Playing the Through Ball 04/08/2011
U-13 Boys, U-13 Girls, U-16 Girls
March 2011
Back in March I ran the following session with my U-13 girls as well as U-13 Boys, and U-16 Girls. The idea is to get players to recognize opportunities play a ball through the back line as well as finding ways to create the space to successfully play a through ball.
Warm Up: Players in groups of 3 with one ball in between them pass and move. Each group should find some space on the field to operate in. There is no real need to set them up in individual areas. This will encourage more freedom of movement as well as individual creativity. After 3 minutes restrict them to 2 touches. After another 3 minutes require them to play the ball in combinations.
Stretch.
7v7 with full goals plus Keepers: Set up a field 60 yards long and 50 yards wide. Divide the length of the field into 3, 20 yard thirds. Players play 7v7 in the middle third of the field. The two teams play possession when one team gets three consecutive passes they can then look to play a through ball into either of the attacking thirds of the fields, i.e. players can attack either goal. One player makes the run to receive the through ball and must take a one or two touch shot. One player from the defending team can give chase to put pressure on the attacking player. Offside is in effect using the top of each defending 3rd as the midfield line for offside purposes. 20 minutes.
March 2011
Back in March I ran the following session with my U-13 girls as well as U-13 Boys, and U-16 Girls. The idea is to get players to recognize opportunities play a ball through the back line as well as finding ways to create the space to successfully play a through ball.
Warm Up: Players in groups of 3 with one ball in between them pass and move. Each group should find some space on the field to operate in. There is no real need to set them up in individual areas. This will encourage more freedom of movement as well as individual creativity. After 3 minutes restrict them to 2 touches. After another 3 minutes require them to play the ball in combinations.
Stretch.
7v7 with full goals plus Keepers: Set up a field 60 yards long and 50 yards wide. Divide the length of the field into 3, 20 yard thirds. Players play 7v7 in the middle third of the field. The two teams play possession when one team gets three consecutive passes they can then look to play a through ball into either of the attacking thirds of the fields, i.e. players can attack either goal. One player makes the run to receive the through ball and must take a one or two touch shot. One player from the defending team can give chase to put pressure on the attacking player. Offside is in effect using the top of each defending 3rd as the midfield line for offside purposes. 20 minutes.
You may want to allow the possessing team to keep possession by playing back to the keepers who are neutral. If you do allow play to the keepers increase the number of consecutive passes to 5. Passes to and from the keeper don’t count as part of the 5 passes but they also don’t interrupt the pass count.
7v7 with full goals plus Keepers: The field is set up in the same way as the last game. Each is team is now attacking only one goal and defending one goal. Players play 5v5 in the middle with two players in the defending 3rd of the field to provide support and defend when a ball is played through. Play starts in the middle 3rd of the field, with a ball played in by the coach, and players play 5v5 there until one team gets 3 consecutive passes. Players may use defenders to retain possession but passes to and from them do not count as part of the 3 passes. Passes back to the defenders cannot be followed by the attacking team and they don’t interrupt the pass count. After 3 consecutive passes the possessing team can attack with a through ball. One player can make a run into the attacking area as well as two other players from the midfield 3rd. Offside is in effect using the top of each defending 3rd as the midfield line. This means that defenders should be required to play the edge of the midfield third unless their team is possessing and they are dropped in, in support. You may also want to allow the defenders to play defense in the gray area between the area they are defending and the midfield. 20 Minutes.
7v7 with full goals plus Keepers: The field is set up in the same way as the last game. Each is team is now attacking only one goal and defending one goal. Players play 5v5 in the middle with two players in the defending 3rd of the field to provide support and defend when a ball is played through. Play starts in the middle 3rd of the field, with a ball played in by the coach, and players play 5v5 there until one team gets 3 consecutive passes. Players may use defenders to retain possession but passes to and from them do not count as part of the 3 passes. Passes back to the defenders cannot be followed by the attacking team and they don’t interrupt the pass count. After 3 consecutive passes the possessing team can attack with a through ball. One player can make a run into the attacking area as well as two other players from the midfield 3rd. Offside is in effect using the top of each defending 3rd as the midfield line. This means that defenders should be required to play the edge of the midfield third unless their team is possessing and they are dropped in, in support. You may also want to allow the defenders to play defense in the gray area between the area they are defending and the midfield. 20 Minutes.
7v7 with full goals plus Keepers: The field is still set up the same way. Players can now move freely into and out of any area. However, each team is restricted to three players at a time in any area. Violation of the three players rule is a turn over. If the other team already has the ball allow play to continue let them restart with a free kick. 15 minutes.
7v7 with full goals plus Keepers. Free Play to end of session.
7v7 with full goals plus Keepers. Free Play to end of session.
