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LOGINBreaking lines
This three-part session develops players’ ability and awareness to play forward passes that break defensive lines
WHY USE IT
Develops players’ ability and awareness to play forward passes that break defensive lines.
Warm-up
Set up
Mark out a playing area relative to the age and ability of your players. You may need two or three pitches depending on numbers. Start with two defenders in the middle of the area and six attacking players around the outside – one at each end and two on each side.
How to play
The aim is for attacking players to progress the ball from one end player to the other. The two players on the same sideline cannot pass to each other. If an attacking player loses possession, either to a defender or by passing the ball out of play, they swap roles with a defender. Defenders cannot be in the same half of the pitch.
Play two-touch to start.
Progressions/adaptations
You can challenge players further by playing one-touch. You can also change the dimensions of the playing area to increase or decrease the challenge, or add an extra defender to make it more difficult. You can also encourage rotation of the attacking players.
Coaching points
- Movement
- Scanning
- Ball speed
- Breaking lines
- Composed passing
- First touch
- Read the game
- Find the free player
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Play two-touch to start
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Attacking players look to progress the ball from one end player to the other
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If an attacking player loses possession, they swap roles with a defender
Practice
Set up
Mark out a playing area relative to the age and ability of your players. You may need two or three pitches depending on numbers. Divide the playing area into quarters. Start with a target player at each end and two teams of three in the middle.
How to play
The aim is for players to progress the ball from one target player to the other. When in possession, teams cannot have more than one player in each quarter.
Progressions/adaptations
You can challenge players further by restricting the number of touches. You can also change the dimensions of the playing area to increase or decrease the challenge. You can also add a rule that the in-possession team cannot play back to a target player they have just received from, encouraging positive forward play.
Coaching points
- Movement
- Scanning
- Ball speed
- Breaking lines
- Composed passing
- First touch
- Read the game
- Find the free player
- Line of pass
- Timings
- Third-player runs
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Players should look to progress the ball from one target player to the other
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When in possession, teams cannot have more than one player in each quarter
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You can challenge players further by restricting the number of touches
Small-sided game
Set up
Mark out a playing area relative to the age, ability and number of your players. Divide the area into three horizontal central channels and two vertical wide channels.
How to play
With players locked in their positions, the aim is to move the ball, find the number 9 and keep possession. Each time a team makes five successful passes, they earn a point. If they can find the 9 within those passes, they get 3 points.
Progressions/adaptations
Progress to allow the player in possession to step into the next zone to create and exploit overloads.
Coaching points
- Movement
- Scanning
- Ball speed
- Breaking lines
- Composed passing
- First touch
- Read the game
- Find the free player
- Line of pass
- Timings
- Third-player runs
-
Players are locked in their positions
-
The aim is to move the ball, find the 9 and keep possession
-
A team gets a point for five successful passes, with an additional three points if they find the nine within those passes
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