Benefits of using small-sided games

Small-sided games are a fantastic way of getting players to work together to score lots of goals, with every single player having a big part to play.

They may not be ideal for coaching player positional roles but they do get players to face match-relevant situations, as groups of players have to work and cover each other in all areas of the pitch.

What players learn most from small-sided games is individual skills, like improving their first touch, and also how to make decisions in 2v1 and 1v1 situations.

There has been lots written about the amazing number of touches players get in small-sided games, which is beneficial for their mastery of the ball, but there are other aspects of small-sided games that can help player development. 

It can be very enjoyable watching players react quickly when they win the ball and swarm forwards, creating overloads in the middle areas, so that if the attacker loses the ball and the team works quickly they can go 4v3 against their opponents.

This opens a whole avenue of possibilities for players to see how they can quickly make use of the overload before the attacker gets back to help.

"What players learn most is individual skills and how to make decisions..."

This is very similar to how midfields work in games, be it 7v7, 9v9, or 11v11. If teams can work quickly at transitions or pass into areas behind their opponents, then they can use overload situations to create lots of goalscoring opportunities.

The movement during transition will also create a lot of 1v1s, so there is a wonderful opportunity for coaches to see the reactions in both attack and defence when making decisions – to dribble or to pass, to press or to tackle, and so on.

Also, in the modern game – and the fashion to play with just one strong attacker who can be flanked by a couple of wingers or play on their own – small-sided games are great to practice playing in situations just outside of the final third, to create space for the striker to get the ball and set up goals.

When playing alone up front, strikers will play most of the time with their back to the goal. This is an art that needs plenty of practice, and small-sided games can help with this.