Groups of 4 players with one ball. Place extra balls either in the grid or nearby to keep the exercise flowing in the event of mistakes.

The Square should be approximately 15×15 yards. There should be three discs at each corner of the square (as pictured).

The Goal of this exercise is to help program movements into our players while also helping them develop proper habits to read the game and play in a creative manner.

Focus: Players should start on the furthest disc from the player they’ll be receiving the ball from.

1st Movement: When player B takes his/her first touch “prepares the ball”, player C should break off the disc “separate from the defender” and show into the space to receive a pass from B. Player D should now be prepared to separate from the defender on player C’s preparation touch. Exercise continues.

Coaching Points:

Crisp Passing
Explosive Separation from defender
Head on a swivel- Can we take a look at where we want to play next as the ball is traveling?
Clean 1st touch

This is an outstanding warm-up to help program players with a proper skill set to meet the demands of the modern game, movement off the ball, timing of runs, crisp passing, taking a look!, but for the exercise to truly be effective, the coach MUST demand that all the movements & requirements of the exercise are carried out at game speed. Coaching Demand: If you let your players get away with things that wouldn’t work in the game during training, what is the point of training?

Add Central Midfield Support Players

Now we have give and goes or 1-2s with each of the four players. Two midfield players rotate in and out and take turns in supporting the outside player. If you only have 5 players use one midfield player only.

If you like this, get much more like it in one of our new ebooks:

Developing Players with Rondos Using the Soccer Awareness Philosophy

This 222 page eBook explores the use of rondos in youth soccer. Rondos are a great way to prepare players for the game situations and especially the fast decision making needed within the game. I have included as a way to work into these game situations many Rondo ideas that I feel are great foundation builders for players learning to combine and play together. I have stayed with simplistic ideas that all levels of players can try and be successful at. It is up to each coach to work out how to make it work for their players. Get It Here

Tactical Thoughts on the Development of the New 4 v 4, 7 v 7 and 9 v 9 Game Sizes

This 407 page eBook shows how these different size games can be taught and also shows different systems of play that might be useful to you.

Run with them as you may and of course come up with your own solutions too as that is what coaching is all about. I have introduced the use of RONDOS to initially aid the development of players for the game situation. Get It Here