Practice 1: Wide-player threat

WHY USE IT

This session works on wide players making forward runs inside to receive balls from midfield team-mates. The first practice gives players a chance to practice patterns of play that will allow these movements from wide players to occur in a game.

SET UP

Set up a rectangular area with a goal at each end. Mark out a central grid, where the midfield players are situated. Two additional grids are attached to the central grid, one on each side, in which the wide players are positioned. Split players into two teams; each has a goalkeeper, two defenders, two midfielders and two wide players. If there are additional players, teams will have extra defenders who rotate between each go.

HOW TO PLAY

The two defenders combine before playing into the furthest midfielder, who then sets it back for their partner. They play a forward pass for the two wide players to run on to (up, back and through pattern). The wide players then look to score. Once completed, the other team repeats the same movements in the opposite direction.

Coaching points

• Details around the pass and how they receive the ball, plus the timing of the wide players’ movement and how they curve their run.