Playing through the spine

Drills & Games

Practice Plans

Coaching Advice

Age groups

Coaching Theme

Resources

Subscribe

SUBSCRIBE

LOGIN

Subscribe today to access over 2500+ drills, 650+ ready made practice plans, and more.

What this session is about

Keeping possession.
Playing through the centre of the pitch.
Using the team’s “spine”.

What to think about

The world’s top teams build their success on having a strong “spine”. An example is a classic FC Barcelona team (Valdes, Pique & Puyol, Xavi & Iniesta, Messi). These players all play in the centre and are used to control the tempo of the game and build attacks.

Set-up

Warm up	Session	Development	Game Situation	Warm Down
10 minutes	10 minutes	15 minutes	15 minutes	10 minutes

What you get your players to do

Mark out a 30x15yd area divided in two.
Place a player in the middle of each line – these are the “spine” players.
Play 3v3 inside one half. The team in possession use the spine players to make eight successive passes (5 v 3) then switch boxes.
If the defence gets the ball, they quickly move it to the next box and try and make eight passes in a row themselves.
Play three games. Each game lasts around 3 minutes with a one-minute break between each.
Each time, rotate the spine players so everyone has a turn.

Play 3v3 in one half with attackers using the “spine” players (S) to make eight successive passes.

Development

Continue on the same size pitch but remove central line.
Add two mini goals to each end line.
Play 3v3 with spine players placed as before.
Each team attacks and defends two mini goals.
The aim is to score by passing to the spine players and getting the ball back to create overlaps.
Play three games of four minutes with a one minute break in between.
Rotate the three spine players each time.

Related Files

Advanced-296-playing-through-the-spine.pdfPDF, 266 KB

Play 3v3 using spine players (S) to create an overlap and score in the mini goals.

Game situation

Mark out a 40x30yd pitch using cones.
Place a manned goal at each end.
Play 4v4 – one spine player plays for the team in possession.
One team passes, the other defends. The passers can use the spine player and goalkeepers to keep possession. This creates a 7v4.
If the defenders get the ball they are allowed to shoot at goal.
After a goal rotate teams.

Passers look to keep possession using a neutral spine player (S). Defenders can score if they win the ball.

Subscriber Testimonials

Gerald Kearney, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club

"I have been coaching competitive soccer for over 20 years in Las Vegas. I feel like you are my personal club director. My players and myself have learned a lot from your sessions. The exercises from Soccer Coach Weekly are easy to understand and implement. I never run out of ideas and there is always an exercise for whatever problem we need to fix. Thank you!"

Paul Butler, Florida, USA

"First and foremost, Soccer Coach Weekly is truly unique and exceptional for its clarity and for explaining the "why?", in addition to the "how?". Soccer Coach Weekly is also professionally managed - any issues, which are infrequent, are resolved in an expedient and courteous manner. I place Soccer Coach Weekly at the top of my recommendation list for any new or seasoned coach of the beautiful game."

Rick Shields, Springboro, USA

"I coach both young club players as well as players at the High School level and both genders. The talent range is wide at times, however with the use of Soccer Coach Weekly I am able to apply the information to all talent levels and player ages and make the session fun and challenging for all players. It has helped spark me at times when I am at a loss for what to do at the next training session or offers a different approach to a current problem."

Tony Green, Pierrefonds Titans, Quebec, Canada

"My team and myself are truly enjoying the Soccer Coach Weekly downloads. Pierrefonds Titans are a great group of U16 Females who compete in the Lac St-Louis Association of Montreal, Quebec, Canada."

Smart Sessions - Advanced Skills

Newsletter Sign Up

Join over 75k coaches that are saving time searching for fresh coaching ideas with our free email newsletter: ✔ New drills ✔ New games ✔ New warm-ups. Delivered direct to your email inbox

Warm up: Individual possession

Develop young players’ confidence in staying on the ball in this practice.

Practice: Individual possession

Develop young players’ confidence in staying on the ball in this practice. Use this session as a standalone activity, or combine it with ...

Small-sided game: Individual possession

Develop young players’ confidence in staying on the ball in this practice. Use this session as a standalone activity, or combine it with ...

Practice 2: Winning the ball

Three-part session to master the ‘four S’s’ of defending – sprint, slow down, side-on, steal.

Coaches Testimonials

Gerald Kearney, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club

"I have been coaching competitive soccer for over 20 years in Las Vegas. I feel like you are my personal club director. My players and myself have learned a lot from your sessions. The exercises from Soccer Coach Weekly are easy to understand and implement. I never run out of ideas and there is always an exercise for whatever problem we need to fix. Thank you!"

Paul Butler, Florida, USA

"First and foremost, Soccer Coach Weekly is truly unique and exceptional for its clarity and for explaining the "why?", in addition to the "how?". Soccer Coach Weekly is also professionally managed - any issues, which are infrequent, are resolved in an expedient and courteous manner. I place Soccer Coach Weekly at the top of my recommendation list for any new or seasoned coach of the beautiful game."

Rick Shields, Springboro, USA

"I coach both young club players as well as players at the High School level and both genders. The talent range is wide at times, however with the use of Soccer Coach Weekly I am able to apply the information to all talent levels and player ages and make the session fun and challenging for all players. It has helped spark me at times when I am at a loss for what to do at the next training session or offers a different approach to a current problem."

Tony Green, Pierrefonds Titans, Quebec, Canada

"My team and myself are truly enjoying the Soccer Coach Weekly downloads. Pierrefonds Titans are a great group of U16 Females who compete in the Lac St-Louis Association of Montreal, Quebec, Canada."

Discover the simple way to become a more effective, more successful soccer coach

In a recent survey 89% of subscribers said Soccer Coach Weekly makes them more confident, 91% said Soccer Coach Weekly makes them a more effective coach and 93% said Soccer Coach Weekly makes them more inspired.

SUBSCRIBE

*includes 3 coaching manuals

Get Weekly Inspiration

All the latest techniques and approaches

Soccer Coach Weekly offers proven and easy to use soccer drills, coaching sessions, practice plans, small-sided games, warm-ups, training tips and advice.

We've been at the cutting edge of soccer coaching since we launched in 2007, creating resources for the grassroots youth coach, following best practice from around the world and insights from the professional game.