Warm-up: Breaking the lines

WHY USE IT

This three-part session focuses on playing through the thirds, breaking lines and creating overloads in attacking scenarios. Some of the technical aspects this session covers will be: Passing, dribbling, receiving, control and running with the ball.

SET UP

Set up an area relative to the age and ability of your players and divide into thirds, so you can have multiple groups working simultaneously. Place two mannequins or poles in the middle of the playing area and have two small groups of two or three players at opposite ends. Two players also need to start in the middle, between the two mannequins/poles.

HOW TO PLAY

The first player in the line passes the ball to the player behind the mannequin (break line) in the middle, who receives on the half turn to play out to the other side. Once they pass, they join the line they have just played it into. Have two balls going at once, so the sequence is going in both directions.

COACHING POINTS

• Passing long and short distances, off the ball movement to receive behind the mannequins.