Welcome to the Soccer Awareness Coaches Corner. Browse through soccer drills, small sided games, tactical thoughts, full sessions and a variety of resources. Posts marked “Training Center Exclusive” are for members only.
Awareness Numbers Game Working in Three Zones
Here players pass and move into other zones to receive the next ball that is coming. This ensures players get the idea of passing and MOVING off the ball, not passing and then standing.
Conditioning the players to pass and move by setting the rule they need to move into another area once they have passed.
Divide the field up into sixth’s and then have the players make a pass in one area then they must move to another area to receive the next pass. This can cause players to pass long or pass short and vary the range and distance of the passes and the support as they are required to move once they have made their pass.
Here we are using three teams of four players.
Here players pass and move into other zones to receive the next ball that is coming. This ensures players get the idea of passing and MOVING off the ball, not passing and then standing.
Can say players must pass to space so they pass into another zone next to the one the player they are passing to in order to force them to move to the ball
Non-Competitive Awareness Numbers Game: Passing in Sequence
This is a great game for forcing players to observe what is ahead of the ball in terms of knowing what they need to do with the ball “before” they receive it. Players (1) and (2) work together and players (3) and (4) work together.
Players must pass in sequence i.e. 1 passes to 2; 2 passes to 3; 3 to 4 and 4 passes to 1 and we begin again. You can have players static to begin then have them passing and moving. Player receives from the same person and passes to the same person each time. This develops great awareness of time, space and player positions. This is continuous work on and off the ball.
Awareness of: where the player you receive from is and where the player you pass to is. Because of this players begin to anticipate the pass to them and where it is coming from. Also they must look to where it is going to (where is the player they are passing to?).
We are trying to create a situation where players are looking two moves ahead not just one. For instance as (1) is about to pass to (2), (3) should be looking to support (2) for the next pass already, looking two moves ahead before the ball leaves (1). Peripheral Vision Development results from this.
(3) should recognize if they need to move into a space early or late based on this observation, but know in their mind already what the next best option is. Moving into the space too early in a game situation for example may result in being marked too easily. But knowing in advance “when and where” to move to is an advantage and this game helps players develop this thought process.
Ask players to make it difficult to find them by lots of movement off the ball to test their team mate’s vision.
Progression: Use two balls then three balls at the same time. Start with a ball at (1) and (4) then at (1), (4) and (6). To keep the sequence going players must move the balls quickly with few touches hence their peripheral vision development improves dramatically. As soon as they have passed one ball off the next one is arriving so quick thinking is needed to make the correct decisions. Divide the field up into third’s and ask players to make a pass in one third then they must move to another third to receive the next pass. This can cause players to pass long or pass short and vary the range and distance of the passes and the support.
Here (3) passes to (4) and moves into another zone to receive the next ball that is coming. This ensures players get the idea of passing and MOVING off the ball, not passing and then standing. (2) Does the same with a pass to (1) then moving into another zone supporting the next ball to come along.
Develop Spacing as a Team Using Goals as the Focus - Training Center Exclusive
Preview: Score a goal by passing into the free zone to a player moving into it . Player can only stay in the free zone for 3 seconds then they need to move out if they don’t receive the pass because in a real game they would be marked. To establish the theme of spreading out and playing quickly develop the idea of playing quickly by saying every one touch pass results in a goal. This FORCES the players to think much more quickly to try to make a successful ONE TOUCH pass to score a goal; this CONDITION forces / encourages players to play ONE TOUCH, but at the same time they need to make sure they do it at the right time and not for the sake of.
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Set the condition you score a goal by “arriving” in a free zone as the ball arrives. This FORCES / CONDITIONS the players to spread out and move OFF AND AWAY from the ball. Defenders cannot enter the FREE Zone. (3) scores a goal and (2) moves off the ball to receive the next pass to score another goal.
Scoring a goal
(10) Moves to the free zone and receives a pass, defenders cant enter the free zone. Players can only stay in the free zone for 2 seconds then the ball and themselves have to move.
Creating many options
This would be a perfect scenario and unlikely but…… Players move OFF the ball to the free areas and at the same time the condition dictates the theme which is to spread out, this offers up as many options as possible for the player on the ball.
Teaching players to spread out using goals to condition their minds and their movements
Score a goal by passing into the free zone to a player moving into it
Player can only stay in the free zone for 3 seconds then they need to move out if they don’t receive the pass because in a real game they would be marked.
In a real game they move out of the free zone to take a defender away for another player to drop in and get free
Start off playing free and unlimited touches
Reduce this to three touch then two touches.
To establish the theme of spreading out and playing quickly develop the idea of playing quickly by saying every one touch pass results in a goal.
This FORCES the players to think much more quickly to try to make a successful ONE TOUCH pass to score a goal; this CONDITION forces / encourages players to play ONE TOUCH, but at the same time they need to make sure they do it at the right time and not for the sake of
Teaching players to spread out
5 v 5 plus two neutral players and 5 free areas to play to. The idea is for players needing to move to the free areas CONDITIONS the THEME of spreading out.
(10) Moves to the free zone and receives a pass, defenders can’t enter the free zone
Players move OFF the ball to the free areas and at the same time the condition dictates the theme which is to spread out, this offers up as many options as possible for the player on the ball.
The "Awareness" Numbers Game
Game Objective: Teaching Players to be Aware of their Next Option “Before” They Receive the Ball and Not After
You can have players static to begin then have them passing and moving. Player receives from the same person and passes to the same person each time. This develops great awareness of time, space and player positions. Continuous work on and off the ball. Awareness of : where the player you receive from is and where the player you pass to is. Because of this players begin to anticipate the pass to them and where it is coming from. Also they must look to where it is going to (where is the player they are passing to?).
Game Objective: Teaching Players to be Aware of their Next Option “Before” They Receive the Ball and Not After
You can have players static to begin then have them passing and moving. Player receives from the same person and passes to the same person each time. This develops great awareness of time, space and player positions. Continuous work on and off the ball. Awareness of : where the player you receive from is and where the player you pass to is. Because of this players begin to anticipate the pass to them and where it is coming from. Also they must look to where it is going to (where is the player they are passing to?).
Coaching Points:
- Creating Space
- Quality Passing
- Support positioning; early movement off the ball
- Players look before they receive to see own players positions, opponents players positions and space.
- Players are looking two moves ahead not just one.For instance as (1) is about to pass to (2), (3) should be looking to support (2) for the next pass already, looking two moves ahead before the ball leaves (1). Peripheral Vision Development results from this.
Spacial Awareness Training Using Poles
These videos show players how to position in open spaces. We use poles positioned closely to each other to represent opponents and the team in possession must position between them in the best spaces possible.
Preview: These videos show players how to position in open spaces. We use poles positioned closely to each other to represent opponents and the team in possession must position between them in the best spaces possible.
We also have opponents we are playing against to position in between also to test players understanding of positioning off the ball.
Can start this without opposition, in other words, 2 or 3 teams each with a ball passing and moving using the poles only.
Then make it competitive.
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We want to stay with our own game plan as closely as possible; based on what we practice and to keep it simple for us; as we dictate to our opponents; and we impose OUR WAY on them.
But there will be many occasions where we must change the system of play and we may have to adjust to suit the opponents.
Here are some ideas for you to consider for your team starting with the 13313 and 14231 systems of play.