Practice 1: Out from the back

WHY USE IT

These practices familiarise players with the notion of transferring the ball forward from their defence.

SET UP

A technical unopposed practice that is performed within an area suitable for the players within the session. A number of rectangle grids are laid out (we have shown one here) with three players working in each one. Two players act as servers at each end of the grid, with a third player working inside it.

HOW TO PLAY

A server starts with the ball and plays it into the player within the grid who then passes it onto the other server. The practice continues in this manner with the player inside the grid transferring the ball from one server to another. The role of being the player in the grid is rotated regularly.

Progression: Allow the player to play combination passes with the servers before adding a defender. If the defender wins the ball they look to dribble out of the area.

COACHING POINTS

The player within the grid should scan before receiving a pass and where possible should receive the ball with an open body to allow them to play forward. If needed they should look to combine with the server who originally played them the pass, enabling them to make a movement into space before they receive the ball back.