6th session is ALSO based on teaching FOOTWORK AND AWARENESS and BODY POSITION and TECHNIQUE..

Decision making if becoming more prominent in the sessions 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.
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.
 This exercise is what the Barcelona thinking model of passing and
movement is built on.
Players start at 7 years old and use it right thru the ages; and even at
senior level it is a staple practice for the players.
Please read to understand the “attention to detail” required to do this
correctly.
Its not just a passing around the square game, it is so much more than
this.
We build it up to make it work with real pace and accuracy; as again; it
speeds up the mind and body in decision making. Unlimited touches to
begin
Area is 7 x 7 yard grid
 The Key Factor: Body position and foot (A) to (C), where (C) moves to the cone
preparation to receive with an open body stance
Run facing (D) & passes to (D)
Pass
A A
A

C C
B

E
E
C B B

D
D D

Players move to the cones to receive the pass. Moving left to right the player must position so they receive the ball
with the OUTSIDE / OPPOSITE / BACK foot. This opens their body position up to be able to either pass back or in
a different direction very easily and very quickly because they are already balanced and ready.
White players signifies their movement
 Pass and follow the pass play two Run
touches maximum, one touch control; Pass
one touch pass, then 1 touch only

A
C A
B

E
E

D B C D

It seems a very simple idea; and it is; but it is the attention to detail that is paramount in the learning process.
The Ball must be passed around the square not across it. Players adjust their position based on the ball.
They use the cones as positional points of reference.
 Pass to the right and the player must Moving the body across forces to feet to
move their body across to receive with be in the correct position and forces the
the right foot body to open up

C A A B

E E

D B C D

So pass and follow pass to the right and you receive with the right foot and pass with the left foot, pass to the left you re ceive with the left foot and pass with the right foot. You can also change direction.
EVERYTHING DONE AT PACE and with ACCURACY, with good COMMUNICATION required
 Pass and stay; the pass always to the Good footwork and body position is
central player important

C E B

Play one touch if possible take two touches if needed. Players stay in the same positions.
Rotate so each player has a turn in the middle. Player in the middle must keep changing their footwork and body
positions. 10 x 10 yard grid.
 Area: 21 x 14

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. Players can move between zones and have freedom to go anywhere.
3. Liken passing into the goal as a midfielder passing into a striker so they get the ball in
there as quickly as possible or a defender into a midfielder.
The 1st thought of the player on the ball has to be “Can I score?”
The 1st thought of the 1st defender is can I stop them scoring, win possession immediately,
and score myself.
First team to 10 goals wins, keeping the competitive element.
If the ball goes out of play the coach can provide another one to keep things going quickly.

Coaching Points Attacking:

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.
Defenders can really condense across and close down passing lanes and support each other. Here we
have pressure, supporting and covering positions from the 3 players. The width of the attacking team will
determine how tight the defending three are.
 1 2 3

5 F

E
D

A B C

With the view that the defenders have to cover each other and at the same time look after their immediate
opponent each player needs to be in a position where if the ball is transferred quickly they can adjust fast
enough to press the opponent should they get the ball. It offers more options of passes in the field of play
and starts to get the players thinking about triangular support or diamond support if the ball is with a
supporting player off the field.
 1 2 3

5 4

E
D

A B C

The ball is transferred quickly from one side to the other and the defending tea have to adjust as fast as they
can to pressure, support and cover each other. Defenders have to; at one time or another, press the ball,
support and cover, and step into passing lanes to stop the forward pass.
 1 2 3

D
4

E F
5

A B C
Here we get a give and go with (E) and (D). (4) presses too late to prevent the pass and (D) scores. Always
looking to create combination plays to isolate opponents and create overload situations.
 1 2 3

E 6

F
5

A B C

1. Allow back passes to the players in their own goal so they can support the three attacking players on the ball.
2. Allow them only one touch so they have to pass it quickly, make a quick decision and players receiving all
need to get open to help them.
3. Vary the number of touches on the ball depending on the age and level of the players and their ability to
perform. Here (E) clears the space for (F) to get free.
 1 2 3

E 6

5 F

A B C

Here we use a supporting player to increase the numbers essentially making it a 4 v 3 though in reality it is a 6 v 3
if you use all the supporting players. It offers more options of passes in the field of play and starts to get the
players thinking about triangular support or diamond support if the ball is with a supporting player off the
field. A diamond set up above.
 1 2 3

5 F
4

A B C

A diamond set up above. Using the support players buys time and slows the tempo of the game to make
movements off the ball to confuse defenders. Here as the ball travels from support player (B) to support
player (C); (E) cones short to go long and does an opposite run to lose defender (5).
 1 2 3

6
5 4

E F

A B C

Here our attacking team take up positions where they are doing the same job as the supporting team so
essentially it changes form a 6 v 3 advantage to almost a 3 v 3 situation. Make sure the attacking team
doesn't play so deep that this happens as it takes the advantage away from them.