Practice 2: Wide-player threat

WHY USE IT

An opposed practice, where players get the chance to apply the patterns from the previous practice within a random environment.

SET UP

Split an area into nine sections. Each team has a goalkeeper, two servers positioned by their goal, two wide players and two midfielders. There are also two neutral players, supporting the in-possession team. If you have fewer players, remove the servers. The dividing lines separating the middle horizontal channel and the two end horizontal channels act as offside lines.

HOW TO PLAY

Play as normal, but the out-of-possession players are locked into their designated channels; two midfielders in the central channel and one wide player in each of the wide channels. The neutral players are always locked into the central grid. Teams are awarded extra points if they score a goal through an ‘up, back and through’ pattern, to release a wide player who then goes on and scores.

COACHING POINTS

• Try to play through the support players or team-mates positioned within the central channel
• Try to exploit the numerical advantage to produce an up, back and through pattern.
• Timing and type of run by the wide players (out to in) to allow them to move onto the through ball.