Dribbling and passing

WHY USE IT

Players work on dribbling and passing decisions, two skills fundamental to exploiting space and the concept of possession with a purpose. It is a great warm-up for sessions focused on those topics.

SET UP

Set up an area relative to the age and ability of your players. You need balls, bibs and cones. We have used eight players in the example, but the practice can be run with any number.

HOW TO PLAY

Each player starts with a ball, dribbling in a congested area. 

Next, players have a ball between two. They look to pass and receive, then move, looking to find a new player to receive the ball from. Finally, players are put into small groups and must create passing moves in the area.

These groups can replicate different units – midfielders and defenders, for example – or different team shapes.

COACHING POINTS

• In the first part, players should vary speed, change direction into space and use both feet where possible.
• In the second part, players should pass to feet in crowded areas, keep tempo high and offer good support movement after the pass. Players should look to receive on the half turn on the foot furthest from the ball.
• In the third part, players should dribble to get into positions that make a pass easier.