Four square

This session is all about player awareness and seeing who has the ability to spot openings as teams try to organise themselves to defend and attack.

Set up

Set up an area of 50x40 yards with four squares marked out, two in each half next to the centre line. You need two normal sized goals, one at each end. We’ve used 14 players.

How to play it

Split players into two teams of six and put two keepers in the goals. In each of the four zones play 2v1 keep ball for one minute and then call out one of the following options…

ONE! Using the balls in zone one, players must go into two 3v3s in their own half. The teams with the ball attack the goal in their half.

TWO! Same as ‘One’ but use the balls from zone two this time. The teams with the ball attack but there is only 10 seconds to complete a move this time.

THREE! Teams play 6v6 using all four balls in a directional game (tell them which way they are shooting when you explain the game). Play until all four balls are dead. The team with the most goals from the three situations wins.

Technique

Great for individual skills and communication. You find out who the leaders are and who can quickly exploit space.