Feed the forwards

Overview

Improve your defence and attack‘s sense of responsibility to ensure they are successfully taking on their roles in the game. The defenders must stop the opponent’s attackers from scoring, regain the ball and then make a forward pass into the attackers. The attackers should then combine quickly to score a goal.

SET UP

• Pitch 55yds x 30yds including one 5yd central channel

See complete set up here

What you get your players to do

Divide the squad into four teams, playing 3v3, attack versus defence, in each half of the pitch.

To start, one of the goalkeepers rolls the ball out to the defenders who are immediately placed under pressure by the opponent’s attackers.

The job for the three defenders is to make a pass into the opponent’s half to their attackers. The attackers combine to score a goal.

Rules

• The game is played for ten minutes
• All players must stay in their own half of the field
• Goalkeepers must have a supply of balls in their goals in order to start the practice

Development/progression

Add movement between the two halves of the pitch by allowing a defender to join the attackers after they have made a forward pass. This gives the attacking team a 4v3 advantage against the defenders, however if possession is lost the opponent could quickly pass forward to their attackers which would result in a 3v2 situation.