Practice: Movement and combinations to attack

WHY USE IT

Helps attackers to understand how their movement and position can create space on the pitch, and ultimately create scoring opportunities.

Set up

You need balls, bibs, cones and four mini goals. Around the centre circle, set up an area relevant to the size of your group with two goals at each end. We have used 14 players in our example – but numbers can be adjusted.

How to play

Split players into two teams of five with two servers. Three attackers from each team go into the opposition half of the pitch, starting in the centre circle in that half. Two defenders stay in their half to defend the goals. The servers are behind the goallines. Players must stay in the half they start in.

The server plays a ball to the defenders, who then combine to get the ball to their attacking trio in the other half of the pitch, who aim to score a goal. The defenders try to win the ball and start an attack of their own. Each time the ball goes out of play, the team that had the last touch concede possession – the opposition server plays a new ball in and the attackers must retreat to the half circle.

COACHING POINTS

Where is the space to move into? How can you time your run to offer an option? What body position can you receive the ball in to help the move continue?