Well, this is my first year coaching and I have a U-14 team. Most of our players are U-12 but there weren't enough players so they got moved up to U-14. The rest of the players are the not as skilled/heavier U-14 players. The first game we lost 3-0 and you could tell that it was the first time some players played 11 v 11. They were bunching up and we got one shot on goal, the rest of the time the ball was on our side of the field and the sweeper and goalkeeper played very well or else it would have been worse. The second game we lost 4-1 but played much better. We scored first, then gave up 2 goals in 5 minutes. The game was 2-1 most of the way through but then we gave up 2 late goals. The third game we began bunching up again but the team wasn't as good as the other two teams and we were down 1-0 until we gave up 2 goals with 2 minutes left. I was wondering what drills you would recommend for teaching players to use the wings and spread out more? I did a scrimmage using two small nets for each team to shoot on (no goalkeepers) w/ one the left of the goalie box and the other on the right so that they would start thinking about using the other side of the field if there were too many defenders near them. I also was wondering which formation to use. I have been using a 5-3-2. You would obviously have to know the players to suggest a formation, so here are some characteristics Player 1: Goalkeeper, Very solid goalkeeper that has been keeping the score respectable Player 2: Sweeper. Fast, tall, a little uncoordinated but has a motor and big kick, doesnt stop running Player 3: Rightie, avg. speed, one of the better defenders, used as RB Player 4: A little on the plus side in weight, not so fast, big kick, aggressive Player 5: Small and on the plus side. Most hustle and heart on the team. Never gives up but not much endurance Player 6: Leftie, aggresive, good defender Player 7: On the plus side, not so fast, timid, good kick doesnt give up Player 8: Tall, not too fast, slow playing the game, not much control, likes to play mid but doesnt get back Player 9: Same as player 8 except leftie Player 10: Fastest player on the team, can run forever, good dribbler, lazy Player 11: Great ball control, likes to play forward, very intelligent, plays forward but sometimes needs to get really far back to receive the ball Player 12: Quick, good control, hustles, likes to play forward Player 13: Quick but not fast (if that makes sense), loud mouth, sometimes comes way to far back to get the ball I've been playing like this: --------------Player 1----------- --------------Player 2----------- --Player 3--------------Player 6-- --------Player 5----Player 4------ --Player 12--Player 10--Player 7--- -------Player 11-----Player 13---- My main problem is that Player 10-13 want to play forward and it seems that they start off fine when they play mid but as the game progresses they end up all playing forward and not getting back to help the defense. The same happens with Players 7 and 8, but mainly because they get fatigued. Thanks for any help, tips etc, and sorry for the long rambling
You can put restrictions on the team forcing them to go wide in the attacking third. For example put 4 "gates" (a pair of cones) on the field each about ten yards from the midfield line and about 5 yards in from the touchlines. Require that the attacking team play the ball through one of the pair of gates in its attacking half before they can shoot on goal. If you only have two subs fatigue is going to be a problem. I recommend that you rotate the players through different positions during the game. This will aid player development and spread some of the work load around.
Your players probably need to learn how to change direction, both as individuals (dribbling out of trouble) and as a team. I've found that the latter will follow naturally to the former. Therefore, a lot of 1 v 1 and 2 v 2 with buckets/gates/goals facing the same way about 15 yards apart, will encourage that. I usually ended those practices with a small-sided scrimmage (4 v 4) with each team defending two goals (placed in the corners of the field. Have fun and good luck!
Spend a little time learning things like the takerover. Where the dribbler has the option to lay the ball off to a player comming to him. That player moving towards him has to pass him and not just stay there. The dribbler can lay the ball off to that player or hold the ball and move where that player came from. It is easy to learn and they will bunch up a lot less and they will look good doing it. It is also a good way to reverse their field and play away from pressure in a small space.
One game that I really like using for this is the four goal game. Make a field that is wider than it is long, I'd say a little less than a 2:1 ratio, and have a small goal in each corner (big enough that players have to put pressure on attacking players). Each team has 2 goals to attack. At first they tend to just attack whichever goal they are closest to, but if you freeze everything a couple of times and point out that they are attacking a goal with 4 defenders rather than a goal with 1 defender they'll eventually begin to figure it out. I've used this with my U11's (4v4 +1, 5v5)and it's gotten them to stop playing "4th and goal soccer" (everyone packed in tight and try to jam the ball through the middle of the defense). Now they tend to make decisions when they get the ball to their feet. My 14's have figured out how to play a ball back to a defender who can switch the field. If it is too difficult for them at first maybe give them a neutral player or two and point out to them that they should always be attacking up numbers. Also if you're playing with 5 defenders I hope that you're constantly encouraging them to push forward. With 3 midfielders you're either giving up the widespace or you've got one player in the center of the midfield. I would definitely encourage either your outside backs (I'm envisioning your 5 as a flat 4 in front of a sweeper) to make overlapping runs and/or encouraging the two center backs to push forward and attack like midfielders. The 5-3-2 that I played for a year and a half in high school was like that where it could have been called a 3-5-2 depending on whether you wanted to call two players defensive midfielders or stoppers.