Pull off zone

Overview

The pull off zone game improves the movement of your forwards disrupting the opponent’s defence. By including a ‘free zone’, one of the forwards is allowed to pull off their marker and come towards the defenders to receive a pass. At the same time, the other forwards should stretch play, moving backwards towards the goal or outwards to the wings. This movement will give the opposing defenders big problems to solve.

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, a goalkeeper rolls the ball out to a defender, who looks for an attacker ‘pulling off’ his defender and moving to the central zone to receive the ball.

The other two attackers should move deep or wide to stretch the play.

The attacker is allowed to receive the ball unopposed in the centre ‘free zone’. He can turn and dribble forward to make a 3v3 inside the opponent’s half.

Rules

• The game is played for ten minutes
• Only one attacker can be in the free zone
• No defenders are allowed in the free zone

Development/progression

Remove the free zone and play a normal game. Does one of the forwards still come short to receive the ball? Do the other strikers stay high to pull the other defenders back?