FineSoccer Drill 46

Keeping possession of the ball while moving up the field is a simple concept but from watching many games, it's obviously much more difficult to actually apply.  This drill will show you how you can take what the defense gives you and use it against them.

Start with 7 player set up as shown below with 4 players around midfield and 3 back by the 18.

One of the three players starts with the ball then 2 of the 4 players check to the ball from midfield while the other 2 players go away.  The ball is played to one of the checking runners and the player who passes it forwards follows her pass with a hard sprint to get up by the two players who checked away.  The player who checked to the ball but didn't receive it, spins off and goes away as well.  The player who receives the ball will one touch it BACK to one of the remaining two players who are slowly jogging forward.  The player who played the ball back follows her pass and gets in a line with the two who are jogging forward.  Next, the two players who originally were running away from the ball now check to the ball and we start up again.  The general rule is two players check back to the ball, everything is one touch, always play the ball in the direction you are facing, and follow your pass.

This becomes a very simple pattern of players checking back to the ball, receiving the ball with their first touch and playing the ball in the direction they are facing at all times.  Also, this drill develops the habit of getting a sprint in after each pass, and supporting at angles.  It takes a while for a group to do this properly but as you can see by clicking HERE, this can be a complete style of play.

Give this a try and let me know what you think.

Have a good day.

Lawrence