Take on me

Every team needs dribblers to attack the opposition, so use this training session to encourage your players to dribble with the ball. Getting players to try to beat an opponent or to accelerate away with the ball is a wonderful attacking weapon. It puts rivals on the back foot as they are driven towards their own goal.

Set up

Set up an area of 50x30 yards, with target goals in the corners and a three-yard centre gate between the goals at each end. Split the area in two with a row of cones. We’ve used 10 players in this session.

How to play it

Play a 5v5 and give teams a couple of minutes to sort out their formation and tactics. Players can only go into the opposition half by dribbling over the halfway line.

To score they can shoot into either of the target goals for one point but if they dribble between the posts they get three points.

If they score they keep the ball and attack the opposite end. If they miss the ball is turned over to the opposition.

Play starts each time from between the posts attacking the opposite end.

Technique

There will be plenty of chances for players to use their dribbling skills and practice keeping the ball under control. Key decisions are when to dribble to advance play and when to pass to a team-mate who is in space to dribble.