Organization:

Players in pairs

1 ball per pair

Instructions:

Players work as a team.

Player A serves under arm, player B has specific instructions to play ball back to partner, who must catch, without bouncing, to score a point.

Switch servers after 1 minute.

Progressions:

1) Four touches, any surface. Pass back must be on fourth touch.

2) Four touches, any surface. pass back must be on the fourth touch, with the head.

3) Four touches, any surface. Pass back must be on the fourth touch on the half volley.

4) Four touches, any surface. Pass back must be on the fourth touch, and partner must catch ball on the dive (GK style) for the point to count.

Organization:

Players work in groups of four or five.

Area 8 yards wide by 24 yards long.

One ball per group.

Instructions:

A starts with ball.

C checks away from B, who provides passive pressure.

D moves in opposite direction to C.

C touches inside B, and plays to D, who dribbles to start point.

Repeat.

Coaching Points:

First movement is away from the space to create distance between passive defender.

Checking at an angle, opening body, looking over shoulder to check for pressure.

Receiving on far foot, and playing pass with opposite foot to increase speed of play.

Interaction of three attackers, so target player moves in opposite direction to 2nd attacker, to create passing lanes.

Eye contact, verbal communication, and weight and direction of pass.

Organization and rotation as before

Instructions:

Defender now also provides passive pressure on 3rd attacker (target player).

If attackers break through blue line, they are safe, and defender cannot recover.

Coaching Points (Target player):

Reading pressure from defender, and determining whether to lure defender in with multiple touches, or play pass first time to penetrate lines of defense.

Playing pass to support players far foot to allow them the option to drive forward if necessary.

Use of outside of foot for disguise, and to speed up combination.

Use of support player as decoy, and recognizing when lane is open to drive through without them.

Coaching Points (Support Player):

Supporting the target player at an angle to offer support, whilst keeping lane open for target player to dribble through.

Distance of support as determined by pressure. High pressure = support close, low pressure = drop off and maximize distance.

Open body shape to receive on far foot, and read pressure in behind.

Weight and direction of return pass to keep target player's momentum into space.

Organization and Rotation as before:

Instructions:

When attackers break blue line, 2nd defender comes out to pressure.

2nd defender must stay on start line until blue line is broken, and can only win ball in second zone (beyond green line).

When green line is broken, attackers are safe, and defenders cannot recover.

Coaching Points:

Driving at 2nd defender, and recognizing when they are unbalanced.

Dribbling at defender using the foot closest to the support player, to enable use of deceptive moves, using support player as decoy.

Recognition of space behind second defender

Progressions:

Defenders can retreat beyond their restraining line to provide full pressure throughout entire grid.

Organization:

4 v 4 with 4 neutrals on outside, restrained to channels

Instructions:

Teams score by dribbling ball past end line.

Conceding team go to targets, targets come in and start from own end line.

Target players CAN score by entering field upon receipt of ball, and dribbling past end line.

Coaching Points:

Use of support players on outside to create numbers up situations.

Committing defenders to ball, either by delay (drawing defender in), or driving at them.

Progressions:

Neutral players CANNOT score, forcing the give and gos to occur within the 4 v 4 game, and not through numbers up situations.

Organization:

4 v 4 Free play 

Instructions:

Games last 3 minutes, or first team to 2.

Winning team stays on.

Team entering start play from their own goal.