Tools, Tips & Techniques
24 February, 2010 issue 148
Under 4s - Under 16s
Strikers open up midfield players The role of the striker is more than just a target player. They should not only have the capabilities of scoring but also the means to bring others in to play. This game helps your strikers to exploit that, says David Clarke Could Arsenal’s poor recent record be due to them missing a striker who can bring other players into the game? Robin van Persie is a big miss in that regard as he can play both the role of creator and goalscorer giving Arsenal more unpredictability and variation. When Arsenal use Andrey Arshavin in this role the more competent defences are quick to compress the space making his play more one-dimensional. He doesn’t look to bring others into play and teams defend more easily. This game helps you coach your attacker to see opportunities to bring midfielders into goal scoring positions.
How to set it up
Strikers create space for midfielders 1
Goalkeeper starts and the midfielders have the ball. 2
l Use the penalty area or set up an area 30x30 yards. You need a goal, a striker and a goalkeeper. l Split your players into midfielders and defenders. l Make sure you switch the striker every three games.
How to play it l Start with the goalkeeper kicking the ball to the midfielders. l The two midfielders join with the striker to form a 3v2. l When the game ends midfielders and defenders swap to the opposite queues. After three moves change the attacker. l The game continues until the ball is cleared out of the area or a goal is scored. l If the defenders win the ball, they should clear it past the line where the additional midfielders are standing. l If the defenders are successful at clearing the ball the attacking trio must collect the ball and do a forfeit from the following: 1. Once around the pitch. 2. Five press ups. 3. Ten star jumps.
The striker moves to drag the defender... 3
...and open up space for the midfielder to shoot at goal. movement
pass
shot
“Strikers are the guys who can bring your midfielders alive” Arsene Wenger, Arsenal manager
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Player development
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Skills The artSchool of coaching children Bending the ball is a skill that can be used for free-kicks, corners and crosses. If you can get your players to bend the ball they will be able to make it more difficult for goalkeepers and defenders to clear it. It’s also good fun to try and do it...
Skill 9: Bending the ball
How to bend the ball
l Approach the ball at an angle running across the direction you are aiming (see diagram right). l Hit the ball with the inside of your big toe, just where your toe ends and your foot begins. The impact will roll the ball along the inside of your foot. l Kick the ball in the bottom corner. If you’re kicking with your right foot kick the bottom right of the ball (see diagram) or if you’re using your left foot kick the bottom left, the other side, of the ball. l Your standing leg should not move and should still be pointing at an angle away from the target. Swing your kicking leg in towards the target, without bending it. l As your foot comes across and around, you create ball spin which makes the ball bend and dip. You can get extra height by leaning your shoulders back.
TARGET
supporting foot
kicking foot
body alignment
flight of ball
David Clarke’s touchline tales If you’re planning on changing goalkeepers do it at half-time With my younger teams, U10 and below, I like to have two goalkeepers who can play a half each. Since Christmas, the U9s have had to rely on just one goalkeeper because the other was injured. This worked well because the fit goalkeeper was playing his first season in goal and playing very well.
just ready, but desperate. They had travelled a long way to this game and I felt it was the right thing to do to give him ten minutes of a game we were easily controlling. I looked on with horror, however, as I realised he had forgotten his goalkeeper top, so had to change with the substituted goalkeeper and couldnt get it over his gloves. It took over five minutes to get him ready and in goal.
At the weekend I heard my injured goalkeeper was going to come along to the match with a view to playing. As he had been out for so long I spoke to him and his dad about whether he felt he was ready to play. Indeed both of them thought it When play restarted, disaster. The ball came in to the box would be good if he could play the second half. and my two defenders, having had the ball collected all game, left it and we all watched it roll slowly in to the However, at half-time he wasn’t keen to go on, so we started net. This was followed by two similar incidents where the the second half without changing the goalkeeper. I was quite goalkeeper just didn’t pick up an easy ball and we lost 3-1. happy about this as we had been playing well and were winning 1-0. Unless you have an injury to your goalkeeper don’t change them when a match is in play, do it when you have plenty of With ten minutes left and still winning 1-0 the goalkeeper’s time during the half-time break. This gives your goalkeeper dad came over and told me his son was ready to go on. Not time to get themselves ready for playing in goal. 2
24 February 2010
Player development
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Games
Point bank Decision making close to goal is very important which is what this game is about. You want to see fast, accurate passing, good control and skills to create shooting chances, says David Clarke
Who can bank the most points? 1
Developing communication and vision
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3 pts white
This is a great game to develop awareness of the options available to the team with the ball when close to the goal – as well as finishing, communication and vision. The attacking team must decide whether to bank easy points or go for the bigger prize in the main goal.
3 pts grey 5 pts white or grey
2 1 pt grey
The defending team needs to cover three goals and turn defence into attack when they win the ball.
4 1 pt white
White team scores in goals 1 and 4, the grey team in 2 and 3. Both teams can take on the goalkeeper and try to score maximum points.
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How to set it up l Use the penalty area or mark out a 20 yard square like I have done. l Using cones 1 yard apart, make a goal in each corner. l You need one normal sized goal with a goalkeeper. l Split your squad in to teams of four.
3
4
2
How to play it l The white team can score in goal 1 or goal 4 and the grey team in goal 2 or goal 3. l A goal scored in a small goals 2 and 4 count as 1 point and in goals 1 and 3 count as 3 points. l Both teams can score in the main goal which counts as 5 points. l When the keeper makes a save he should throw or kick it high into the air in the playing area so both teams can compete for it. l Play for a set time the team with most points wins.
When the white attacker receives the ball, the easy option is to turn and bank a point in the unguarded goal 2. The harder option...
1
3
4
2
How to advance it l Change it so that players can only score in the main goal with a header or volley but the points go up to 10 for each goal.
...is to use a skill then take on the goalkeeper to get maximum points.
pass
3
shot
run
24 February 2010
Games workshop
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Small-sided game
4v4v4 team 1v1 battles Attack, defend and keep goal in this 4v4v4.
KEY PLAYER MOVEMENT
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1. Set up three teams of four and have each attacker go 1v1.
How to set it up l Pitch size: 30 x 20 yards. l Three teams of four players. l Four goals arranged as in the diagrams. l Four cones or poles to mark the starting points.
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How to play it l One team works as attackers, one as defenders and one as goalkeepers. l The attacking players wait for your whistle, then attempt to score in a 1v1 situation. l When the ball is played, the attacking player then goes to the next station to their left and waits for your whistle to attack again. l Therefore each attacking player has four 1v1 situations. l When all the balls have been played, count the total number of goals scored by all four attackers. l The roles are then reversed with the new attacking team attempting to beat the previous team’s score.
THE MATCH DAY PLANNER IS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD AT: www.bettersoccercoaching.com/MDP.pdf
2. Now make the attackers move through each station.
4 1
3 2
3. Switch roles so everyone plays in attack, defence and goal.
Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, GU5 0AB, UK. Email: david.clarke@coach-soccer.com Tel: +44 (0)1483 892894 Fax: +44 (0)1483 894148 Editor David Clarke Publisher Kevin Barrow Managing Director Andrew Griffiths Customer Service Representative Duncan Heard Š Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
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24 February 2010