Ratio of 1 ball to 3 players.
Players with the ball are put on the outside of the grid. The other players pair up inside the grid and choose 1 person as the attacker and 1 person as the defender. The attacking player must get free from their defender, receive the ball from any support player and play it back without losing possession.
Change of speed and direction.
Take the defender away from the player you want to receive the ball from (check out and check in).
Receive sideways on.
in more ways than one
in more ways than one
Under FutureFit, your Under-9s stay at 5v5, your Under-11s stay at 7v7 and your Under-13s stay at 9v9. Same pitch, same numbers, one more year. Here is how to make sure that year feels like a step forward rather than a repeat.
Most 1v1s are lost in the first second, when the defender rushes in and dives. Teach your players to slow the attacker down, take away the dangerous option and pick the right moment, and they will win far more of them.
The FA's FutureFit framework lands this season, bringing a 3v3 entry format at Under-7s. Here is what actually changes on a Saturday morning, and how to coach it well.