From basics to tactics

Work on core passing skills and decision making in quick succession. Make sure players continue to develop their basics and tactical awareness. An ideal session to rebuild confidence or even for pre-season.

Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 8-10
Development time: 10-15
Game time: 15-20
Warm down time: 5-8

What to think about

Standing line exercises are a common way of isolating passing core skills, in which players can concentrate on their upper body movements, especially shoulders and hands. However, players quickly become bored, so this combination exercise should keep them interested. Emphasise good technique in the standing lines but allow players to feedback their mistakes in the decision-making elements.

set-up

1. Keep the ball above the hips, pass through to the receiver.
2. Attract defenders by running with your hips facing straight up the pitch.

What you get your players to do

In a 10m square, put four players in a line 2m apart 3m from one end. They pass the ball along the line left and right (see picture 1). Then shout out a name (or letter) and that player turns and runs around two of the cones behind before re-entering the box to act as a defender. The player in possession of the ball runs to one of the corners, puts the ball on the ground and feeds one of the other two players who have run to the end of the box in front of them. They then perform a 2v1 (use touch tackling - see picture 2). Swap middle and outside players and then repeat the passing game as before, calling out a different letter or name.