Coach to improve team shape in attack

I have not planned anything with team tactics as a training objective. Conceptwise, I suggest that it might be easier to restate your objective for one session as a particular principle of play (I think in terms of the USSF description) like width or depth. For an associated technique, I would pick off-the-ball runs. For the team shape to have any meaning, it must be defined in relation to the ball and a goal so I would include those elements in each of the four steps. I don't know what level of player we are talking about, but if they have not been trained on off-the-ball play at all, I would train on that first before having team tactics as an objective.

 

Working on your D License?

 

I agree that you should try to pick a principle to work on. Let's say it is depth, width, mobility. I might try the following

* Technical Warm-up - players in 3's with 1 ball per group of 3. Passing and moving in triangle. Progress them through simple passing, to combination such as wall passes or third man running. Observe how well they are keeping their shape as they move about.

* Technique under Pressure - assuming you have 12 players, play keep 4 v 4 keep away or line soccer with 4 neutrals on side. At some point, you will find all players bunched into a small section of the playing area. I don't like to freeze things much, but this is always a good time to stop the game and emphasize depth and width. At some point in the game, you should find an opportunity to point out players off the ball standing around instead of providing mobility.

* Tactical Concept ? - I assume this is a conditioned game so maybe 6 v 4 w/ gk and big goal and defenders to 2 small goals. Look for 3rd man running, width and depth for reload. Or, for width you could do neutrals in channels going to 2 large goals ensuring.

* Finish with 6 v 6

Just some suggestions, take it fwiw. Keep it simple and focussed. Use the coaching points that you develop for each section to ensure you are addressing the main topic and not drifting into something else. Move things as quickly into the game as you can.

 

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Do you yell like that in practice too?

Thats a good practice...I'd only make the warm-up 3v1 because it reinforces triangles and forces at least one player to move to space.

Also, if you're like me, I'm glad to get two coaching points across to the team during any drill. I may add a third-fifth point to individual players as the opportunity allows, but I'd rather keep it extra simple..but my players are U10 so that has a lot to do with it.

Good luck!

 

I think 4 v. 2 in a 25 x 25 yard area is quite simply way too huge. Your defenders are going to hate you. And if your attackers can't keep the ball in 625 square yards you have some serious problems.

 

Unless you are planning ahead of time to recognize that the plan is not working because the field is too large.

Really, they love it when you realize that the area is wrong, the number of players is wrong, etc. But, be prepared to tell them why you changed it and give specific examples of what was not working.

While the above is cynical, the way I handled it was to have a list of what to look out for and what to change:

1) When is the field too small?
2) Too large?
3) Too wide?
4) Too narrow?

5) When does the offense have too many players?
6) When does the defense?

Given your coaching points, what indicators are you looking for to make a change?

 

If he is going for his D license, then the players are adults, not children. 25 by 25 is a very small area for six adults to play in.

 

Well I have to retract my post then. I thought that the candidates participated as players in the drills when not acting as the coach themselves. In the last post though I don't think I would explain maintaining team offensive shape as: "when someone takes your space move to thiers." It could be misinterpreted to restrict movement. It would better work for defense though. Since I haven't taken the class I have no idea what is a politically correct phrase to use.

 

For a 4 v. 2? At our C License in January they had two games of 4 v. 2 going side by side in 10 x 12 grids. Then they took out the middle line and made it 20 x 12 and played 6 v. 3.

 

(I am ranova). And what about offensive shape are you going to teach in such a small space? If you want to train on control in tight spaces, fine. 10v12 doesn't even give you enough room to make all but the shortest possible pass (on a full field a ten yard pass does almost nothing in terms of changing the direction of attack or stretching the defense), so I fail to see how that teaches anything about shape when you don't have any space to vary your shape. If the space is so small the defense cannot be pulled out of position, how can anyone learn.

I am not being rhetorical. I really don't see it. Someone please explain how this would work. As a practical matter, whenever I have taught team tactics (where I think this fits) I have done it in the context of our system of play on a half field with a full sized goal. So I am having a hard time with the concept of teaching offensive shape through small sided games in a confined space.

Edit: I appreciate your reply Th4119. Could you please explain how you would teach attacking principles related to shape in this manner? Thanks.

 

I'll grant you that the session was on group defending however my point was that such a small area is not unheard of. I'd say maximum of 15 x 15 (which gives a diagonal split pass of over 20 yards if it's on) would be the best otherwise there is far too much room for error with the first touch or poor decisions in passing. 25 x 25 offers a 35 yard splitting pass and again, 625 square yards of area which is pretty huge for two defenders to try and cover, especially at the U-12 girls level.

Even in a 10 x 10 grid there are still numerous opportunities to reverse the ball and I would rather have my kids work on making decisions in tight spaces where they have to keep the ball and as they get older progress to making the same decisions in a larger area. I'd rather my girls master the 4 v. 2 in a 10 x 10 area than be able to knock a 35 yard ball to escape all the time.

 

I thought ChrisSSBB's and Loghyr's suggestions were very good. They were pretty comprehensive.

 

Concur. I ran a practice based on their suggestions on Friday night and we passed circles around our opponent Saturday morning.

 

Good luck!

 

That's great congratulations!

 

Improve Support from front and back of the ball

Any lesson plans out there for running a training session for a U13 team on improving support from front and back of the ball.

 

HI, try this.....you can find there new technique for coaching. They have good support. Author is a coach of the kids for more than 15 years.

 

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