5th session is ALSO based on teaching FOOTWORK AND AWARENESS and BODY POSITION and TECHNIQUE.

Decision making is developing more now in terms of the Skill factor

Important we establish the need to teach awareness from the first session however simple it is initially.
On each of these developments once the player has passed the ball that player MUST look to the right, to the left,
behind them and then to the ball coming back to them, so they are beginning to develop their PERIPHERAL VISION.

This HAS to become a GREAT HABIT they do every second of every game; CONSTANTLY and CONSISTENTLY.
Potentially this thinking part of the game, this incredibly “simple” LOOK; is THE most important advance they need
to add to their game.
Developing the LOOK and THINK of Soccer Awareness.
Introducing Transition play and switching the point of attack and Basic tactical developing in a
small sided game environment.
 Stations: Pass and Move and Change of Direction
Area: 30 x 30
Coaching Points:
1.Playing give and goes with different players each time
2.Angled support position to improve Peripheral vision
3.Good communication
4.Change of pace to get to a new player then relax and find a new
outside player to pass to
5.Quality of the pass in and the next pass
6.Finding a free outside player quickly means identifying a free player
BEFORE you get the ball then perhaps the player can make a one touch
pass for speed of transition and direction change
7.Other players in the circle act as defenders who “get in the way” so the
player receiving the ball must observe the other players positions in
advance of the ball also
8.The goal for everyone is to encourage players to pass and move but
also to develop their awareness and peripheral vision by playing one
touch if possible and if one touch is on to do so. Otherwise 2 touches
maximum
 Stations: Pass and Move and Change of Direction
8 players and 4
balls 3 11
A
C
8 9
E

B H D

6 F 10
G

7
2

Now passing and moving with the ball changing places. Challenge players to play one or to
touches therefore fast decisions on who is free on the outside is needed
 Stations: Pass and Move and Change of Direction
Area: 30 x 30
Coaching Points:
1.Routine: Receiver inside moves to space to receive the ball from the
outside player
2.Receiver inside assesses next options BEFORE receiving the pass
3.Receiver has made the decision and passes the ball to another player
on the outside
4.Outside receiver observing the pass to him or her is already looking to
see who is supporting them BEFORE they receive the ball from the
inside passer
5.Example in the next diagram: (G) passes to (6) one touch, and (H) is
already supporting (6). (6) observes (H)’s supporting position and plays
the ball One touch to (H). (H) in supporting (6) has already looked to see
who is free next BEFORE receiving the pass of (6). And so the cycle
continues.
6.Timing of the pass and arriving in the support position are vital, not too
soon, not too late.
 Stations: Pass and Move and Change of Direction
8 players and 4
balls 3 11

C
8 9
E D

F
B A

6 10
G
H

7
2

Example: (E) passes to (8) and (F) is already supporting the pass Before (8) receives it.
Players are always ANTICIPATING the next move before it happens
A very simple but effective angled passing and moving drill teaching speed of play; accuracy of
passing and angles of support.
The Secret: Each player is assessing options ahead of their involvement, not during or worse still,
after.
This is a grounding to prepare the thinking process in players in a very simple but effective way.
The real test is when they get to ONE TOUCH passing and moving
Coaching Points:
1. Angle of support (Movement off the ball to receive)
2. Footwork and body position
3. Communication
4. Technique: Quality of pass
5. Decision making Skill Factor (“Look” over the shoulder to see where the support player is
behind)
6. Change of direction of play
Rotate players.
Start with unlimited touches, then two touches then work it down to one touch for everyone.
Progressions: 1. Have players look TWICE as the situation may have changed after the first look.
2. Add a goal and a keeper where player (4) is to make it a finishing session.
 Working on angles of support The ball starts at player (1).
Area: 4 wide x 3 long Run
(not to scale) Pass

b
4 3 2
1
a
d

(1) Passes to (2) who passes back. (3) moves off the ball to one cone and an angle and (1) passes to (3). Now (2) must
“look over their shoulder” to see where (3) is moving to and position diagonally opposite to create a good passing
angle of support. (2) then passes to (4) and the sequence continues.
 Working on angles of support The ball starts at player (1).
Area: 4 wide x 3 long Run
(not to scale) Pass

d
c

b
4 d 2
a 1

(1) Passes to (2) who passes back. (3) moves off the ball to one cone and an angle and (1) passes to (3). Now (2) must “look over
their shoulder” to see where (3) is. Now encourage (2) to look TWICE because (3) may have had to change in the meantime
and after the first look. Example (3) moves to left but becomes marked; so goes right to get free. This can happen in an
instant so if time ALLOWS, 2 looks is better than 1.
 Working on angles of support
Area: 4 wide x 3 long
(not to scale)

4 c a 1

Here we work the ball to (4). Now the sequence continues back. So to begin (2) and (1) already perform the give and go
(previous diagram) so (1) to (3), back to (2), forward to (4) then (4) and (3) perform a 3 PASS give and go and so on
 Working on angles of support
Area: 4 wide x 3 long
(not to scale)
2

d
a
e
c
4 3 1
b f

The Secret: Each player is assessing options ahead of their involvement. Example (3) passes to (4) to get a 3 PASS
give and go, at the SAME time is observing (2)s position as (3) changes position. This means looking away from
the ball as (3) passes to (4) to see where (2) is.
 2 touches: Inside of foot control and Good footwork and body position
inside of foot pass is very important. 10 x 10 yard grid

1
A B
3

Blue players start by playing the 1 st 4 passes. After passes 1 and 2 the red players will be in the blue positions. After the 4 th pass by blues
the red players will make the next 4 passes. Both groups moving at the same time.
 2 touches: Inside of foot control and Good footwork and body position
inside of foot pass is very important

1
A B
3

Blue players start by playing the 1 st 4 passes., after passes 1 and 2 the red players will be in the blue positions. After the 4th pass by blues
the red players will make the next 4 passes. Both groups moving at the same time.
Regular Rondos are great; and this one encourages players
to rotate in and out as the ball is moved.
So always looking to change positions off the ball and every
player gets the chance to be the PIVOT player.
Eventually ALL players on attack can move and interchange,
outside to in, inside to out and outside to outside.
If defenders win the ball they try to keep it.
 A 5 v 2 with the central pivot player being the focal point

A E

B
2

C D

Defending players stay in for one minute then change with outside players. Very fast tempo playing ONE touch where they can. We must play
into the central neutral pivot player as often as possible. Do this one with no movement or rotation of players to begin.
 A 5 v 2 but players can interchange outside to inside (slide) so we have an ever
changing neutral / pivot player now.

A E

C D

Very fast tempo playing ONE touch where they can. Here (E) slides outside and (B) slides inside on the blindside of the ball and (D) makes a one touch pass to
(C) who immediately passes to (B) to then pass to (A). Players must slide in and out as often as they can to keep the momentum going.
 A 5 v 2 but players can interchange outside to outside (slide) so we have an ever
changing neutral player and now outside players too.

A E

C D

Now w e have m ovement off the ball in the 4 square as w ell as the pivot player. (C) passes to (B) the pivot player. Off the ba ll (E) has m oved to (D) and (D) to (C) so
(B) has to m ove to (E). (C) m oves to be the pivot player. So (B) is passing to (A) but needs to scan around and behind to seew here the free space is.
 A 5 v 2 but players can interchange outside to outside (slide) so we have an ever
changing neutral player and now outside players too.

A B

E
D

Now the ball is with (A) and the cycle of passing and moving, on and off the ball continues.
 A 5 v 2 but players can interchange outside to outside (slide) so we have an ever
changing neutral player and now outside players too.

A B

E
D

Can pass around the square also but challenge yourselves to work with the pivot player in the middle where defenders
are.
1. A 3 v 3 game going to 6 goals. The team who scores stays on and must quickly defend the 3 new players coming in
(one from each goal that the opposition defends).
2. Staying in their own zones means this is very much 3 x 1 v 1s in each zone so working on 1 v 1 defending and 1 v 1
attacking but trying to create combination plays in attack also.

Coaching Points Attacking: Area: 21 x 14

a) Quick Break and counter attack
b) Switching the point of attack if another goal is more open
c) Quick one and two touch passing
d) Positioning to open up passing lanes and getting between defenders to pass the ball in early
e) Creating 2 v 1 or 3 v 2 situations from a 3 v 3 set up and setting up a give and go.

Coaching Points Defending:

a) Instant pressure as possession changes (transition after scoring going from being an attacker to being a defender)
b) Regaining possession at the front with a scoring reward
c) Getting in front of the passing lanes to prevent the quick pass into the goal.
d) Working together with pressure and support, the support player supporting the first defender, stepping across and
covering the passing lane to the second goal and also keeping an eye on the 2 nd attacker as does the third defender and
covering the third attacker.

Transition Coaching Points:

Immediately the team that has been in possession of the ball and has scored then they must switch on mentally to being
defenders and high pressuring the new attacking team to try to win the ball back and score again.
 1 2 3

E F
D

A B C

1. 3 v 3 game going to 6 goals. The team who scores stays on and must quickly defend the 3 new players
coming in (one from each goal that the opposition defends).
2. Offside half way line. Instant transition with the same ball that the opponents scored with.
3. Players can use the target to play give and goes with each other or with their immediate teammates.
 1 2 3

E F
D

A B C

(5) Presses and (4) cuts off the passing lane to the middle goal. (6) gets as close to (4) to help as possible.
This is essentially 3 x 1 v 1s as player remain in their own zones.