One Touch Finishing Drill - Training Center Exclusive
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70% of all goals are scored with one touch so it is important to practice this technique regularly. This is a continuous practice with lots of work for the keeper also.
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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.
The Arsenal Game
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This game was based on how you would structure a small sided game in the style that the present Arsenal side would play. Their play is made up of lots of quick short passing with plenty of movement off the ball. They use give and goes a lot (wall passes) which I have highlighted in the game.
Read More1-3-2-1: Patterns of Play at 7 v 7
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The following presentation is designed to simplify the potential Patterns of Play of players at 7 v 7. Eventually we will show several movements but we need to build up to these slowly and with patience. Patterns of Play are designed to be practiced to help players identify common situations in the game itself.
Read MoreSmall Sided 4 v 4 Defending Games
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One way to teach the basic tactical game of the 4 v 4 is to offer many different ideas on actual game situation that focus on certain themes. This is what the following presentations does. You cannot do better than put players into game situations to learn the game, we just take it one stage further by what we present here. We begin by teaching defending principles in a 4 v 4 game situation so several thoughts on different set ups to teach it individually and collectively as team players.
Read MoreTeaching Defending as a Team in an 11 v 11
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The best form of attacking is expert defending. As a team we need to improve on this. Therefore a big part of our game MUST be heavy pressing all over the field with ALL players tuned into the way to do it. Players on the opposite side of the field when the ball is with opponents especially should understand their roles and the need to condense the spaces.
Read MorePlaying With A Man Down (10 v 11)
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Whatever method you use it is always important to have a game plan for a 10 v 11 Game Situation as it will happen at some stage of the season. How your players react will depend on what you teach them in training; so, reproduce the most common moments that may occur on the field. These are my thoughts on the theme of 10 v 11, I have offered quite a few alternatives, I know which I like the best, you the coach decide; which way suits your players the best; and start to teach it in training.
Read MoreDefending With 10 Men When Winning 2-0 And Counter Attacking
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In this session, six outfield players plus a keeper are playing against nine outfield players. The six defending players are 2-0 up and need to maintain the lead. This is going to build up into a 10 v 11 game situation eventually.
Read MoreAttacking Team Shape And Off The Ball Movement For 9 v 9
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Use this session to work on team shape, movement in wide areas, use of one word commands and more in a 9 v 9 set-up playing a 3-1-3-1 system.
Read MoreBack Four Defending and Attacking Team Shapes
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In the practices illustrated here both back fours operate on defensive and attacking aspects of their game in the same practice. The coach may choose to work with one of the back fours specifically or may work with both back fours in the same practice.
Read MoreDeveloping Play with a Defending Back Four
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The session is designed to show how to work on team shape building up from a back four only. Side cones are 25 to 30 yards apart as are the defenders and the coach. The coach moves with the ball and the defenders mirror the movement maintaining the distances between them.
Read MoreLong Distance Shooting Drill
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Work on shooting and receiving with this long distance shooting drill from the Soccer Awareness Training Center.
Read MoreCentral Goal Game
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The game encourages playing from the back as the keeper can’t kick it long over the goals. Because of the unusual pitch lay out and goal positions it really makes the players think.
Read MoreAcademy Level: A Fun Awareness Warm-up for Improving Peripheral Vision
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Use this warm up to work on awareness of where other players are (in this case all the other players are defenders trying to win possession of your ball) whilst maintaining possession of the ball ensuring players are looking around away from their own ball.
Read MoreWarm Up: Circle Keep Away 1 Touch Only
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In this warm-up, players are keeping the ball away from the central player while working on passing and maintaining possession. Use different number of touches (try 2 touches to start). Body position and foot preparation is vital when playing one touch.
Read MoreSoccer Awareness and Barcelona 4 v 1 Rondo
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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.
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Often players position to receive the ball with their back to play. These session plans show some ideas on how to position and instead "Face Forward" or at least Half Turned or three quarters turned rather than positioning square and facing back.