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WORLD CLASS COACHINGModern Soccer Drills

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WORLD CLASS COACHING Modern Soccer Drills

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WORLD CLASS COACHING



MODERN SOCCER DRILLS 2 ©WORLD CLASS COACHING

First published November, 2015 by WORLD CLASS COACHING 3404 W. 122nd Leawood, KS 66209 (913) 402-0030 Copyright © WORLD CLASS COACHING 2015 All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher. Sessions submitted by Lawrence Fine Edited by Tom Mura



©WORLD CLASS COACHING 3 MODERN SOCCER DRILLS

Table of Contents

Page Number

Small-Sided Game For Heading That Your Players Will Love 4

Reading and Anticipating Shot 6

Playing the Ball Out Of the Back 8

Reading the Touches On Breakaways 11

Supporting the Backs On Their First Touch 16

Great Activity For the Goalkeeper AND the Team 21

Combining Skill Work With Agility and Fitness 24

Positioning and Reading the Game 26

Flank Play - Attacking and Defending 28

A Group Warm-Up For Goalkeepers 31

Midfielders and Forwards Combination Play 34

Changing Direction With the First Touch 37

Attacking With Longer Passes 40

Small-Sided Game for Shooting and Goalkeeping 43

Playing and Receiving a Long Ball 46

Dribbling and Flair 49

Using Space and Moving Without the Ball 52




Small-Sided Game For Heading That Your Players Will Love

When you watch a lot of youth games (and it’s probably safe to lump a lot of professional games into this statement as well) you see that heading is an often neglected skill. Great opportunities are squandered because players aren’t prepared to finish with their head. Goal scoring opportunities are given to the other team because of bad clearances with the head.

Here is a simple game to work on heading with a purpose.

Start with a 30 x 30 area (size can vary) and have two teams of five plus a neutral player in the grid One team starts with a ball in one of their hands.



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This player can throw the ball to any of his teammates (or to the neutral player who is always on offense) and that player would have to head the ball to a teammate who can then catch it. In other words one player throws it, one heads it and one catches it. (throw-head-catch). A team gets a point for 3 consecutive throw-head catches. If the ball hits the ground, or the other team wins the ball, the other team gets the ball and the count resets.

A team can also do a throw-head-head-catch (this means a player throws the ball to a teammate who heads the ball to another player and rather than catching the ball, this player then heads the ball a teammate. A throw-head-head-catch counts as one point.

The first team to 5 points wins.

You also have the option of playing this game toward goals. To do this, play a normal scrimmage but the way to progress the ball is through throw-head-catch. To score a goal the ball must be headed (and the ball can hit the ground before going in the goal).

This type of game is a great way to get players to be comfortable heading the ball and to work on directional heading.



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Reading and Anticipating Shots

When training keepers we frequently put them in a situation where they know a shot is coming. In many cases, not only do they know when the shot is coming but also from where. To allow the keeper to work on this we can play a 4 v 4 (any numbers really would work) possession game using the width of the 6 as one set of boundaries and the penalty spot to the top of the D as the other set of boundaries. A keeper is in goal.

Whichever team has the ball must make 3 consecutive passes and at that point they can shoot.

If the other team wins the ball, they must make 3 passes and then they can shoot.



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If the keeper makes the save, the ball gets played to the non shooting team and they try for their three consecutive passes and then a shot.

To have even more shooting, add a neutral player who is always on offense.

This game will force the keeper to constantly readjust their positioning, be prepared for a shot at any time and really learn to read the game.



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Playing the Ball Out Of the Back

We are going to play with two teams playing 4 - 4 - 2 but you can use any formations you choose. There is a keeper in one goal and the other end line (70 yards away) has two 8 yard wide goals on the ends.

The ball starts with the keeper and the team defending the goal (in this case the black team) gets a point by either playing the ball through the goals on the corners OR they get two points by playing the ball into either of their forwards.



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The team attacking the goal gets a point by winning possession of the ball and gets three points by winning the ball and then scoring on the big goal.

Any time the ball goes out of play (regardless of which team the ball should go to) the ball starts with the keeper.

The objective with this activity is for the team working the ball out of the back to play safe and work the ball down the sides OR if the opportunity arises they should try to find their forwards. Defensively, the yellow team tries to keep the ball in front of them and to keep the ball away from the forwards.




Reading the Touches On Breakaways

Goalkeepers tend to work on the technique and footwork for breakaways but just as important is reading the opponents touches. Frequently the breakaway opportunity comes about real quickly.

An example of a typical way keepers might work on breakaways is to have a player start 30-40 yards out and dribble in at speed.

In this activity the keeper knows where the breakaway is coming from but can’t control the speed.

In order to control the speed, we can add a chasing defender which will force attacker to go fast.



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With the defender chasing the keeper has the opportunity to factor in speed and also angle (since the chaser will affect the angle of the chaser)

To make it even more difficult for the keeper, we can add multiple attackers from multiple angles. Now we have 4 potential attackers, two potential defenders and a server with a ball.



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The server plays the ball to any of the attackers and they take off on a breakaway. The closest defender is allowed to defend as soon as the attacker touches the ball.



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Now the keeper has to be able to adjust their angle depending upon which attacker is dribbling. They also have to adjust based on the defenders speed and angle and the attackers ability.

Another option for this is to have a 4 v 2 possession game played in the middle of the field and as soon as the attacking team makes 3 passes, any of them can go on a breakaway at any time



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The idea is for the keeper to have to adjust based on where players are and to read the touches, as soon as the attacker is coming forward, just like they would do in a game.



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Supporting the Backs On Their First Touch

To start, have a server with balls around midfield and a back near the top of the 18. A midfielder is 10 yards in front of the back.

The server plays a ball into the back and the midfielder has to position himself to receive a one touch pass from the back in a way that he is facing forward.



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The balls should be served in from different angles and with different trajectories so the back has to be able to receive the ball and play it with one touch and the midfielder has to read the flight of the ball and react accordingly.

Next we add a second back.



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Now the server can play the ball into either back and the midfielder has to react properly to position himself for a one touch pass.

Next we have 4 backs, 2 midfielders and 2 forwards who are pressuring.



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The ball get served into a back and they are limited to one touch to either find a midfielder

Or the back can one touch the ball to another back who must one touch it to a midfielder.



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The objective in this activity is to force the backs and the midfielders to read the flight of the ball, read the situation and move properly to work the ball out of the back playing one touch.



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Great Activity For the Goalkeeper AND the Team

Start with a keeper in goal, an attacking player on the end line just outside the 18, a defender 3 yards behind the player on the end line and a few attacking and defending players in the 18.

As soon as the attacker with the ball touches it, the game is live.

The attacker can dribble straight toward goal, down the end line.



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The attacker can dribble out from the end line to create an angle to shoot from.

The attacker can serve a ball in for a cross to one of his teammates.



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The goalkeeper has to read the situation and react accordingly. Based on the angles involved, the keeper has to position himself for a shot, a cross, or an attack with the dribble. The keeper also has to read the defenders which will also affect angles and positioning.

Have the attacking team take 5 attacks from each side and then the teams switch roles.

This is an excellent activity to force the keeper to read the situation and react accordingly while allowing the field players to do the same.



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Combining Skill Work With Agility and Fitness

Start with 6 flags (or cones) staggered to create a “zig zag course”. The players start at one end and a server starts with a ball in the middle.

The first player in line sprints around the near flag and as he is sprinting to second cone the server tosses a ball for the player to volley back.



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The server than backs up and the player goes around the next flag and does the same.

This continues through all of the cones and once done, the next player starts.

If the players are working in groups of 4’s with the server rotating, each player gets plenty of touches while going through at full speed and then gets time to rest as well.

This can be done with volleys, headers, passes on the ground and much more.

If we can combine fitness and technical work it creates a more realistic situation (players in a game will be moving and will be fatigued so while they will not be running around flags it does create a more realistic situation.



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Positioning and Reading the Game

This is a 3 v 2 activity with a keeper in goal and uses half a field.

The player in the middle starts with the ball and can initiate the attack with a dribble or a pass.



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The keeper has to quickly organize the defense and try to force the ball to one side and try to eliminate at least one of the options.

While it’s common to think of 3 v 2 attacks as a way to work with attacking players or with defending players it’s also extremely important to think of this type of activity as a goalkeeping activity as well. A keeper will need to be prepared to address the type of runs in a game that they will see in this activity. A keeper will need to communicate with the defenders in a game as they will in this type of activity. A keeper will need to read through balls in a game in the same way they will need to read through balls in this activity. A keeper will need to deal with shots in a game in the same way they will deal with them in this activity.

The real question is, is this a goalkeeping activity? Unfortunately, while this type of activity is done by many teams, the keeper is frequently forgotten or ignored so even though they are involved in the activity, it’s typically more as a shot blocker as opposed to a keeper. Think of every activity as a keeper activity and allow your keepers to grow every day.



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Flank Play - Attacking and Defending

This is a 3 v 3 game with a keeper using half a field. The three attacking players start at the midfield line with one of them out wide. The defending players can start wherever they want. A keeper is in goal and the ball starts with a server behind the midfield line.



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The game starts with the server playing the ball out wide

At this point the game is live.

The player with the ball can take the ball down the sideline and cross it to his runners.



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The player with the ball can take the ball toward the inside and have a central player look to overlap.

The player with the ball can pass back to the middle and attack through the middle

The objective with this activity is to have the players (attacking and defending) get accustomed with the situation when the ball gets played out wide.



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A Group Warm-Up For Goalkeepers

A keeper starts in a small goal (6 yards wide). A player starts 15 yards out with a ball and other players start on an angle in each direction (also about 15 yards out)

The keeper with the ball starts by “shooting” toward the goal (the objective isn’t to score but rather to make it a ball that will be saved.



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The keeper makes the save and then quickly distributes to one of the wide players (all of the players in this activity are keepers). The player who shot follows the shot and becomes the next keeper. The keeper, after distributing the ball, follow the pass and becomes the next wide player.

Next you would do the exact same thing but this keeper distributes to the other side



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This continues till each player has had a few turns.

This can be done with rolling balls, low ball, high balls, balls that require diving etc.

This is an excellent activity that keeps each goalkeeper in a small group involved, moving and working on distribution (from the feet and from the hands) shot blocking, receiving balls and moving.



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Midfielders and Forwards Combination Play

We want our players to get accustomed to looking for combination opportunities so in these activities we recreate various ones.

Starting with 4 attacking players and a keeper. One player is a forward, one is an outside midfielder and 2 are central midfielders.

The first combination simply is a pass into the target player who then lays the ball off to the other center midfielder who finds the outside midfielder running down the sideline. The outside midfielder crosses the ball into the box for a finish



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Next is similar but now the center midfielder who made the initial pass overlaps the outside midfielder

Now we have a diagonal run from the far inside midfielder.



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Next we go with crossing runs between the outside midfielder and the inside midfielder.

There are many other combinations we could add in. The objective here is for the players to understand there are different ways to attack and they don’t all involve straight runs or straight passes.



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Changing Direction With the First Touch

Start with a 30 x 30 grid (the size isn’t all that important and can be changed depending upon number of players. Half the group is in there with balls and the other half are without (in the diagram below the yellow players have balls and the black don’t)

The yellow players dribble around and then will make a pass to ablack player (for demo purposes, I will only have one player passing at a time).



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The passer follows the pass and runs at the receiving player.

The receiving player must take the ball away from the runner with the first touch (away doesn’t necessarily mean in the opposite direction but rather in a direction avoiding the runner)



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The player with the ball then does the same thing with another player

It’s important to train the players to keep the ball moving with the first touch and this is an excellent warm up activity to get this concept ingrained in their thought process.



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Attacking With Longer Passes

This is a 4 v 4 game with a third team resting. The field is 40 x 30 and there is an extra 10 yards on each end line. Two small goals are set up 10 yard beyond each endline with a player from the resting team in each goal.

The two teams must stay inside the field but to score a goal they must pass/shoot the ball through the goals on the end they are attacking.



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In many small sided games, goals are scored by dribbling through a goal or dribbling up to a goal and then making a very short pass. In this activity the players have make a longer but still accurate pass to score.

To make it more challenging you can move the goals back another 5 or 10 yards to require an even longer pass to score the goal.

If you want to increase the size of the field you can play 5 v 5 and now you would have a neutral player from the resting team on each sideline for support.



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Other variations would include requiring the ball to be in the air when it goes through the goal. This would mean the ball would have to be chipped or driven to score.

Unfortunately, with the emphasis on small sided games and with short passing, the ability to play a longer ball is frequently a neglected skill in soccer. These types of games help to overcome this.



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Small-Sided Game for Shooting and Goalkeeping

Start with two goals set up 40 yards apart. There is a keeper in each goal and 2 mannequins in the middle yards apart (if you don’t have a mannequin, corner flags, coaching sticks or, if necessary cones will work. There are 2 lines of players with balls 5 yards to the opposite side of each goal.

To start, the first player in each line dribbles at the near mannequin, cuts the ball to the inside and then shot on goal.



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After the players shoot they retrieve the ball and go to the back of the opposite line. As soon as the shot is hit the next player in line goes.

Do this 2 times in each direction and then start putting in variations on the moves. Include some, if not all, of the following:

• Cut-Catch • Roll-Catch • Pull-Pivot-Push (or V move) • Scissors • Double Scissors • Cruyff • Pull Cruyff • Foundation

To add a passing component, the player dribbles at the mannequin then makes a square pass in front of the other mannequin and sprints around his mannequin to receive the other players pass and hit a shot





There are other variations but these show you some examples to work on dribbling, shooting and passing.





Playing and Receiving a Long Ball

Start with two small line of players on one sideline (one line with balls), 30-40 yards from goal.

Opposite them is another line of players. A keeper is in goal.

The first player with a ball drives a ball cross field to the first player in the opposite line.





As soon as the ball is played, the first player in the defending line (in this example, wearing yellow) sprints to defend.

The player who receives the ball attacks the goal and shoots as soon as they can.






The players rotate so the passer goes to the defending line, the defender goes to the receiving line and the receiver goes to the passing line.

The reason for having both a passing line and a defending line, as opposed to having the passer defend is if the passer defends, there is an incentive to make a bad pass to make it easier to defend.

Another option is once the ball is played the passer joins the receiver and they play 2 v 1 to goal.

This is a fun activity that works on a lot of aspects of passing, receiving, dribbling, defending, shooting and goalkeeping.





Dribbling and Flair

Start with a 25 yard in diameter circle. Groups of 2’s are in the circle with one being on offense and the other being on defense. There are players on the outside of the circle with balls.

The offensive players (in this case the black jerseys) check toa player on the outside and receive the pass.





This part of the activity is similar to many passing and receiving activities. The thing that makes it different is once the player in the middle receives the ball they must maintain possession for 7 touches of the ball. This can involve shielding, dribbling or any other legal method of keeping the ball. Once they have made the minimum number of touches they must pass the ball back to the same player on the outside or to any of the other players on the outside who don’t have a ball.





The number of touches can be changed based on the players abilities. You can also add required moves, feints, or any other restrictions you choose.

If the defender wins the ball, they try to maintain possession for the same number of touches and then pass it to the outside.

After a set number of attempts (5 works well) the players rotate so the passer becomes the defender, the defender becomes the attacker and the attacker becomes the passer.





Using Space and Moving Without the Ball

Start with a 40 x 40 grid with a 10 x 10 area in the middle

This is a simple possession game. In this example we will use 6 v 6 but the numbers can vary.



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Teams earn points multiple ways. They get a point for 5 consecutive passes to their own team. They also get a point for any pass made to a player inside the 10 x 10 area.



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As an example, in the sequence below the black team gets 3 points.

They get 1 point for making 5 consecutive passes and 2 points for the two passes to a player in the 10 x 10 area.

The third way to earn points is to pass the ball into the 10 x 10 area to a player making a run into the area. This results in 3 passes

The reason this type of pass earns more points is we want to encourage players to start wide and then make runs into space and for players on the ball to look to pass to players who are moving. One thing to emphasize is we aren’t looking for a player to stand just outside the 10 x



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10 area and have him step into the area to receive the ball and the 3 points. The objective here is to have the players use the space out wide and then make runs.

Defensively, the players must communicate to try to keep the ball out of the middle and look to trap players into corners.

This is a fun possession game that works on many more aspects of the game.



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