Drill Image
Hello to you all. Nowadays more and more coaches consider additional coaching interventions which can be beneficial and suitable to enhance their players holistically on and off the field. Numerous different methodologies are already popular and massive exercise batteries can inspire us while we aim to shift our training into a modern, game realistic and mentally engaging regime. The exercise that we demonstrate today is a practical approach which provides multiple different objectives which can help our players deliver better results when executing ”Losing Marker Actions” or when ”Anticipating Incoming passes” We highly recommend you to spend some additional time reading few more inspiring posts revolving around Passing accuracy, Warm-up, Constant post – Pass movement and Passing technique. Let’s commence the interplay.
Description of the Exercise
For This exercise we need : 6 small posts (1 left – 1 right), many balls, 3-5 Mannequins, and mini cones (up to coach). We prepare our pitch accordingly (indexed in the video) and we guide our players to assume on-field positions facing each other. We distribute all available players (Goalkeepers also) into teams of 2 respectively (4-6 if we have more players) . All balls are placed next to the middle cones and the exercise dimension is (recommended to be approximately) 35 meters from the final line until the mini posts. Finally we expect a straight line (red) indication just few ”steps” over the penalty dot-spot (ball touch indication area) . Coach blows the whistle and all teams start together by passing the ball towards the mannequins (one in-front of each team). ”The Black Jersey players” are getting-off their markers and appear sharply in front of the big mannequins. While the ”Black jersey players” receive the ball, our feeders run quickly with linear or curvilinear runs until the final line. The final part of this exercise demands from the pass receivers to forward the ball and try to score a goal towards the mini posts. All players afterwards, run and collect their balls. The exercises ”unfolds” gradually while players familiarize and our ”mission” is to execute multiple passes, runs, ball receptions, ball interceptions and evidently goals.
Animated Example
My Coaching Suggestion – Instructions
Our Players are required to be extremely focused and well synchronized while executing this particular exercise. Why we place a lot of attention on level of readiness? Lets consider this question for a bit more! first and foremost, we have to discuss what is awareness and what is pro-activation. Awareness : A players is expected to be in an ”always ready condition”, constantly reading the game and reacting according to the opposition. A well focused players can easier react and potentially adapt to any game changes which derive from the opponent. So we have to educate our players to self concentrate and confine any potent ”noise” (crowd, previous mistake, score etc.) By mentioning ”pro-activation” we try to describe in a more refined way the meaning of being mentally engaged. Our players should be trained to be creative. A high ”IQ” player will follow ”tracks” and ”signs” on the pitch. We as coaches by gradually implementing more training objectives and by providing freedom on ”decision”, we can secure the conditions to built efficient players with high level of effectiveness and strong impactful personality.
How we can maximize the results? Our players must execute every technical and individual actions at high level. Losing our marker : This movement has to be realistic. We expect our players to break ”free” with a sharp movement and ”rush” towards the incoming ball (always with body control). We want nicely balanced movements which are translated as good control of ”body mass”. Body shape should be open and always ready to absorb impacts with plasticity. Remember impact is a sign of action for a player. With our body we can manipulate the movement of the opponent (Pivot) or even provoke body feints. At the instance of ”ball touch”, we would like to see directional touches which allow the ball receiver to aim and gauge their pass/shot fast. Similar expectations are set regarding the off-ball runs. We aim to reach 70-85% of maximal running speed (after execution of the pass) and we must maintain the same intensity throughout the whole time interval of the exercise. Consistency, specificity and repeatability will develop your players, whilst your motivation and passion will warrant their results.
Mistakes to Avoid
- No visual contact with ball. Players in many occasions, driven from their ”excitement” to intercept the ball usually overestimate their abilities. Thus, they execute a wrong touch with the ball or even get knocked-away (bodied from opponent).
- Aggressive body use. The easiest way to provide an ”easy” foul to our opponent. Be calm, determined and focused
- No Directional touch. Even if we intercept the ball, this doesn’t ”seal the deal”. We encourage our player to execute clean directional touches and always to ”check” the space around them. A non-moving ball can lead to another conquest with the opponent.
- Lack of passing accuracy. Bravo the ball is in our possession, and then ”what”? The target (mini post) imitates the pass or the shot that our players should execute after a successful ball interception. We surely do not want that pass/shot to be a ”bad one”
- Intensity drop. A big NO. We want every aspect of the exercise to be executed at the best possible level in terms of quality and intensity
- Change of pace is missing. Your opponent also fights for the victory. He/she will not let you take the ball that easily. You must change your pace and approach the ball quickly. Go for the ball with determination
- Touch exceed the set line. We want our players to be precise with their touches. A touch which exceeds the ”touch line” do not meet the expected standards that we set for our players
Prospective progressions – Suggested
We love realism. For this reason we recommend a 1 vs 1 competition game. Instead of mannequins, we now include real players. Let’s see now, how our players react? Our teams are capable to intercept the ball from their opponents or they have to defend their post from an opponent that received a ball facing their mini goal post. This variation will ”put on a real fire” and all your players will fight for the victory under real match circumstances.
We hope that you found this exercise suitable for your team. As a conclusion, we encourage you to reflect and evaluate your training in order to achieve a more significant long term development regarding your players and your team.
Until the next one Ciao
