMU) and professional (FC Dallas) levels.

The video clip is from a presentation that Coach Hyndman conducted at a recent Glazier Soccer Clinic. To gain access to his entire presentation, as well as hundreds of other clinic presentations click the link Glazier Clinic Vault.

If you are interested in attending a Glazier Soccer Clinic click HERE to find one near you.

Please make sure that your sound is on and click on the video to play.

PUT YOUR CURSOR OVER THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF THE VIDEO AND CLICK   (IMAGE LOOKS LIKE THIS) TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON FULL SCREEN TO BE ABLE SEE LARGER DIAGRAMS AND VIDEOS

Coach Hyndman discusses several important points that can help coaches and teams:

1.Pressing is about making things difficult for the opponent

It’s easy for players and teams to play with lots of time, but pressing makes it tougher for your opponents to play their style. If you press at certain times, this also keeps your opponent off balance and not able to get into a rhythm.

2.An effective pressing strategy frequently leads to bad decision and bad passes

Putting pressure on your opponent speeds up play and puts players under stress. Players are more likely to make mistakes when they have to play fast and make quick decisions.

3.Pressing can turn an opposing good player into an average player

The top players are usually more comfortable or can better handle pressing during a game. The good, but not top players, are the ones that can make mistakes more easily and be effected by the pressure. Focus on these players and always be smart with who you are pressing.

4.Effective pressing strategies reduces the risk of being countered

If your players can understand how to press and work together as a team, this will normally reduce the risk of being counter attacked during a game. Coaches need to be clear with their players not only on when to press, but also where on the field.

5. Physical conditioning equal to the demand

You can only press if your players can handle the extra running and fitness. It doesn’t make sense to press during a game if your players will be exhausted or break down and make mistakes.

By Matt Settles

Coach Settles recently completely his 11th season as a high school coach in Indiana. The former collegiate player at the University of Southern Indiana is also a regular contributor to the Soccer Toolbox

A common problem in most soccer teams is the lack of consistency and success attacking in numbers in the offensive third of the field. It’s great if you have a single player that can attack on his or her own, but your team will be much more dangerous with more players attacking together. If you are setting up a 2 v 1 drill to goal, focus on four ways for your players to attack together.

 

1. Take-Over

One offensive players receives the ball and dribbles towards their teammate. The second offensive player “takes” the ball and attacks the open space. It’s important that the first offensive player dribbles the ball on their outside foot to make an easier transition. The take-over creates a change of direction and if done properly, will create confusion as the defender determines who has the ball or who should they defend. A second option with the take-over is for the offensive player with the ball to keep it and attack towards to goal.

 

2. Overlap Run

The offensive player receives the ball and starts dribbling at the defender. As this is happening, the second offensive player makes a hard run around their teammate. This forces the defender to make a decision, which will ultimately determine what the offensive player should do. The
overlapping run needs to be fast and there needs to be communication from this player that they are open. It’s up to the offensive player with the ball to make the decision if they pass or not, but a hard run will make it more realistic compared to a slow or lazy run that defenders don’t have to worry much about.

 

3. Give & Go

The offensive player receiving the ball passes to his or her teammate, then makes a run to receive a pass back. Make sure you are watching and calling offsides as a coach. A common mistake for players to make is to be offsides during a give and go pass. Encourage the second offensive player to be a step or two behind even with the defender so they are not taking a chance with being offsides. If you have the advantage in a 2 v 1 situation, don’t risk the goal scoring opportunity by being greedy.

 

4. Go to Goal

This is the easiest form of attacking and players seem to always lose track of this option. If the defender is not closing the ball down and more worried about defending the 2nd offensive player, the first offensive player should go to goal! The first offensive player can either dribble closer to get a shot or if they are already in range, take the shot immediately. Stress to your players that they don’t have to be inside the 6 yard box to shoot. The offensive players should worry about taking a good first touch and getting the ball under control, then determine quickly if they can get a shot off based on the defenders distance and how quickly they are closing down the ball.