Football: Functional Team Space

There are two triangles in this drill, both using the same top point player (player 5). Players in the top triangle pass in an anti-clockwise direction and players in the lower triangle pass in a clock-wise direction. Both pairs of players must use the middle player as their third passing option.

Set up as shown with 2 cones (the disatance of which between can be modified depending on ability or challenge you want to set your players). 1 player on each cone and 1 player in the middle, 1 ball between the 3. Players always take 2 touches, the ball is moved from one end, into the middle man and then to the other end before the sequence is repeated from the other side.

Player 1 starts with the ball. The ball is played in with pace to the feet of player 2. As the ball is played in player 2 moves to the ball, and with their first touch aim to bring the ball inside and round the defender. The same can be done on the outside towards the touch line.

Set up as shown with two attackers and one defender, with the defender positioned closest to the goal. Attackers must look to pass the ball quickly  before dribbling it into the goal.

Players pass and then move to find an empty cone. Players should take 2 touches, 1 to control and 1 to pass.

Players pass and then move to find an empty cone. Players should take 1 touch. With bigger numbers in your training session you can increase the number of cones and the number of balls accordingly.

3 players run down the pitch, passing and interchanging to finish with a shot at goal. Player in the middle starts with the ball. They pass the ball to one of the outside players and overlaps around them. The second player passes the ball to the player on the other side and overlaps around them. Each player receives the ball from the same player every time and they should overlap around the player they pass to. 

Set up as shown. The player in the middle starts with the ball. They play a diagonal ball into space so that the player to the right can run onto it. That player now plays a square ball to the player far left who plays a 1st time ball to the middle player.

Set up as shown. The player in the middle starts with the ball. They play a diagonal ball into space so that the player to the right can run onto it. They then play a square ball, once the defender has committed, to the player far left who plays a 1st time ball into the middle player.

6 players work in an area approximately 30 meters wide, divided in two with a third boxed area at one end. Red team play a 3 v 1 inside the first area but need to look for early deep ball to blue (3) in smaller coned area. The Blue team has also got a player (2) in the centre zone this player can not enter the area where the reds are keeping possession.

Create 5 x 5 yard squares in corners of the grid. Play 4 v 4. The red team has possession of the ball. The object of the game is to play the ball into one of the two attacking boxes for a player to run into and control the ball with the sole of the foot. The play is conditioned to encourage one touch passing and switching play. The red team is attacking to the right side of the diagram.

Two boxes of 20x10 steps, are marked out with cones. Teams are evenly split and they stand in one box each. Team 1 start with a football each. On the coach's command the team with the balls attempt to play a long pass in the air, that makes its first bounce in the other team's box.

Group in pairs. One ball between the pair. Repeat in 5 other areas for a total of 12 players. Player 2 passes the ball across the area to player 1. Player 2 then runs immediately around the cone and back to his starting position. Player 1 must control the ball, then pass it back using the inside of his foot, attempting to pass the ball over the far end line before player 2 gets back into position. A goal is scored if the ball goes over the end line travelling along the ground. Repeat and rotate.

Players must use their first touch to play the ball either to the left or the right of their square. As soon as they have done this they must then aim to pass the ball through the middle grid and into their partner's square. Their partner must then use their first touch to guide the ball slightly out of their own grid to play the return pass back.

Player 1 hand feeds the ball to player 2 at chest height. Player 2 then must control using their chest and thigh so that they can turn and play an instep volley into player 3's hands.

Set up different coloured gates around the grid area - the more colours the better. Players are working in pairs, one player dribbling and the other moving to be ready to receive the pass. The coach will call out a colour for the players to respond to (in the animation the colour is 'red'). Depending on what colour the coach has called out the players must move to find an unoccupied gate to pass the ball through. Once the players have passed the ball through the cones they swap roles (dribbler and runner).

Set up your team in a small sided game on a pitch running from the edge of the penalty area to the half-way line. Play normal rules except for the fact that during the drill, players are not allowed to talk during the game. Players cannot call for the ball, tell a player where to go or where they want the ball passed to. This really emphasises the importance of communication. If a player does speak, then a free-kick is given to the opposite team.

Teams are made up of 3 players. Each team will look to attack the opposition goal in the opposite corner of the pitch. This will involve good passing and switching of the play.

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.

Objective: Develop different methods to transfer the ball to specific areas of the pitch. Detail: Mark out a 40 x 40/50 x 50 (age and ability dependant). Squad practice - 16 players 2 players from each team opposite each other one playing one way and the others playing the other way. Remaining players 6 v 6 inside area. 2 balls per team. Transfer the ball around the area from one end to the other through the outside players. Decision/A & D of support/Acc & Qual of pass. Quality of movement on/off the ball. Supporting long pass of neutral players. Quick combination play. Defending as a group/compactness. Collective pressure/communication/positioning.