Small-sided game: Movement off the ball

WHY USE IT

This small-sided game builds on the previous practice and is based around awareness of team-mates’ positions, positions of opponents and moving across the field together as a team.

SET-UP

Set-up using half a pitch, split into six zones, with a small goal in each corner. Play with two teams of 5-v-5, with each team having three defenders and two attackers.

HOW TO DO IT

It is a two-touch game, requiring players to move together to score goals. A player can only score from within the same zone as the goal they are scoring into. The three defenders should stay within two of the three defensive zones at any one time. So, in the above image, if the blues’ right-sided defender were to move into the vacant zone, the left-sided defender would need to be aware to move into the central defensive area. The two attacking players must also stay in different attacking areas. Players cannot dribble the ball into a different area, so passing and movement off the ball are important.

TECHNIQUE

Encourage players to consider when to move as a team and to work on different types of movement to deceive defenders, support in possession team-mates and create overloads. Passing skills are also developed in this practice, with weight of pass, passing to feet or into space and passing to the front or back foot all important to success.