Tools, Tips & Techniques
14 April, 2010 issue 155
Under 4s - Under 16s
Supply lines Ancelotti’s team couldn’t win the midfield battle. The Inter midfield was stronger in winning possession and provided a crucial link between the centre-backs and the fullbacks creating a potent weapon. This was the driving force behind Inter’s victory. Get your midfield to win possession and use it to create goal scoring opportunities for your attackers with this session:
Start with a 2v1 keep away warm-up.
10 yds
In the Champions League Round of 16, Jose Mourinho brought his Inter Milan side to face Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in London. Leading 2-1 from the first leg in Milan, everyone expected to see a defensive Inter, but instead Mourinho named three forwards in his team. Close behind he played a midfield trio including Wesley Sneijder, whose job it was to play good passes into the attackers.
Win the midfield, win the game
15 yds
Playing good balls up to the front players is vital if you want to give your team the chance to score goals and win games. That’s the job of the midfield, says David Clarke
l Start with a 2v1 warm-up where the team of two must keep the ball from the lone player. If the lone player wins the ball the person they win it off becomes the lone player. Play for 5 minutes.
15 yds
Warm-up
l Set up an area 50x20 yards, split into four zones. l The middle two zones have three players from one team – the midfield – and one player from the other team. l The end zones have an attacker. l Players must stay in their zones, they cannot move out. l The game starts with you throwing a ball into the middle. When the ball goes out of play it restarts with the goalkeepers who have to try and get it to their midfielders. No throw-ins or corners. l Teams must get the ball to the attacker via the lone player in the middle zone or by long passes.
10 yds
Small-sided game
20 yds
The midfield must create a chance to pass the ball to the attacker . shot
pass
“We knew that if you don’t control the game by having the ball you have no chance” Jose Mourinho, Inter Milan
Coach development
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
The art of coaching children Give more power to your players Young players have a huge amount of creativity that is often stifled by adult coaches imposing limitations on what they can do. Encouraging their creativity in training will lead to better leadership skills on the pitch.
pieces, get the players to come up with their own. Give them time in groups to invent some different ones. You’ll probably be surprised how many ideas they will come up with. You can refine their ideas through practise, but keep reminding them that the original ideas were theirs.
Give players some freedom in training Include sections in your training sessions where players are working in small groups without direct supervision. They can be playing simple games such as “piggy in the middle” or the warm-up on page one. Move around the groups but don’t offer direct coaching advice. Instead ask the players questions and get them to come up with the answers.
Give players responsibility on the pitch Rather than having one captain, give players different areas of responsibility on the pitch. Nominate midfield and defence organisers. They then have the responsibility to encourage and organise the players around them. Players like having a say in how they play and train from an early age and it gives them a real sense of ownership once they are on the pitch.
Involve players in creating set piece plays Instead of turning up at training with a playbook of set
David Clarke’s touchline tales It’s important to use the right technique as early as possible In my latest game the referee came up to me before kick-off and asked me what I wanted to do about throw-ins. I told him I was quite happy if he penalised players for not keeping within the laws of the game. However, the opposition manager didn’t want any throw-in to be penalised, because he said they hadn’t practiced them yet.
At half-time I reminded them that whatever the opposition was using it didn’t matter, we should be using the correct technique to throw the ball. “But they’re throwing it much further than we can,” they said. I’m sure you’ve all heard this sort of thing. But getting the technique right means far more to me than getting distance by not doing it properly.
It wasn’t a problem to me. Although I do feel even at U9s it is important that the players are beginning to get throw-ins right so they can advance their technique as they learn how to do it. I often see players as old as U16 making foul throws through wrong technique and penalising their team because they hadn’t learnt the proper way to throw.
It was an excellent work out for my players’ concentration in the face of what they saw as cheating – of course in this instance it wasn’t. They reacted well to the situation and covered the long throws. If they do come up against a team that can throw long using the correct technique at least now they know what to expect.
Anyway, I explained to my players that the referee was not going to be strict on throw-ins because the opposition players hadn’t learnt how to do them yet, but that I still wanted my players to do proper throw-ins. I saw immediately why the opposition didn’t want them penalised. Their first throw was a basketball style thrust which put the ball straight into our penalty area. “Foul throw!” shouted my players, but of course we played on.
Players only get better if they develop their technique. The team that are throwing with the wrong technique will come unstuck eventually. They will then have to re-learn the way to throw and will be going backwards. To get a free copy of Soccer Coach Weekly, issue 110 featuring the throw-in technique and the throw-in law email me at david.clarke@coach-soccer.com 2
14 April 2010
Player development
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Technique
Moving target Use this exercise to get players anticipating the pass and moving to the ball, rather than waiting for it to come to them. The passer is also learning how to pass to a player on the run, says David Clarke
The running man
Moving to the pass
Your players should try to move the ball quickly with good control and pass it into the path of the working player making the run. This player has to move forward quickly to show for the pass. Players should receive the ball with an open body shape, so they can see all players in the exercise and complete the passing move.
Working player
A
1
3 2
The session concentrates on the moving player so rotate all players every 6 passes – A to B, B to C and C becomes the working player.
B 4
How to set it up
25 yds
C
l Set up a 15 x 25 yard area. l Place three cones on three corners and two cones around the half way point in the area. l Players stand at the cones like the diagram (right).
15 yds
With first time passing A and B play a one-two then A passes into space for the working player to run on to.
Sequence of play
A
l Player A passes to player B, who passes it back to A, playing a quick one-two. l A passes to the working player who is on the move. l With a first time pass the working player passes across to C, then returns to their cone. C passes back to A. l Players keep their positions for six passes.
Working player
1 B 2
How to change it Every third pass player B should turn first time without passing back to A and pass into the space for the working player to run on to. This means they have to move quicker to get to the pass.
3
C
Every third pass B should turn without playing back to A so the working player must be ready to move quicker.
You can change the number of touches players have to make it harder. The timing in this move is much quicker so players must use good passing and receiving.
player movement
3
pass
14 April 2010
1
Games workshop
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Small-sided game Warm-up
Side-step circuit
Side-step circuit
This is a great warm-up to get your players moving in all directions so they are ready to play in matches.
How to play it l Both ends work at the same time. l The players must complete a series of sprints and foot movements: 1 Sprint to the first cone and side step to the left 2 Sprint forward and side step to the left 3 Back pedal and then side step to the left 4 Sprint to the back of the opposite group. l Once all the players have completed three sets, change the starting positions so that the players work on movements in the opposite direction.
direction of run
(left)
(right)
Five minute fitness
Passing pairs
Passing pairs
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.
A
How to do it
PASS
B
5yds
l Set up a sequence of cones like the diagram (right). l Split the group in half, with one half going down one side, the other half down the other. l Player A passes to player B who passes it back. Player A must stop the ball by the cone for the next player to use. l Both players sprint to the next cone and do the same thing. Then to the next cone. l Play for five minutes. l Key skills: Passing, receiving and control.
PASS
5yds PASS
5yds
direction of sprint
pass
Players pass and sprint between cones.
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.
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14 April 2010