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LOGINDiagonal runs
Like any good movement off the ball in the attacking third, diagonal runs, either from central areas to the flank or vice versa, should have one of two effects. They should put the player receiving the ball into a dangerous position and create space for somebody else by drawing away a defender.
What this session is about
- Movement off the ball to create space.
- Combination play.
What to think about
- Attackers must play with their heads up to watch each other’s movement.
- Players must slant their runs behind the defender.
- They must run with intent.
- Visual and vocal communication must be used.
- Emphasise playing a straight pass, as well as the timing and weight of the pass.
- The timing of the run.
Set-up
- Set up an area approximately 40 yards by 15 yards. Mark out two 5 yards by 15 yards zones a third of the way from either end. This will create three larger zones of 10 yards by 15 yards with the narrow zones in between.
- Ten players.
| Warm up | Session | Development | Game Situation | Warm Down |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 10-15 minutes | 10-15 minutes | 15 minutes | 10 minutes |
What you get your players to do
Have a passive defender in each of the small zones, which they can’t leave. The remaining players pair up at one end with a ball. The first pair combines to reach the opposite end by using a diagonal run to pass each defender in turn.The attempt can be played at a slow pace but must be non-stop. The attackers cannot run backwards and must not allow the defenders to touch the ball.
Once the first pair passes the first defender, the second pair begins.
Repeat the drill from the opposite end. Make sure to rotate defenders.
To progress, get attackers to increase the pace.
The first attacking pair use straight passes and diagonal runs to get past the passive defenders in the narrow zones.
Development
Make defenders active and encourage your forwards to use a diagonal run. They can also use any other type of combination play (e.g. overlap).Make it competitive. Each team gets points for successfully getting past a defender. They also get points for stopping progress when defending. Award bonus points for teams successfully using the diagonal run.
Related Files
Core-090-diagonal-runs.pdfPDF, 173 KB
Once the first pair passes the first defender, the second pair begins.
Game situation
Play a 4v4 with two goals and goalkeepers. Encourage your players to pass and move to stretch the opposition. Every so often, temporarily remove a player from one team and encourage the other team to exploit the overload situation.
When developing the skill, encourage the attackers to use other techniques such as an overlap to get past the defenders.
What to call out
- “Good movement”
- “Call for the ball”
- “Time the pass”
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