Spatial awareness drills

It can be quite a tiring exercise so take frequent breaks and talk to the players about how passing like this can help them in matches to be more mobile and ready to receive the ball.

How to do it

• Player A passes to player B then immediately sprints to the position vacated by player C who has run to the spare cone.
• Player B receives the ball and passes to player C with no more than two touches.
• Player B sprints to the space created by player A.
• The pattern continues as player C receives the ball and passes to player A who passes back to B. What is happening is the ball is going one way while the player runs the other.

When they can all do it without needing the cones to help them it becomes a good way to start your sessions, the players will know immediately what to do and it sharpens up their basic skills.  

DRILL TWO

Defenders of the realm

Is your team giving away silly goals because the second wave of attack catches your players resting on their laurels?

Or are your attackers giving up when their first attack breaks down?

Use this game to stop both defenders and attackers giving up at the first hurdle.

This game is based on space:

Attackers want to find it, while defenders the need to close it down as quickly as possible. Speed of thought is essential, as is the awareness of team members, either in creating room to fashion chances or covering areas where attacks might develop.

Teams must work together well, and for the defending team, a vocal goalkeeper is essential for communicating the developing attacking threats to his overworked defenders.

How to set it up:

• Create a 30-yard square playing area.
• To play this competitive game, you only need three poles (or cones) and one ball.
• It requires 10 players (an attacking team of five, a defending team of three, including a keeper, plus two players ready to come on).
• Mark out three goals in the centre using the poles in the shape of a triangle.

The rules:

• The attacking team starts with the ball and can score in any of the three goals.
• The defending team must organise itself to prevent attackers having a clear sight of goal.
• Attackers will fashion most chances by passing the ball quickly and switching play from one area to another.
• Defenders can prevent goals by pressing the ball and constantly repositioning in order to halt the attackers’ progress.
• Defenders can "tag team" with team mates off the pitch in order to stay fresh.
• If defenders intercept, they score a point and the ball is returned to the coach.
• When a goal is scored or the ball goes out of play, the ball is also returned to the coach.
• Play for five minutes, then swap team roles.
• The team with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.