Football Drills

Two players line up on opposite sides of the grid to each other, with a third player placed between them in goal. Player 1 dribbles the ball around the cone and then tries to score in the goal. Player 2 must also run around the far cone before then attempting to stop player 1 from scoring.

The object of this game is for the players in possesion of the ball to clear the ball into the area on the opposite side. The opposing players have to try and prevent the players from making the clearances. When the coach calls out freeze the team with the least amount of balls in their area are the winners.

Objective: To defend against a winger or opposite full back overlapping Detail: This practice uses 7 players (2 full backs 2 wide players 1 CB 1 Att 1 GK) Use the same area/side of the pitch as above. Serving full back serves the ball from half way line. Defensive full back starts 10 yards outside of 18 yard box. Attacking full back passes the ball to wide player. As ball travels defending full back pressurises ball. Full back can now pass to centre forward or overlapping full back. Defending centre back and wide player are added. Full Back: Having pressured wide player, if opposing full back overlaps, defensive full back tracks overlapping run. If wide player passes or dribbles inside to centre forward full back tucks in close to centre back. Wide Player: If full back overlaps, wide player to pressurise opposing wide player and force the ball down the line. Centre Back: Move within 10 yards of full back to remain compact whilst positioning ball side of centre forward.

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.

5 vs 5 game where the object is to steal as many cones from the opposition as possible. Every goal your team scores is worth one of your opponent's cones.

3 teams of 6: red blue and yellow. Set up an area starting at the edge of the penalty box, 44 yards wide and about 20 yards long. 2 teams start in the area with the other team spaced evenly around the edge. Games of 6 vs 6 using the outside players as extras for whichever team has the ball: 3 minute rotation (including the players on the outside) The aim of this is for teams to keep possession of the ball for as long as possible. The players on the outside are 2 touch only. Have a goal at each end with Goalkeepers. The 2 outside players (yellow) nearest the top goal are numbered "1" and those nearest the bottom goal are numbered "2". One team attacks towards the end with the "1" players, the other towards the "2" players. Once a team in the area has had 6 consecutive passes then they can play the ball to the players "1" or "2" and then can enter the penalty area to shoot at goal. Players "1" or "2" only have 2 touches to pass to the player running in. If players aren't getting enough opportunities to take shots, due to not breaking through Defence then each team can shoot in both goals. This will create more space for both of them. 6 games, so each team plays the others twice.

A fun game for all - all players are numbered (in the animation from 1-4). The coach plays a pass straight down the middle of the two lines of players. As soon as they have made this pass they must call out a number. The players whose number has been called out must sprint to try and win the ball. The player who is first to the ball can then turn and dribble to their side. The team with the most balls at the end of the drill is the winner.

Skills dribbling - players dribble with the ball to the first cone which they should then run around in an anti-clockwise direction. They then run to the second cone and run around this one in an anti-clockwise direction as well. From this point players run through the two gates before running from the near right to far left cone, along the back edges of the blue cones (far left to far right) and finally around the near left cone before dribbling back to the touchline.

3 pairs of players start by holding hands. They are the crocodiles. All other players have 1 ball each. The players dribble around trying to avoid the crocodiles. If a crocodile kicks a players ball out of the area, the player then links hands with the crocodile. Together, they chase other players. Play until 1 player remains.

Set up as shown with cones evenly spaced out. The distance between the cones can be modified depending on your players abilities. Player(s) dribbles through the cone performing 2 touches with the interior and 2 touches with the exterior.

The players (dalmations) are being chased by the catchers (Cruella de Ville). Any player that dribbles their ball outside of the box or has their ball kicked out of the box becomes a catcher.

High Intensity drill This a 6 vs 2 invasion game. Mark out three areas in a line (each box 15m x 25m) using cones (You can adjust the area based on the level of the players and if it is too easy for the Attackers or Defenders). Start with 6 players in each of the two end areas and 4 in the middle area. The aim of this drill is for the 6 players in each end to keep possession of the ball, with those in the middle taking turns to try and win the ball. Players in the end zone have 2 touches maximum or a point goes to the Defenders. To start, a Feeder will throw the ball into one of the ends. Two Defenders will then move into the relevant end and chase down passes in an effort to win the ball back in a 6 vs 2 game. The 6 players will be passing the ball amongst themselves. Once they have completed 6 successful passes then they can pass to the opposite end. When this happens, the players left in the middle will enter that end and do the same thing. The Defenders work for 3 minutes then rotate the playing positions around.

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.

3 players stand around 3 metres apart from one another with one ball between them. They can pass in either direction and should start with two touch football, using strong side footed passes. After a few minutes you can introduce a one touch rule to encourage players to think about where they are going to pass before they even receive the ball.

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 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.