Soccer: Functional Team Space

Taking only one step before striking the ball, players should pass using the instep of both their feet - left and right.

Set up as shown with 2 players outside the small diamond area. 1 ball between the two. The area should be a 4x4 diamond, however the shape and size can be modified depending on the level of your players and the main aspect of controlling and passing that you want to achieve. Players pass to each other, taking 2 touches, the first with the interior to control and the second with the exterior to pass. At any moment one of them can take the first touch with the interior to another side, this is a trigger for the other player to quickly take up a new position oppposite and they keep working again from this new position.

2 teams. Each team has their own area in which they keep possession by passing the ball around. The other team can send one player across to try and win the ball for their side. If they manage to win possession the roles reverse and the other team passes the ball inside their own area. The winning team is the first team to put 10 passes together without losing the ball.

For the first part of this drill put your team into 3s and give them one ball per group. Staying inside the grid players must pass between themselves, never standing still, working their way all around the area. Once your players have worked like this for a few minutes you can now add a tackling element into this drill. Players must continue to work the ball around the grid, constantly moving but they must now also try to kick the other team's balls out of the area. The last team in possession of their own ball is the winner.

Players pass the ball to each other while keeping shape and moving along the pitch from one side to the other and back.

Using a square 5x5m, players in pairs run with the ball along one side and pass the ball from left to right by pulling the ball back and moving their feet around the ball to pass. Get players to use both their weaker and stronger feet to pass.

4 players, 1 ball. The blue player starts with the ball and plays a one-two pass with their partner. When they have received the ball again they should play a lofted pass to the furthest player from them (the other blue player) and then rotate with their partner so that the blue player is now on the inside and the red player is on the outside. Meanwhile at the other end of the drill the receiving player should have controlled the lofted pass, played a one-two with their partner and then played a strong lofted ball back to the furthest player on the other side. Both players should then swap places.

Lofted passes are great for clearing your lines, switching play or dinking the ball over the top to a striker who is making a run behind the other team's defensive line. Approach the ball at a slight angle, back swing of leg (using arms for balance) and follow through with your pass.

Passing pattern: The ball starts with the player near the corner flag who passes up the line to the next player. the next player must them play a long ball (lofted or driven) the opposite corner player. That player must then control the ball and then pass to the center player who then dribbles back to the start point.

The first player plays a one-two pass with player 2, who passes back in front of player 1's looping run. Player 1 then dribbles with the ball either to the half-way line or the by-line where they then: either pass to player 3 on the half-way line who then dribbles to the outside of the 16 yard box and shoot or cross the ball into the box for the attacking player to attack.

The first player plays a one-two pass with player 2, who passes back in front of player 1's looping run. Player 1 then dribbles with the ball either to the half-way line or the by-line where they then: either pass to player 3 on the half-way line who then dribbles to the outside of the 16 yard box and shoot or cross the ball into the box for the attacking player to attack.

Place 5 discs with soccer balls on them on each endline. Play 6 v 6 in the area. When the ball rolls out of bounds, it should be rolled in underhand by a player. The object of the game is to score by knocking down one of the balls off a disc on your teams attacking endline. If a player knocks a ball off, he scores 5 points. If he passes through the middle of the balls on the ground, he scores 3 points.

Player 1 passes the ball to one of the cones for player 2 to receive the ball and pass it back after this player 1 passes the ball to the opposite cone and player 2 again receives the ball and passes it back. Complete ten passes before swapping positions. Cones should not be put to far apart.

The red player (1) stands between the cones closest to the blue player. When red player 1 is ready to receive the ball they move towards their marker before checking off the player and making a run to either the left, centre or right gate. The blue player then plays the ball towards red player 1 who receives the ball and plays a one touch pass back. The red players change roles when the defender intercepts the ball from the attacking player.

Objective: To develop the understanding of movements both on & off the ball. Detail: Mark out a 30 x 30 / 40 x 40 area (age & ability dependant). Organise players into 2 teams of 8. 3 v 3 2 floaters on the inside 2 x 4 target players on the outside. The floating players play for the team in possession. Players must make 8 passes to score a goal.

Objective: Developing practice above with team based small sided game. Detail: Increase area to 50 x 50. Split the players into 3 groups of 5 1 floater. Each team has a ball and plays at the same time. Teams transfer the ball around the area with the objective of the game to try and pass to a team mate through central square. Teams must decide when it is possible to do this and when they must move the ball elsewhere.

Set up as shown with 2 players and 1 ball between the two. The area should be a 4x4 diamond, however the shape and size can be modified depending on the level of your players and the main aspect movement to receive that you want to achieve. Play begins with the internal player making movement to receive the ball and then exiting the diamond. Once they exit the diamond the player on the far end makes a pass into the middle player who controls and passes back. The sequence is repeated with the middle player making a new movement to receive on a different side of the diamond.

Set up as shown with 2 players and 1 ball between the two. The area should be a 4x4 square, however the shape and size can be modified depending on the level of your players and the main aspect movement to receive that you want to achieve. Play begins with the internal player making movement to receive the ball and then exiting the square. Once they exit the square the player on the far end makes a pass into the middle player who controls and passes back. The sequence is repeated with the middle player making a new movement to receive on a different side of the square. The far end player should move away from the ball after he makes a pass and then move towards the ball when the pass is played towards him.

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 2 players in the middle, 1 ball between the 4. Play begins with a pass from the outside into the middle. The middle players combine to get the ball out to the other side. The player who passes the ball out follows their pass and gets on the outside. The player on the outside who receives the pass from the middle has 2 choices: 1 - rwtb into the area, turn and pass 2 - pass into the other player in the middle before getting the ball back and passing to the outside player on the other side

Players are 10 metres apart facing each other. Player 1 starts with the ball. Player 1 rolls the ball to player 2 who passes the ball back with instep using 1 touch. After 10 repetitions swap roles.