WELCOME…
December 1 2010 Issue 188 Under 4s - Under 16s
... to Soccer Coach Weekly. This week, we welcome a former France international into our ranks, as Bernard Mendy tells us about his training ground habits and observations. We’ve also got our usual offering of bespoke coaching moves plus a great mix of opinion and advice. Enjoy the issue and we’ll see you again next week.
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TALKING MAN-TO-MAN How taking on a man means creating more goalscoring chances...
KINGS OF THE 1v1s You may have noticed that your team playing well has a lot to do with the number of 1v1s that players are winning. Succeeding in these playeron-player situations means that, in attack, the team is able to move the ball quickly, while in defence they can win possession and begin counterattacking moves upfield quickly. Often, young players will run with the ball then stop when faced with a 1v1. It’s a pressure situation that, ultimately, they’ll either win or lose, so players should be coached so they show confidence when such a scenario presents itself in matches. Of course, different players have different ways of succeeding in 1v1 situations. Didier Drogba of Chelsea forces and accelerates his way past defenders, while someone such as Ronaldinho, the AC Milan striker, has made a career out of tricking his way around opponents. Because they get the advantage of winning these situations it makes it easy for them to create goals, so try out the session below and see how it improves not only your results, but your players’ confidence too.
KINGS OF THE 1v1s The ball is played to the attacker, who moves forward for the 1v1 looking to score
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20yds
20yds 20yds
45yds
45yds 45yds
How to set it up: •
Create a 45x20 yard grid with two goals at one end and two cones at the other. • There is a coned line placed two thirds of the way towards the goals with a cone positioned on the pitch in the centre. • One defender starts at the goal end with three attackers and two defenders on the cones at the other end.
Once the attacker is past the coned area, a second defender can enter play
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Getting started: •
The defender positioned between the goals acts as the server and plays the ball to the attacking player, who progresses forward with the ball. • The defender must then try to force the player away from goal. • If the attacker reaches the coned off area a second defender can enter the fray. • The attacker cannot shoot unless he gets past the cones. • The defender cannot tackle if the attacker gets past the cones, and can only position their body to attempt to force play wide. • The attacker can score in either goal. • To progress the session, make it so that the defender cannot tackle in any part of the pitch. • Enhance the session further by adding goalkeepers as well, to instil in your attacker the need to finish accurately once he is past his man.
Why this works: Practice makes perfect, and getting your players to try out 1v1 situations will improve their confidence. By adding in limitations such as the attacker not being able to shoot until he is past the coned area, you are ensuring that the players go head-to-head. By allowing a second defender to enter play, there is also the same time element that would be present in any match situation, because if players dither they’ll be tackled from other sides. Get your players familiar with this move and you’ll witness the results in a full game situation.
pass pass
pass
player movement player movement
player movement
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Play a 2v2 in the same area with a keeper in each goal.
dribble dribble
dribble
Y THIS! NOW TR
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In each head-tohead, the winning team stays on, while the losing team is replaced by another duo. This makes for a fast-flowing and fun challenge.
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COACHING COLLECTION
a
SAID WARM-UP LIKE A PRO How to set it up: •
Create a small playing area and give your players a ball each.
Getting started: •
Get your players to jog around the area with a ball in their hands. They should complete each of these exercises three times:
KEY ELEMENTS
HANDBALL! • Control • Concentration
HANDBALL!
• Agility • Dribbling
1. Throw the ball into the air and jump to catch it. 2. Throw the ball into the air and control it with their foot, then dribble into space. 3. Throw the ball into the air and control it on the thigh, to the ground, then dribble into space. 4. Throw the ball into the air and control with the chest, to the ground, then dribble into space. 5. Throw the ball into the air and control with a turn into space, and then a dribble. 6. Roll the ball between their legs, before turning and sprinting after it. 7. Throw the ball back over their head before turning to control and dribble.
Players practise skills in a tight working area
Why this works: So much of playing football well is about getting a feel for the ball, and a player doing that at first with their hands can be just as effective as with their feet. While this move helps your team appreciate the weight of the ball, it also ensures they practise using all parts of their body, so that they are prepared for whatever comes their way in a match situation. Ensure they concentrate first and foremost on their touch, but also ensure they watch the ball all the way and apply a soft contact so that it is controlled well. This warm-up helps them to practise the art of being illusive, while it also requires good reactions and the ability to react to the opportunity of gaining a yard quickly.
SAID LIKE A PRO This week we talk to former France international and current Paris Saint-Germain star Bernard Mendy about his training ground habits… “The training in England compared to France is very different. There is a different mentality to training in France – for a start, the sessions at PSG are much longer, and it’s not unusual for us to have double sessions. However, they are less intense than in England. For instance, during training games, we have to stay on our feet, so there is no diving in. I believe this significantly reduces the chance of injury. “We also watch upcoming opposition a lot on DVDs, and will always assess our previous matches. Sometimes we’ll spend a whole day talking about the previous game and the next weekend’s opponents. Players certainly want to feel they are very prepared over here. “I’ve worked and trained with a number of big names during my career. Pauletta, the Portuguese striker - who is PSG’s leading all-time scorer - was an inspirational character. He worked hard in training and often stayed behind to practise his shooting when everyone else had gone home, including the manager! “At Hull City, I’d have to say that Jimmy Bullard was an unbelievable inspiration for
a number of reasons. For a start, he had a number of injuries but would always work so hard to get back to fitness. He was often in training before everyone else, even though, during that time of being sidelined, he was the least mobile. Obviously, he had a lot of work to do with physios, but he was also keen to get in early to set up practical jokes on the rest of the squad! “Speaking personally, I was without a club for a few months after leaving Hull, and that was difficult. I felt like a teenager again needing to impress the watching coaches, and I’m thankful to my old club Caen for letting me train with them. But as soon as I went back to PSG I knew that I had to work so much harder than ever before. I don’t want to be without a club again so it’s important not to slip into bad or lazy ways at any time – a good player will soon recognise the fact that he’s only cheating himself in the end by not putting the required effort in.”
FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHIES...
SAY WHAT?
Majestically mad football quotes from the game’s biggest names... “Whatever happens, there are always things you could have done better. You score two goals and you usually feel you could have scored a third. That’s perfectionism. That’s what makes you progress in life.” Former Manchester United and France striker Eric Cantona “In Latin America the border between soccer and politics is vague. There is a long list of governments that have fallen or been overthrown after the defeat of the national team.” Ajax and Uruguay striker Luis Suarez “Football is simple but the hardest thing to do is playing simple football.” Dutch playmaker Johan Cruyff “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” Brazil legend Pele “If you are first you are first. If you are second, you are nothing.” Former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly
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COACHING COLLECTION DAVID CLARKE’S TOUCHLINE TALES
This is a great game for angles of defence and changing roles in attack.
TOO FAST, TOO FURIOUS? I have always been against the idea of indoor training sessions because the pace of the courts does not accurately replicate that of standard English pitches. Some artificial surfaces can be very fast, while others are excessively bouncy. However, with the terrible snow and blizzard-like conditions last season, I booked one of my teams an indoor court for an hour a week. And I have to say, from the first session, my fears were realised, with players finding controlling the ball a lot more difficult on the courts compared to the grass pitches. And there were also difficulties in players being able to judge the speed of passes being made. However, something interesting happened after a few weeks. The indoor sessions actually began to pay dividends in reverse, in that when back on grass, my players found it easier to control passes on what was, in comparison, a slower surface.
I know the parents of my players love the indoor sessions too – their boys are warm, dry and mud-free, so I have their 100 per cent backing for once. So this winter we’re playing indoors again. My favourite indoor passing/control game at the moment is to split the squad into two teams of equal size. Set up a square 20x20 yards and in the middle of the square place six cones, 2 yards apart in a zigzag formation, with a player on each cone.
“The moral? Explore all options.” Playing 6v6, one team is working while the other team has to run around the outside of the square, one-by-one. It is the length of time that it takes them to get all their players around the outside of the pitch that the working team has to score points.
Points are scored by the team passing to each player in the zigzag formation each time it gets from one end to the other. However, players only have two touches and any mistake means the ball must go back to the end it came from and the point lost. It doubles as control, fitness and playing under pressure. Great fun, obviously, but more importantly, the type of speedy technical move that, if playing outside, it would be impossible to lay on until at least February when the pitches had calmed down somewhat. The moral? Explore all options.
SCW SURGERY THIS WEEK’S COACH: JAN OLSSON GROUP: 12 TO 15-YEAR-OLDS Jan coaches two development sides in Lillestrom, Norway...
Q
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Q
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Our team has recently stepped up to playing 11-a-side games but is having problems transferring over their form. Why this is? Tim Cain, Dartmouth.
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My side is technically good, but just not physical enough, and is easily intimidated. How can I overcome this? Rupert Thomas, Stoke-on-Trent. Some players are naturally meant to be rough, tough or physical, whilst others pride themselves on a different type of game. Ultimately, a little bit of everything from each pot goes into winning matches. Your players will need to possess some kind of fighting spirit to overcome different types of opponents, and it’s the coach’s job to instil that. And it’s not just about physical strength, but mental strength too. If any of your players ‘make it’, they’ll be playing in intimidating atmospheres week-in, week-out. Character and determination is everything. Instil some pride by constantly reminding your team how good they are. Point out good results or strong performances, and let their own confidence build. Of course, you should still be tactical, but it’s mental strength that ultimately wins matches, not physical power. Work on this aspect, and your team will eventually find their fighting spirit.
There are arguments that we should keep our kids playing 7-a-side for longer as it creates a better understanding of the intricacies of technical football which, in the long run, is far more important than learning how to play the offside trap, for example.
It’s understandable that some players don’t adjust to the 11-a-side game straight away, as there is more space and bigger goals to protect. But they will, in time, learn the mechanics of the full-size game. Explain to them that they have to ‘read’ football a lot more, and describe how they should be reactive rather than proactive with a greater number of opponents potentially closing them down. As with anything in the game, experience is the best learning tool, so accept that your side hasn’t become a lesser team overnight, and allow your players time to learn for themselves.
Some of my players are being bullied over Facebook by other players in our league. What am I supposed to do as it is out of my control? Moussa Dali, Birmingham Unfortunately, now that most children have access to such social networking sites, things like cyber-bullying can go on without anyone knowing. Although I don’t have a massive amount of knowledge regarding the internet, bullying is bullying and should be taken seriously. Simply, you should talk to the managers of the other teams in your league and enforce a code of conduct online between all players. Maybe consider talking to league officials as well. Sure, there will still be rivalries, and that is healthy, but a line must be drawn at some point. What happens on the pitch is the most important thing, but your players must be in the right frame of mind off it, so stamp this out as soon as you can.
Got a question for SCW Surgery? Email it in to us at james.evans@coach-soccer.com
Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, GU5 0AB, UK. Email: james.evans@coach-soccer.com Tel: +44 (0)1483 892894 Fax: +44 (0)1483 894148 Editor: James Evans Publisher: Kevin Barrow Managing Director: Andrew Griffiths Customer Service: Duncan Heard Contributors: David Clarke, Paul Dargan, Chris Galea, Steve Southern © Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
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COACHING COLLECTION THE ART OF COACHING CHILDREN
HOW TO RECOGNISE THE THREE STEPS TO LEARNING... LEARNING STYLES
anything for them to look at. They may also not understand what you mean unless they have seen it in action.
There are three main accepted learning styles:
• • •
visual auditory kinaesthetic
Mix your coaching methods to help players who predominantly only respond to one or two of these styles.
SHOW ME A visual learner observes everything. He will focus on your body language rather than what you are saying. To engage him you need to use facial expressions, demonstrations and visual cues. Instead of explaining how to catch a ball, show him and emphasise the key factors. This player will switch off if you talk for too long without
“There are three main accepted learning styles: visual, auditory and kinaesthetic.”
TELL ME An auditory learner hears what you say and is sensitive to how you say it. Your tone, volume and speed of speech all impact on how he takes in information. He is easily distracted by noises as he is trying to hear every word and how you say it. He will be the player who stands at the front of the group and nods as you are talking. He will ask questions to clarify things. It may take him
longer to put what he has heard into practice and he will need to be reminded of the key factors until he has the skill mastered.
LET’S JUST DO IT A kinaesthetic learner learns by doing. He will have a short concentration span unless actively involved. Even demonstrations won’t engage him unless he is the one demonstrating. He is likely to be at the back of the group when you are talking and will probably be distracting others. Keep him active. Use him for demonstrations and get him to put into words what he is doing. Encourage him to stand at the front of the group and, if necessary, give him a ball to play with while you are speaking.
FORMATION FORUM THIS WEEK: FROM THE ARCHIVES - THE WM FORMATION
We delve once more under the surface of the tactical formations that famously make teams tick... As portrayed by: Herbert Chapman’s Arsenal side during the mid 1920s. The legacy: The Gunners manager devised a way of counteracting the change in the offside law in 1925. And it was so profitable that it was adopted by most clubs in England over the course of the following years as the formation to play.
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The most important element of the formation was in the invention of the third defender, thus making the unit much harder to pass.
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It also ensured that a side using WM against another playing with the more common 2-3-5 seemed to have an extra man in each penalty box at any given time.
BACKGROUND:
MAIN STRENGTH:
The formation comprised three full-backs, two half-backs, two inside forwards and two wingers supporting a centre forward.
The formation proved very successful for a significant time, although its effectiveness became less noticeable once a majority of sides adopted it. The main strength was in the aforementioned additional defender.
• •
It was a tweaking of the 2-3-5 – or Metodo - formation as developed by the Italian coach Vittorio Pozzo.
KEY ELEMENTS: •
The formation (so named because the layout of the players on the pitch spelt ‘WM’) involved the centre halfback being dropped deeper from the middle of the pitch to sit between the two full-backs.
• This would stop the opposing centre-forward from exploiting too much free space. •
The left and right half-backs then came inside to play as two centre half-backs.
The standard WM set-up
This solved the problems created by the recent change in the offside rule which, for a while, allowed centreforwards significant space in the final third of the pitch.
KEY WEAKNESS: In the legendary game between England and the ‘Mighty Magyars’ of Hungary at Wembley in 1953, the WM was exposed ruthlessly as the Hungarians cleverly drew the England players out of position and threw men into the empty gaps.
The midfield duo were tasked with tireless running box-to-box
player movement when attacking
player movement when attacking
player movement when attacking
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GAME ON
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SMALL-SIDED GAME
ONE BIG, TWO SMALL How to set it up: • • •
Pitch size: 30x20 yards (min) up to 40x25 yards (max). There are two teams of four outfield players. Place one normal sized goal at one end midway along the line, protected by a keeper.
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player movement player movement player movement
ball movement ball movement ball movement
shot shot shot
ONE BIG, TWO SMALL
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The white team starts with possession
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Can they pass their way to the normal-sized goal and beat the keeper?
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If the grey team win possession in an advanced position can they find space to pass the ball into one of the target goals?
At the other end place two mini goals at equal points along the line.
The rules: • • •
One team attacks the standard goal. One team attacks the two mini goals. The game is played in two halves with the teams switching ends at half-time. • The winning team is the one to have scored most goals.
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If the ball leaves play, feed a new one in immediately.
Why this game works:
SKILLS
The elements of measured approach play and spatial awareness really come to the fore with this small-sided game. Defending and attacking the big goal demands obvious requirements in terms of shape and in using team-mates effectively. But switching from or to attacking two mini goals provides a different dynamic with your players mentally alert to very different rules in terms of pressing forward and backtracking. Communication is key if the teams are to solve the puzzle.
• • • •
Attacking Defending Team shape Communication
Let us know how you get on. Soccer Coach Weekly is always keen to hear your feedback, so email in to us at
james.evans@coach-soccer.com
player movement
ball movement
shot
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