Controlling the midfield is essential in the game of soccer. Defensively it requires good marking, cutting off passing lanes and winning loose balls. Offensively it is important to keep possesion of the ball and create attacking opportunities. Being able to switch fields and change the point of attack relieves pressure and forces the defense to adjust often opening up opportunities.
A good way to learn how to do this is to play 6v4 in the midfield; 6 offenders vs 4 defenders.
Offense’s objective is to move the ball from side to side in a 40 yd by 70 grid (70 yd being an approximation of the width of the field).
In order to score offense must move the ball from one outside grid to the other tryin to get the ball wide and trying to relieve pressure when one side gets crowded.
Offense can earn 1 point for stringing 5 passes together and
3 points for completing three passes in the outside grid (the outside 15 yds of the total grid).
Once they get the hang of moving the ball side to side you can add different restrictions like 2 touch or “must complete a wall pass in the outside grid” – or – “must execute an overlap in the outside grid”.
Also you may want to only allow them to go back to the same outside grid if they have crossed the center axis of the field. This will allow them and/or teach them to not force play and to be creative with the movement of the ball.
Defensive objective; Steal ball and complete three passes, or escape the grid by dribbling or completing a pass. Maybe a better notion complete three passes and then dribble through a center goal. This teaches offense to recover quickly and to react on a turnover to win the ball back immediately keeping in mind they must protect the center of the field.
Midfield Play; Switching field of play
Soccer; 4v4 with a target
Create a field that is approximately 40X40 yards. Create two windows about 5 yards wide on the right and left side of the end line. Split the players into two teams of five. Set up a 4 v 4 inside the grid. The additional player will be the target player who will play on the end line outside the grid on the end their team is attacking. The end player, or target, will try to recieve passes in the wndows on the end line, much like a forward recieving a ball played out to the wing.
You should have a supply of balls for this 4v4 soccer game to keep play moving.
Teams play a normal 4v4 soccer game, however, in order to score the attacking team must complete a pass to the target player in the windows at either corner of the endline. The target player must make runs to either side of the field to one of the two windows and receive a pass through that window and be able to maintain a controlled possession.
Once the goal is made the attacking player who passed to the target player now becomes the target player and they switch roles. The defending team takes possession and the game continues.
Variations
- Create a window on both sidelines and place a player in that window : a) use as outlet to creat numbers up on offense, or : b) ball is required to be played wide to a window before you can go forward to score
- If you want to focus on target players you might instruct the players to not rotate and allow one player to work as a target player longer.
Coaching Points
4 vs. 4 Offense Game:
- Vision – players should be able to look up and read the game with their eyes since the number of players are limited. Player’s heads should be on a constant pivot.
- Communication – make sure players are communicating both verbally and non-verbally.
- Support – make sure players are using the entire playing area (width and length) to get into good supporting angles. Create passing options that allows the receiving players the most time and space. Make sure two players are supporting the ball at all times.
- Appropriate use of 1st touch and two touch play
- Do not farce play, changes fields when to crowded or clogged
- Take risk when warranted
Soccer: Possesion and small games
Possession is important at any level of soccer. Controlling the tempo and momentum of a game requires the ability to connect several passes consecutively with a tactic or strategy in min. It will invariably involve escaping pressure, changing point of attack, and ultimately creating opportunities on goal.
A great way to develop possession is by incorporating it into training sessions.
5 v 5 in a 40 x 40 yd grid is a good place to start. Restrict players to 2 or 3 touch, or even better to 3 seconds with the ball so as not to inhibit creativity. To create competition you can have 5 consecutive passes equal a point and play games to 3.
Once the game of possession is understood and accomplished a great twist is to create small goals around the grid in random places (inside the grid); a completed pass through the small goal scores a point (can’t go back to or through the same goal consecutively to score). This works very well with 5v5, 8v8 or 10v10 full field. Now the team has a goal or tactic in mind. Encourage your team to switch points of attack if the goal they are attacking is well defended. Players must also think ahead to be in position to pass tha ball through the small goal as well as have somebody at the end of that pass. Players will have to think two and three passes/spaces ahead of the play and get themselves there.
The tactical creativity can be enhanced with a little analysis and thought. Take time to stop play, point things out and help the players see what was done right and what could have been done better.
Soccer Training: Possesion
Keep-away is a great way to tech possession. At it’s simplest form it is a game that keeps every player active, thinking and offers many opportunities to practice skills such as trapping, passing, dribbling if allowed, defending and decision-making.
To start build a grid to accommodate the number of players. 5 v5 could be played in a 40 yard x 40 yard grid. Team A vs Team B. One team (team A) tries to keep the ball while the other (team B) tries to steal it. If stolen then (by team B) then that team is now on offense or in possession of the ball and in turn attempts to possess the ball for as long as possible.
Coaching point. 1)move the ball with passes 2) players without the ball must work hard (run to open spaces; add to this spaces that make them available for passes) to get open, 3) players with the ball must a) find open players to pass to, b) shield the ball until a teammate is open c) make good passes and good traps.
Progression is to put limitations on the players. Limit players to 3 or 2 touch on the ball.
The game of keep-away becomes more complex with more players. 7 v 7 might require goals such as moving the ball from quadrant to quadrant so there is no stagnation. In other words on a grid 60 yds x 60 yds, build 4 quadrants and allow only 4 consecutive passes in each quadrant before the ball must find another quadrant. More than 4 is a turn over….
Another alternative (‘s) is to limit players to 3 seconds with the ball so as not to stifle creativity. Add to this tactics that will teach them to change fields to release pressure and to think two and three passes/spaces ahead to create effective attacks. This can be done by 2 yard goals in random places around the field; a pass completed while passing through the goal is a point and players can not score through the same goal consecutively i.e. players must attack a new goal after scoring.(the ball can pass through the goal from either direction). Coaching points 1) if one goal is well defended then look to attack a different goal 2) teams may want to draw the defense to one goal with the intention of switching to another goal 3) players not involved in the immediate play must look for the 1,2 or 3 passes that may link to them to strategically switch the field of play (preferably with a long ball) so they can attack another goal-much like swinging a ball from the left wing to the right wing, moving the ball through the midfield to do so.
