Saturday will mark the eighth Pep Guardiola-Jose Mourinho Clasico, but this time it’s the Special One who has the upper hand heading into the world’s biggest club match.
Always a good match.
US Drops another; Scoreless
September 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Can Jurgen effect change on US National Team?
September 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
With change comes hope and to dream that everything will be different; tactics overhauled and styles transformed. Maybe, but it will take a long time. I do relish the thought of more attack as presented in this ESPN piece.
http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/columnist/carlisle_jeff/id/6921257/soccer-jurgen-klinsmann-wants-us-team-play-attack-minded-football-jeff-carlisle
Tactics….
April 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
MADRID — Soccer players are renowned for stretching rules to gain an advantage. Now the ball boys are getting in on the act.
Sevilla’s 3-2 victory over Villarreal on Sunday was marred by the latest example of what seems to be a growing trend in the Spanish league — extra balls thrown onto the field to stop play.
A video replay clearly shows a ball boy tossing another ball onto the field as Villarreal pushed upfield late in the game. Another ball is heaved onto the field from the seats above Villarreal’s goal.
There were similar incidents during Real Madrid’s visit to Osasuna in January, and relegation-threatened Zaragoza employed the tactic in a victory over Getafe last month.
The offending clubs were fined a paltry $877.
http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6425517/spanish-league-ball-boys-heaving-extra-balls-field-delay-play
Soccer Tactics
March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Controlling the ball and dictating the style and speed of of play in the game of soccer is a large part of the formula of success. While maintaining possession and owning the better part of the play will not guarantee a win it will bring a fair share of success over the course of a season.
How to get there.
Decision making is important in possession and speed of play. Having simple formulas or “go to’s ” to get out of tight spots or to release pressure on the ball will solve some situations. Examples are give and go’s or wall passes to get out of tight spots. The ‘give and go’s’ don’t have to go anywhere, they just need to buy time so players on the ball can find the next pass and players off the ball can get open. Or having a release for midfielders such as playing a ball to the corner flag if no other option seems available. Defenders should always know they can turn a ball back to their sweeper and/or keeper if pressured.
Developing good first touch on the ball will speed play and make it difficult for teams to play high pressure defense. If all 10 and even 11 players can control the ball confidently in tight spaces and are able to make good quick decisions on where to play the ball it becomes difficult for defenses to pressure the ball. Having the ability as a team to play several “one touch” balls in sequence without turning the ball over is the most effective way to speed up play. A some point it is essential to change fields and/or points of attack (switch or swing the ball across the field) quickly which ultimately leads to dictating play and pressuring the opponents into reactive play always trying to keep up with the ball or just settling into defensive postures.
Developing 1 touch team play: To develope 1 touch play restrictionson the number of touches a players can use at parctice must be in place. Placing restrictions on 5v2 warm-ups or even 6v3 is very effective. Play a mandatory 2 touch to start and then ask for 1 touch as often as possible or as play allows, then move to mandatory 1 touch to force anticipation and decision making that accommodates 1 touch.
Or in a 40 x 40 grid play 3v3 in the middle with teammates on the outside that are allowed only to play offense. This ultimately makes the game 7v7 or 8 v8 giving the team with the ball a huge advantage. Play keep-away or possession putting restrictions on both the outside and the inside players. The idea is to work toward 1 touch on all accounts. Make it success oriented moving from A to Z in incremental steps. ex 2 touch on the out side and 2 touch on the inside. Then move to 1 touch on the outside and 2 touch inside the grid. Then 1 touch inside with 2 touch outside, giving the inside players time to find space. The goal is 1 touch all the way around. Spend 5 or 6 sessions getting there. It’s magic
Soccer Games: Marbles
February 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Marbles
1v1, both players must have a ball and a big field to play on, preferably a full soccer field.
Player 1 rolls the ball into play, player 2 tries to hit player 1’s ball using proper passing skills.* As ball two passes ball 1, player 1 can then attempt to hit players 2 ball. Repeat. Play games to 10.
It is a great running and passing game as players can gain an advantage by running to their ball so they are able to attempt the to hit the other players ball as it passes by (if it misses) and or before it gets too far away.
Players work on hitting a moving target, gauging the path of the moving ball and trying to lead it into space just like leading a runner into open space. Passers must use proper pace to hit target and must make accurate passes which requires good technique.
*Proper passing skills include in inside of the foot pass, instep drive, outside of the foot pass.
Advanced Marbles: Players can only score by hitting a moving ball. Requires more running and more skillful passing. If a players ball comes to a stop it is proper to give a 10 to 15 yd push to give the opposing player a chance to score.
Soccer Tactics: Possesion
February 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Possession.
Keep-away is a great way to teach possession. The rules can be simple in that it is one team keeping the ball away from another. It is a game that keeps every player active, thinking and offers many opportunities to practice skills such as trapping, passing, shielding, dribbling( if allowed), defending and decision-making.
To get started build a grid to accommodate the number of players. Teams of 5 (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 then that team B 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 to get open (run to open spaces, spaces that make them available for a pass), 3) players with the ball must a) find open players to pass to, or 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.
Coaching tactics: Learning to change fields to release pressure and to think two and three passes/spaces ahead is an effective and essential tactic (s). This can be done by placing small goals (2 cones 2 yards apart) in random places around the field; a pass completed while passing through the goal counts as a point and players can not score through the same goal consecutively i.e. players must attack a new goal after scoring.( and 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 to position themselves to be 1,2 or 3 passes away so that they may be the link to strategically switch the field of play (preferably with a long ball) which may result in attacking another goal (much like swinging a ball from the left wing to the right wing, moving the ball through the midfield to do so).
Soccer fitness; 4 v 4
February 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Setup
Create a field that is suitable for 4 vs. 4 soccer game, approximately 40X40yards. 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 start on the end line outside the grid on the end their team is attacking.
You should have a supply of balls for this 4v4 soccer game.
Instructions
Teams play a normal 4v4 soccer game, however, in order to score the attacking team must target player outside the grid and this player must move behind 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
- Restrict the target player to 1 or two touch..
- 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 have heads up constantly scanning the field for next pass and opportunity to hit target as welll as to find space to recieve balls and avoid pressure.
- Possesion is key. Ball should move quickly. Players should not force passes to targets, insted if one side is clogged switch play to other cone (target needs to anticipate switch just as a forward would run to space in toward the flag.
- 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.
- Appropriate use of 1st touch, 2 touch when warranted.
- Work on short game in small spaces with idea of switching fields with long ball.
- Changes in the direction and speed of play
- Create goal scoring opportunities
4 vs. 4 Defensive Game:
- Good Defensive Principles - pressure, cover, balance
- Get as many people behind the ball as possible
- Good communication
Soccer: Small Ball Training
February 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Training with a smaller ball makes play with a regular game ball much easier. Juggle with a tennis ball for 20 minutes and then juggle with a regular ball and see the difference. It’s ideal to find a ball that is well weighted to better approximate a game balls touch. We like training with the Brasilian Futebol because it’s got a nice weight, is bouncy and is small enough to be challenging but not so small to make training in all aspects of the game impossible. It’s a nice fit.
The Brasilian Futebol improves soccer performance, confidence on the ball and increases overall skill. Consistent use of the futebol will accelerate skill development which will translate into game performance.
