4V4 Penetrate is a nice twist on a possession activity that encourages attacking space on the dribble, breaking lines and switching the point of attack. Could be adapted slightly and utilized as a warm-up activity.

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4V4 PENETRATE

Setup:

4V4 inside the playing area with a player from each team inside the five yard channel with a ball at their feet. Multi-directional when the coach plays a new ball into the playing area. Coach dictates possession and the tempo of the activity.

Instructions:

The objective of the 4V4 in the middle is to maintain good possession in order to open up space and dribble over the end line. As shown in the diagram, player A has dribbled over the end line and player B highlighted in yellow has penetrated the playing area on the dribble. The red team can maintain possession and dribble across the other end line. If the ball goes out of bounds a new ball is played in from the coach. Only when a new ball is played in can the team choose which direction to attack, if the ball is turned over they must attack the other end line.

Coaching Points:

When to dribble? When to pass? Be aggressive and take players on 1V1, if things close down quickly put your foot on the ball and switch the point of attack. The player waiting in the channel must anticipate where the space to attack will be and enter the playing area there, thus making it difficult for the four defending players in the middle to react, recover and deny penetration.