Possession Based Training

Discussion in 'Youth & HS Soccer' started by ppierce34, Mar 20, 2019.

  1. ppierce34

    ppierce34 Member

    Aug 29, 2016
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Our coach focuses solely on possession based training during practice. The entire practice consists of 3v3 or 4v4 play. My question is wouldn't it be more effective for the offense if it were 4v2? It would obviously be easier to move the ball but i'd imagine you gain more confidence in trapping, first touch and passing if the offensive side was overloaded. This is for U12 girls btw.
     
  2. SpiceBoy

    SpiceBoy Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Aug 2, 2017
    I am a huge advocate of small sided game training however I would be concerned if that is 100% of the training. They are only U12 but there should be some positional training (ALL players training in ALL positions) and some variety of drills that emulate game play but focus on specific conditions. For offense heavy play you can use neutral players that are on "offense" whichever side has the ball so they will be switching sides as possession changes. i.e 3v3 with seven players one of which would be a "yellow peni" player who is on whichever side has the ball.

    Also small sided training is not just about possession but also should be about speed of play, decision making, and touch. AJAX historically produced (and then sold) some of the greatest players in the world and they relied heavily on small sided 4v4 training; but not exclusively...
     
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  3. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Wow - you at Sockers?

    ;)
     
  4. ppierce34

    ppierce34 Member

    Aug 29, 2016
    Fort Wayne, IN

    That all you do too?
     
  5. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Unfortunately we did very little at the begininig of the Fall. We're now doing more to bring in a more variable style that includes more possession - which I agree with. Sometimes you need to play down the middle and times you need to open up the field. I think at u12, coaches should be focusing on both in terms of style - and providing for drills that support both.

    Seen too many games where possession style just gets trashed by a more physical attacking game - players on the possession side are just not fast enough to make that 2nd or 3rd connect.

    Bit of both and knowing when you employ either is smart soccer IMO.
     
  6. ppierce34

    ppierce34 Member

    Aug 29, 2016
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Yep those are the teams we struggle with.
     
  7. Cantona's Eyebrow

    Dirty Leeds
    Togo
    Oct 8, 2018
    I'm also a big fan of SSGs, but in answer to your question, it depends on the coaches focus for the session. Is the coach looking to work on passing, dribbling, control or possibly looking at tactical aspects of the game such as exploiting an attacking overload, playing out from the back, wing play, attacking movement, or defensive principles like PCB etc.

    What would concern me is if the coach wasn't progressing this focus / theme in a game related manner, or further progressing these coaching points during a conditioned game. During free play at the end of the session, is he coaching instances in the game where he can demonstrate the coaching points of the session or highlight positive moments in the game where the session's coaching points have played out successfully?
     
  8. ppierce34

    ppierce34 Member

    Aug 29, 2016
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Honestly I have no idea what his focus is. He basically stands there and yells at the girls or makes sarcastic comments ever time they either lose the ball or take a bad touch. Doesn't seem like fun if i were the girls but my daughter hasn't complained. Yet. Also there is no free play at the end of the session.
     
  9. Cantona's Eyebrow

    Dirty Leeds
    Togo
    Oct 8, 2018
    Are you the only parent who feels like this? Do you have a parents night or player evaluations where you could air your concerns with the coach?

    Personally, I don't have a problem (on occasion) with raising my voice when trying to get the right reaction from a child, but can't see any point in making sarcastic remarks when the kids make mistakes. No free play is also poor, should be at least getting 10 mins at the end of a session to express themselves after being asked to concentrate/focus/follow instructions for over an hour and a half.
     
  10. ppierce34

    ppierce34 Member

    Aug 29, 2016
    Fort Wayne, IN
     
  11. smontrose

    smontrose Member

    Real Madrid
    Italy
    Aug 30, 2017
    Illinois, NW Suburb
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    VolklP19, ROFL! on that first remark! Coaches just demonstrated this week to our U15's how to set up defensively and shift based on how attacking team builds out. It was actually full side on side!
    These kids might be ready by the time their 19 or 20...
     
  12. TheKraken

    TheKraken Member

    United States
    Jun 21, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    They force feed my son's team the "build out of the back" mentality. No punting and almost always rolling it out to a back. The opposing team knows where the goalie is going 9 out of 10 times. In order to accomplish it we have to have our best players in the back and central midfield. This causes a huge drop off in talent for wingers and forward play. Our possessions just die up top, because of this. When we win games, it's usually a very low scoring affair. They have learned to play defense very well though, so that's good I guess.
     
  13. Terrier1966

    Terrier1966 Member

    Nov 19, 2016
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    our youngest played on an average team that eventually went to Nationals and played in National League multiple years.

    If you asked the parents what the toughest period was they would say when we forced ourselves to play out of the back...if you asked them what took us from average to top 16 in the country they would say when we forced ourselves to play out of the back.
     
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  14. smontrose

    smontrose Member

    Real Madrid
    Italy
    Aug 30, 2017
    Illinois, NW Suburb
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    just looked back to see OP is asking about U12 training... I think you'll need to be patient!
    At U15 my son is finally on a squad that is solid top to bottom. To see them play out from the back this weekend and play possession ball was very exciting. As a parent, you start to see it come together and the midfield battles are epic.
    For my sons sake Im hoping the coaches start working on linking midfield to forwards!
     
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