Inspired by the inaugural TOVO Coaching Course in Sitges, Spain, the following activity was choreographed by Coach Oscar who is the Head Coach of Barcelona’s U-9 squad. Because of the quality of his players, both of these activities can be adjusted and used with much older players if your environment demands so. Enjoy!
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Setup:
4V2+2 Positional Rondo. Two grids 12×12 are set next to each other. Coach dictates the pace of the activity by having plenty of balls at his feet. The white dotted line is imaginary and only used as a visual reference to one of the activities’ conditions. Players have been organised by position based on 3-2-1 and 2-3-1 systems of play. We have chosen to work with one central defender (#4), two wide defenders (#2,#3), two attack minded central midfielders (#8,#10), and the center forward (#9).
Instructions:
Four yellow players possess the ball against two red players. The objective is to move the ball from one playing area to the players waiting in the other grid representing the center forward (#9) and the attacking midfielder (#10). The players have the three following conditions: 1. You must connect five passes before you advance the ball to the other grid. 2. You must play through the central midfielder (#8) to advance it to the other grid. 3. The entry pass to other grid must be on a diagonal and not in a straight line. (across the imaginary white dotted line). Possession continues on the other side with the #9, #10 and the joining #8 and left back #3 against the same two transitioning defenders. This 4V2 continues until the ball is either won by the defenders or the ball goes out of bounds. The next ball is started with the coach. Switch the two defenders as needed.
Coaching Points:
Focus on individual positional roles as well as small group patterns and relationships within the system of play. Encourage scanning the field without possession of the ball, finding the central midfielder and details off the ball. All movements and decisions should replicate game like scenarios when playing in a 3-2-1 and 2-3-1 formation. The movements of the #8 and outside backs will help create an overload from the back in a real match.