Football Drills

Set up two lines of players as show in the image, about 30m from the goals. The first player dribbles with the ball at pace and then puts their foot on top of the ball, to leave it dead in front of the other player. The first player continues their run around the cone in front of them and then runs back inside the area. The receiver uses a positive first touch to move into space and then try to finish through one of the wide goals. The first player should have continued their run and now tries to put pressure on the receiver's shot.

Encouraging 1st time shooting by using the correct technique to take the shot early and finish from close range. Get your knee over the ball and use the pace of the ball to generate the power. By trying to strike the ball too hard, the likelihoood is the accuracy will be poor. Blue 1 plays ball into area and clue 2 moves in to shoot 1st time. Blue 2 goes to replace blue 1 and blue 1 runs around working area to take blue 2s place.

Position players in groups of 4 as shown in the diagram. Repeat in 2 other areas for a total of 12 players. The server (player 3) stands behind the goalkeeper. He makes a pass out to the shooter who strikes the ball 1st time at the goal. This shot must come from the grid at the right of the diagram. Player 2 retrieves any balls from behind the goal. Repeat and rotate. Progression: Serve the ball for a volley or 1/2 volley.

Straight forward passing and moving drill with only two touches on the ball. The blue players off the ball can only receive the ball at one of the four cones in each corner of the area and the red player is trying to intercept the ball.

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.

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.

Both players start on their knees with one player feeding an accurate throw for the other player to attack. It is best to begin practising this drill on knees and progress to the standing up position when players feel more confident.

Standing in pairs opposite each other the feeder throws the ball for their partner. The receiving player then heads the ball back into the feeder's hands.

Set up 3 gates on each side as shown. The blue team run through the blue gates and the red team run through the red gates. Players run with the ball through all the gates, round the last cone and then bring the ball back. The first player to get back wins a point for their team.

The red player attacks the blue player in the area between the blue cones. The blue player cannot tackle but can only put red player under pressure.

Two players line up on opposite sides of a square. The attacking player dribbles the ball towards the centre before then attempting to stop the ball between one of the goals. The goal nearest to the defender's starting point is worth 10 points as it is the hardest goal to stop the ball in. The middle goal is worth 5 and the top goal only 1 point.

Station one player in each grid in the crab postion (belly up, on hands and feet). Six players start on one end line. Station discs at the opposite end line. The standing players must dribble across the area without being tackled by the crab players who are trying to kick the balls out of the area. If a ball is kicked out, the player stays in the game and tries to help his teammates get the other balls across. The object of the game is to see how many times the players can dribble across the area until no soccer balls are left. Count how many successful trips players make. Repeat and rotate.

Great for warm ups. Players dribble through the cones, pass to the waiting player at the end of the cones and then run back to touch the first red cone. They then turn and sprint back inside the red square where they play a quick one-two. After this they run back towards the start line, looking to run onto the weighted pass from the blue player. The next player then goes.

Player takes 2 footed calf springs along the ladder. He jumps forward two rungs, and then back one, all the way to the end

Set out a triangle with 3 cones all 1 meter apart. Player 1 passes the ball to player 2 through the area of the triangle. Player 2 has to control the ball and touch it to the side before playing a return pass. Players must make sure that when they make a return pass that it is never played through the same side of the triangle that they have just received the ball through.

Each teams has 3 players and one goal to defend and one to attack. The ball is not allowed to stop or go over head height. By passing and dribbling the ball players must try to score three goals - first to three wins!