Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Team Practices: Dribbling & Control I

Relay Race (5 mins)

- Players begin at the start of the red cones that represent the alleyway.

- Each cone is placed a yard or two further away than the previous, to encourage players to take heavier touches through the alley.

- When reaching the end, players should be fully running with the ball, they turn and go alongside the three cones.

- Once past, the players should be taking a mix of heavy & light touches around the poles/ mannequins & then pass into the next player waiting for a ball.

1v1 or 2v2 Choice (20 mins)

- Start with 1v1, the player passing presses the player that receives, and the player chooses which goal to pass/ dribble into. 

- Once received, the attacker must choose a direction to go in to score in the mini-goals, one out of four.

- They have a number of seconds from the pass to score, the coach's choice, only from outside of the middle area.

- If the two defenders win possession, they aim to go in the two opposite goals, but the attacker can win the ball back and attempt to dribble past and score.

- Rotate positions each attempt, with others waiting to replace the attacker, with the current defenders moving on.

Dribbling into Traffic (10 mins)

- Two teams split into even numbers, if possible.

- Each team split into two starting opposites side of the square.

- Both members of one team start to dribble towards the cone, meeting each other and knocking/ dribbling the ball to the side as instructed. 

- Once they've passed the cone, a pass will be played into the player waiting.

- The other team then repeats the process, each team taking turns.

Progression

- Ask the players how close they can get to the cone before knocking/ dribbling past.

- Recommend skills that the players can try before reaching the cone ie. stepover & knock

Focus

- Timing/ Triggers

- Dribbling

- Awareness

1v1 Shielding (10 mins)

- The players are now against each other, in a 1 vs 1.

- The idea for the player starting with the ball is to get through as many cones as possible.

- If the other player wins the ball, they try to do the same. 

- Both of the players counting how many cones they manage to get through. 

- Swap partners after so many minutes.

Progression

- All players vs the coach & joining players when caught.

- 2v2 with one football & passing through cones.

Focus

- Creating space if no space is available using other players

- Shielding the ball 

- Sense of awareness

- Reading the player 

Skills Corridor

- Three players to set off at once, left for 1vs1, right for 1vs1 & one player to have a shot on goal after traveling with the ball.

- Each player rotates with the one they come up against, and go to a different starting point each time.

- Apply different scenarios for the goalkeeper, i.e. one-on-one, skill & shoot, long shot & etc.