Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): U9/10 Team Practice - Session #10 (Functional) (Start Time: 2024-06-19 17:15:00)

Warm-Up - Passing in a Circle (15 mins)

Set up:

• If there is a center circle large enough for the whole group use that, otherwise make one with cones
• Add a cone outside the circle on 4 edges

• All players have 1 touch to pass to a teammate
• After they pass, they run around an outside cone and come back in to the square
• If the ball ever leaves the circle, if the ball stops, or if someone touches the ball twice before running, restart the timer
• Time how long before a mistake and make up a time that we will do this until we stop. (U10 we say 4 mins but have fun with it, say the world record is 5:36, can we beat that!?)

3-2-1 Attacking - Functional (20 mins)

Have the 3 defenders, 2 center midfielders and striker in the attacking half

• Attacking only, no opposition
• Play starts with the ball with one of the wing-backs as our build up tends to get us in these positions once we move the ball around the opposing pressure.

Start with your right wing-back:

#1. What are his options? First look is ball side striker if 1 vs 1, 2nd look is our 8 coming across, 3rd look is the 6 peeling away to give us field balance and maybe getting back door as the 8 comes to ball side, lastly would be looking to our center-back for an option to retain possession and go out the other way, aiming to play forward.

#2. As a coach you decide how you want to build this shadow play session. I would start simple and go through patterns with the ball going to the ball side striker first and how the players will move off their movement.

#3. Talking to the players about why are we moving into this place. After each pass ask them, where would we look now? What are my options here. Get them to start thinking about options so we can get them taking these ideas into the games.

A) to ball side striker

B) to the 8

C) to the 6, even or behind

D) to 6 looping back post

E) to center-back to play forward (out the other way)

F) switch play to the opposite wing-back

Coaching points:

#1 Eyes scanning when not in possession

#2 Distance of players from one another

#3 Timing of runs to be in position when needed

#4 Pace of pass depending on if it's a set or a through ball etc. to promote proper speed of play