Football Golf

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This is a great game if your struggling for ideas, want something fun, wanna spice up a training session if the players are getting bored what have you.

Fundamentals:
- Team work
- Long range accuracy (Driving)
- Short range accuracy (Putting)
- Competition
- Enjoyable

Set up:
- 4x coloured cones in a 1x1 or 2x2 grid to make up the hole
- 1x cone the same colour as the grid placed about 40-50yards + away to represent starting point

Rules:

- Simply go round all holes that have been put out, and try to complete the course in as few passes as possible.

- Either go round individually or as groups of 2/3 etc

- For it to be successful the ball must come to a complete stop in the grid before moving to next hole.

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Box Running

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BOX RUNNING
Great test/ Drill/ Exercise/ Warm up and Game.

EQUIPMENT:
- 4 cones
- Stopwatch

PURPOSE:
To work and improve of football related running patterns:
- Acceleration
- Deceleration
- Balance
- Agility
- Explosive speed
- Co-ordination

SET UP:

- 4 cones set up in a 5x5 grid progressing to 10x10 MAX

DRILL:

Players take it turns to simply run round the coned grid as fast as they can. Either Once or 2/3 times.

RULES:

(Referring to top image above) Players must maintain their focus on the goal at all times running around the grid.

For example they will set off running forwards! they will then run laterally to the next cone and once done run backwards to the third cone and finally finish by running laterally to the start.

Always looking forwards (so if the coach stays where pictured the players will never see the coach during their run)

PROGRESSIONS:

- As pictured, introduce diagonal runs again if looking at the image above shoulders always pointed square onto the coach

- Introduce a game, where by 3 players start on each cone and players score points by tagging the player ahead of them if they can reach them and tag them - tagged player waits in middle of grid (Set a time limit)

- Introduce a ball for the player to manipulate with as they navigate the grid

OUTCOMES:

- Faster, more explosive players. Ideal for players who want to emulate the stars such as Leo Messi, Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero.

COACHING POINTS:

- keep the grid no bigger than 10x10

- This is about acceleration and deceleration NOT SPRINTS:

(Centre of gravity low to the ground 'No player should be fully up right sprinting')

- 110% effort

TRAINING PLANS:

Reps - 1 lap - progress to 3-5 (3x times a week)

Sets - 3/5

Rest - 60 seconds 

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Defending as a back 4 (communicating)

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This is a good drill or explanation of how a back 4 works and communicates.

STAGE ONE:

So to begin if an attack was happening down the left wing the back 4 would shift over to the left side or (their right side) 

Process....

RB - Presses the attacker 

CB - Moves over and sits slightly in behind RB covering the RB position

CB - Moves over to cover the gap from the previous CB

LB - Moves over to basically become a CB

STAGE TWO:

So the defence know who is doing what! the following words are used:

- PRESSING

- COVERING

- SUPPORTING

- BALANCE

PRESSING - This defender is applying pressure to the attacker, and at the same time dropping,delaying and not diving in. His job is to cut off the attackers run and slow him down enough for his team mates to get into a defensive position.

COVERING - This defenders job is to cover the position of the player who is pressing, so for example the RB in the picture has left the back 4 to apply pressure, tho if all the other defenders stayed in their starting positions and the attacker got pass the RB either with a trick or the RB dived in and got his timing wrong, the attacker could have the left wing OPEN to run into.

So the defender who is COVERING adjusts his position to cover the RB's exposed area in defence.

SUPPORTING - This defender shuffles across to support the defence and like the covering defender, helps support the back line by covering the CB next to him who has left his position.

BALANCE - The last link of the chain, this defender BALANCES the back line out, moving across to take the previous CB's position.

STAGE THREE:

Again if the ball were to be switched to where there is a gap in the defence (in the left backs position referring to the previous image)
The defence simply react and be on their toes shifting across the field and follow the same plan...

LB - Presses
CB - Covers LB position
CB - Supports CB
RB - Moves across to balance out the back line

SUMMARY - With this plan running seamlessly the attacker has two options, go INSIDE where he will be confronted by 3 defenders (CB, CB, RB) which is highly risky.
OR to go outside and attack the LB however if he manages to nick it past the LB the CB should be within striking distance to either intercept the ball, tackle, kick it out or to hold him up long enough for the LB to get back into position.
So simply put, wherever the threat is, the back 4 simply move across sacrificing the defender closest to the ball to apply pressure, where the rest simply move across to cover his position, maintain a defensive line and be in a position to defend.

STAGE FOUR:

However if the attack were to come down the middle, then in theory the midfield should of dropped in to kill the threat. BUT for the purpose of this, the first defender would press, and the rest follow suit. Tho this time NO ONE would balance the back line. As both the RB and LB would support the CB's in this venerable position.

To work this drill into a training exercise the following drill would be a good one to use....

Using your back 4 and four coloured cones placed out either in a full size representation or in a smaller grid to work on timings and positioning at first whichever is easiest.

Coach calls out a coloured cone, and defenders respond.

Introduce defenders to shout out their key words, so the coach knows what there doing but more importantly THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR DOING.

Variations/Progressions:

- Start with the easier options (flanks so the blue cone and orange cone)
- Call out middle cones
- Add an Attacker
- Add two attackers and switch play every so often
- Play full size or reduce the size of the drill area

Coaching Points:

- Defenders on their toes and not flat footed
- Defenders pressing are on the half turn and not square on
- Defenders don't dive in, but drop, and delay and commit as a last resort but try to read and force the play and intercept
- Defenders to always be talking and communicating among each other of their positions and actions

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Play Like Barcelona Circuit Drill.....

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This is a great drill for either a warm up, circuit training with the ball or a stand alone training session with progressions and variations.

The drill can be set up for 8 players using one side of a half or set up for 14 players using both sides.

The aim... to pass in triangles without losing the ball from one grid to the next and eventually finishing with an attack on goal.

Process:

3x attackers (RED)

4x defenders (BLUE)

1x goalkeeper (GREEN)

3x Grids (10x10 depending on age and ability)

1x Grid centrally

The red attackers enter (Grid 1) and perform x-amount of passes (say 5) when number is reached, the defender on the sidelines enters and attempts to:

1 - Win the ball - full pressure (depending on ability level)

2 - Shadow defending - 50/50 pressure (depending on ability level)

3 - Jocking

Once the defender is in the grid, a 3v1 occurs. The reds now have a new target (x- amount of passes) with a defender. Say the aim is 10 successful passes without defender winning the ball back, once reached the defender goes dead and the red attackers move to (Grid 2) and the same continues and then same again with Grid 3, till they get to Grid 4 where if successful continue through on goal.

Variations/Progressions:

- Defenders start in Grids

- No free passing to start, Defenders are live from start

- Attackers must use a wall pass with MIDDLE grid when moving into next grid

- Two teams, either side of pitch - race through grids successfully with winner first attacking goal

- No (x - amount of passes) attackers decide when they can attack next grid

Coaching Points:

Attackers:

- Always on toes

- First touch must be good

- ALWAYS form a triangle around defender giving team mate with ball TWO OPTIONS

- Pass and move into space for an option to receive

- Aim for minimal touches

Defenders:

- Anticipate passes

- Cut off angles

- Full of energy

Potential Outcomes:

Playing in 'triangles' in a game is simple yet hard to master, as if one player doesn't commit, the triangle doesn't get completed and a pass can easily be scripted and intercepted. 

At first defenders will hate this drill with a passion, if working in 10 x 10 grids, with good movement attackers can easily knock up to 40 - 50 passes off without the defender getting the ball.

The longer the defender can't get the ball, the harder it becomes as there energy levels dramatically drop, and thus overall it becomes EVEN HARDER as the attackers then get more time with the ball to move and pass.

Attackers will soon realise how much easier it is keeping the ball. And moving round the pitch forming Triangles and keeping the ball will hopefully easily transfer from the training pitch to the match pitch.

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Wing backs and wall passes..

The set up with a goal-kick .....

1 - Here the right wing back drops back to call for the pass from the keeper, which drags the oppositions left midfielder/winger with him, however hopefully the right wing back should of stolen a yard or two with this surprise run back....

2 - As this is happening the DM should see this as a trigger to react and shift across as pictured....

 The right wing back is now in possession, and should aim to turn either with a pivot turn or let the ball run across his body and open up.... Now if the opposition is pressing him, he must carry the ball forward however if he is under pressure, the FIRST wall pass is executed with the DM as shown, as soon as the ball is played the wing back needs to be pedal to the metal in over lapping the opposition as pictured. As in theory again the the opposition midfielder shouldn't be able to compete as he has to stop his running (from pressing) turn - then accelerate to catch up.... Whereas the right wing back just needs to accelerate.

Here the first WALL PASS is completed taking out the oppositions left midfielder, now with a clever run, slightly inwards from the wingback and a slight feint from the CM inwards. The oppositions CM should see it upon himself to abandon the middle to defend the threat being produced....
However this is the trigger to FREE up our CM.

- The second wall pass is now being set up... The Right winger again drops back to help taking with him the oppositions left back who will be marking him (as shown)
The right wing back passes to his team mate (RW) and again... pedal to the metal over laps and takes his place as a RW.

- The second wall pass is then executed between the RW and CM, but this time with the RW having dropped back and with it dragging their LB with him, Our Wing back now should be in the perfect place to receive a well timed through ball from our CM (as shown)

In short with a attacking wing back whose willing to get forward, and with as little as 5 passes! we can transition from having a goal kick to be in on goal or at least running through in on goal.

Alport Under 18's v Wem Analysis....

So here we go... when we had the ball in the defensive third... we had it easy with a 4v2 in our favour..

When we played into the middle third as the picture showed they never really pushed their wingers up... so therefore when we normally dominated in the middle we were always outnumbered 4 v 3.

And as we playing 4/3/3 is new to most of us, one of its weakness is it can become a very narrow formation... as shown below.
And if our wingbacks don't push up when the ball leaves the defensive third, we can become over ran which we were... As there were a number of times when we were attacking the goal mouth, me and Ben would turn and see we had 4 defenders on the half way line marking 2 players ??? :S again this is something we've not coached yet BUT its a natural thing to do BUT not anymore! :) as lets face it.... your not involved your job is to defend.... and as theres no one to defend, you need to push up and attack

 NOW compare it to the picture below with our wing backs pushing up (again we've not coached you this yet) but you can see how important and beneficial this is... As now Wem's wingers are marking our wing backs who WILL be playing wide, and thus leaves us with 3 v 2 in the middle WHICH as we did against drayton and vets proved... when we pass it about we dominate the middle!

 Now when we played it to george we did it two ways...
1 - we thumped it up to him, which always resulted in it coming right back, why ?? well look at the picture. They have 4 players we have 3, george always had BOTH CB's marking him!
2 - We played it to him on the floor from the middle third... this WORKED as George's movement allowed him to gain a yard to receive the ball, and either turn and get his head up orrrrr pass it back and keep possession

HOWEVER when george received the ball and turned, we usually ended up being outnumbered and losing the ball.... WHY? again they had 4 players we had 3!
SO again with our wing backs (think Daniel Alves) if lecca and i think jack? tucked in, and our wing backs pushed on and stayed wide, dragging Wem's fullbacks wide to mark them.
Suddenly we have a 3 v 2 in the middle. SO with a through ball, quick passing, movement and were attacking or through on their goal!
Or if there full backs don't mark our wing backs, we have an out ball to pass too, when we could then either attack and whip crosses in, or run inside....

4-3-3 formation playing a 4-4-2 through the Thirds

When we have possession and the ball is in the defensive third, this would be a rough picture of what would happen....

DEFENSIVE THIRD

We would OUTNUMBER the opposition 4 v 2

- however if we encourage the keeper to play as a sweeper keeper, this becomes a 5 v 2.

POSSIBLE SCENARIOS: 

- The opposition just have their strikers up..... 4 v 2 to us (5v2 with sweeper/keeper)

- The opposition push their wingers up who mark our wing backs 4 v 4 or (5 v 4 with our S/K)

- The opposition push their wingers up who mark our wing backs BUT this time are spare man in midfield which usually will be a DM will drop back creating a (5 v 4) or with keeper (6 v 4)

(not pictured) .... the CBs would normally split to around corners of 18YARD box to stretch the oppositions strikers which would leave SPACE for OUR DM to run into and receive the ball.

- NOTE the opposition should NEVER push their CMs that far forward as in theory they should be pinned back MARKING our two CMs

SUMMARY:

- If played correctly and players are comfortable with the ball, when playing this type of system the ball should NEVER be lost in the DEFENSIVE THIRD.

- The ball would remain in possession and can then be either carried/played into the next third comfortably. Or if you will, play keep ball and wear out the the oppositions legs by simply passing it about.

MIDDLE THIRD

So we now have progressed into the middle third with the ball. From here our wingers (RW + LW) would push up into the final third HOPEFULLY in theory dragging the oppositions full backs with them as pictured below (by the wingers DOING THIS it should take the oppositions full backs with them, to create more room for us in the middle) ....

Now the picture shows an example that the DM received the ball from the defensive third and progressed into the middle third via dribbling.

Which has triggered the wingers to now attack (push HIGH AND WIDE) 

- as we are now attacking we must follow attacking principles of creating (width, length and depth)

So as it stands IF the oppositions wingers had pushed up to mark our wing backs there would now be an overload of a simple ( 3 v 2 ) in OUR FAVOUR.

However if the oppositions wingers DID NOT push up this would cause a overload for the opposition of a ( 5 v 3) BUT as we are attacking! and were using wing backs. (Wing-back - WINGERS)

They should be on their toes and be attacking 'wide' CAUSING WIDTH and be in the middle third. Thus giving us an overload of ( 5 v 4 ) 

SUMMARY:

Again like the defensive third. If done correctly playing this type of system should cause and create an overload in OUR FAVOUR so with players good on the ball and at their feet. Keeping possession with passing and moving and communication. Progressing into the final third shouldn't be a problem.

ATTACKING THIRD

Now we progress to the final third. Where our two CM's would push on up, and with our DM sitting just outside the attacking third, plays a kinda screening role. ie when play is getting hectic or the ball is lost, his job is to win it back and keep the opposition pinned back or to relieve the pressure by receiving the ball and switching it to the other flank.

Again with movement, and a well drilled side, our CM's can split and stretch the oppositions midfield dragging both their CM's with them which leaves a hole for the DM to potentially run into and exploit.

Now we move onto wing backs, with the 4/3/3 the CF will normally always have two CB's marking him, and thus playing it long upto him is rarely gonna be profitable and playing through the thirds is the best way to use the attacking points of the 4/3/3. When the ball reaches the attacking third, the wingers (RW + LW) can push in, and create a overload of ( 3 attackers to 2 CB's in the middle) however as this is happening, the wing backs need to push up (as shown) and create WIDTH to either produce an overlap, be an outfield ball, or to drag out the oppositions full backs and make space for movement in the middle ie, runs, blind side runs, through balls, shots etc.