Soccercoachw153

Tools, Tips & Techniques

31 March 2010 issue 153

Under 4s - Under 16s

Keep in shape to defend with style Marking out ball positions helps you coach your players to cover each other so they keep a compact defensive shape in matches, says David Clarke

Patterns to defend the ball 1

4

ONE!

Making patterns of play One question I am always being asked is: “How do I get my young players to understand positions and movement around them?”

You can do this by putting numbered poles or markers into the general areas of the pitch your players will have to deal with.

Call out a number and have your players move into the correct positions to retain a compact defence.

In the diagram (right) you can see how to cover position 1 and position 2, follow the same patterns with your players on the other side of the pitch at positions 3 and 4. Once you have done it a few times play a small-sided game to help them focus on movement.

A small-sided game puts it in match situations l I have used teams of 4 players, but you can play with less, or if you have an extra player put them in the middle. l Use an area 60 x 30 yards split in to three 20 yard zones. l The teams in the outer zones have a maximum of four passes before they have to pass to the opposite end zone. l One player from the middle zone can go into the end zone to challenge for the ball when the ball is in that zone. l The other players cover the area left by the player challenging for the ball so there is no space for the pass through the middle. l The middle team scores by successfully intercepting a pass or winning the ball in the end zone. If the end zones pass to each other successfully it is a point to them. l The ball cannot go above head height. l Play first to five then switch the teams around.

“Defending is all about movement off the ball” Paolo Maldini, defender, AC Milan and Italy

2

ATTACK

3

The attacking team has moved the ball down the wing to attack with a cross. The defenders move to cover.

1

4

TWO!

3

2

ATTACK

The attacking team has moved into the opposition half and the defending team must cover the options.

One player from the middle zone goes to win the ball while the other players in that zone prevent passes. player movement

Coach development

weekly

Under 4s - Under 16s

The art of coaching children Give players opportunities to express themselves Play lots of games in training and encourage players to try things in game-like situations. It is often difficult to express flair in exercises during training sessions where specific skills have been isolated, because players need to be able to experience how they work under game-like pressure.

Encourage players to self assess

Praise flair in training and matches

This sort of self assessment doesn’t come naturally to younger players. You will need to help them to start with by posing questions for them to think about.

The players themselves need to be able to assess whether something they have tried has worked or not.

Ask them to think about why some things worked or didn’t work, what they would do differently next time?

Even if things don’t always work it is important to recognise that players are trying new things. Single these players out for praise.

The one-in-three rule

If you berate players every time they make a mistake they will very quickly stop trying anything new and end up hiding during matches, scared of being told off.

Here is a simple rule to give your players. If something they try works less than one-in-three attempts then it is best left until their skill level has improved.

David Clarke’s touchline tales You need a plan to integrate new players – don’t just bring them along on match day Last Friday night the phone rang. It was from one of the managers of our U10Bs team. “I’m ill,” he said, “can you run my team’s match tomorrow? It doesn’t start until your match has finished!”.

I didn’t know him or had seen him play it was no reflection on him if he didn’t play a lot of the game. I explained that my normal strategy would be to invite new players to watch the first game to let them know how the team plays and how they will fit in.

I don’t mind doing that, I know all the boys and I enjoy the challenge of taking a different team on match day. I had a quick look at who we had to play and noticed we had lost 3-0 to this team at home earlier in the season. I made a mental note to work on defending in the warm-up before the match.

What I did was to start him in the team and let him play for half the first half. I played him on the right side of midfield and he seemed to do okay. We clapped him for his performance. It was a tight game and a difficult one to get him back on. However, I made sure he came on for the last five minutes so he ended the game on the pitch and went home feeling part of it.

Next morning the manager dropped his son off at my house with the players’ cards and water bottles. “By the way,” he said, “we’ve been given a player from the A team who’s lost his confidence so can you make sure you play him.”

This was not an ideal introduction for him or the team. You really need new players to come along to training and get to know the team and each other as individuals – remember to ask them about their other interests so you get to know them better. By gaining a greater understanding of your players as individuals you can help improve your ability to integrate and motivate them. Making the effort to get to know the player – not just for their soccer – can pay dividends when trying to understand their wider motivations. The process of asking is a classic motivational tool – it shows you care.

This did present me with a problem. I’d never seen him play nor had anyone else on our team. Some of the boys said he was quite good, but didn’t think it a good idea that he played or one of them would have to be subbed! When we got to the game there he was on the side of the pitch with his mum. I went over and introduced myself and explained that I would give her son as much time on the pitch as I could but because 2

31 March 2010

Player development

weekly

Under 4s - Under 16s

Technique

Cut the supply Intercepting the pass

If you can get your team to intercept passes they will cut off the supply to the opposition attackers and the threat to your team’s goal. Get your players to practice intercepting 1v1, then put it to the test in a small-sided game, says David Clarke

Coach

Intercepting exercise A lot of young players will intercept the ball then lose it straight away, because they think they have done their job once the ball is won. In the exercise shown in the diagram (right) the player first to the ball must control it and pass it back to you. This helps them realise that when they win the ball they have to use it, in this case by passing.

A

How to play it

B

The player who gets to the ball first must control it and pass it back to you under pressure from their opponent.

l Set up a 10 x 10 yards square. l Split your squad in two groups. l You stand in the middle at the opposite end of the square to the players. l Roll the ball out at differing speeds, and players A and B must both try to win the ball and play it back to you. l The players run to the back of the opposite queue after their turn.

Play the one-nil game

In this 4v4 the team in grey have scored a goal so they must now keep the ball unless the other team score.

l Set up an area 40 x 30 yards with two normal goals. l Play a 4v4 with one player on each team as goalkeeper. l No tackling, only interceptions allowed. Otherwise normal rules until one team scores. l When a team scores they cannot score again unless the other team scores – they must try and keep possession of the ball to hold on to their advantage. l The team that is losing must try to intercept the ball and attempt to score. l If an equalizer is scored the game goes back to normal and both teams try to score to gain advantage. l Play for 15 minutes.

The white team must try to intercept the ball and score. direction of run

3

pass

shoot

31 March 2010

1

Games workshop

weekly

Under 4s - Under 16s

Small-sided game Warm-up circuit

Keep away in triangles

Keep away in triangles

This is a great warm-up to get your players thinking about what they have to do with the ball and where they have to run. It warms up limbs and brains.

How to play it l Using three cones make a triangle with 4 yards between each cone, You need four players. l One defender stands inside the triangle, he must intercept the ball to get out of the triangle. l Three attackers on the sides of the triangle must keep passing the ball by feinting the pass or looking one way and passing the other - something to fool the defender. l If they lose the ball they replace the player inside the triangle.

pass

Five minute fitness Games to coach young teams

Sharks and minnows This five minute fitness drill can be used during your training sessions for a quick break to help coaching points sink in, or as an incentive for a drinks break.

Sharks and minnows

How to do it l Set up a square 40x30 yards. l Use all your squad. One player starts as the shark inside the square and the rest are the minnows, who line up along the line with a ball each. l The minnows have to dribble to the other side.

Minnows must get past the lone shark.

Line Soccer l The shark has to win as many balls as possible and kick them out of the square. l Play for five minutes or until all minnows are out. l The minnows whose balls are kicked out become sharks l Key skills: Ball holding, shielding, speed, individual and the remaining minnows now try to dribble back to the skills, tackling. side where they started from.

DOWNLOAD THE MATCH DAY PLANNER AT: www.bettersoccercoaching.com/MDP.pdf 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.

Knock Down The Cones

4

31 March 2010