Othoniel “Junior” Gonzalez is currently working for the Seattle Sounders FC Academy.  He is in charge of the U-14 Boys team and scouting for the Academy. Prior to joining the Sounders, Gonzalez coached at the University of California, Riverside, and was an assistant with former MLS club Chivas USA. He is also currently a U.S. U-15 Boys National Team Assistant Coach.

Teach your players to play the ball through lines to players further up the field.  Help your players learn to control the tempo of the game, retain possession in order to move the opponent and create gaps in order to penetrate. Improve your midfielders spacing and overall field awareness!

Activity #1:

Setup:

FIFA 11 warm up 15 minutes.

30×30 yard playing area (15×15 yard grids), 16 players.

Instructions:

Teams will try and keep possession of the ball inside the playing area and try to progress the ball to the outside players. Your team earns points the following ways: 1. If the ball is played to all outside players without being intercepted. 2. If the ball is played directly from one outside player to another on the outside of the playing area. 3. Teams get a bonus point if they complete a combination before progressing the ball from one side to another.

6 x 3 minute games, 1 minute rest intervals

Coaching Points:

• Teach players to play the ball through the lines to players further up the field
• Control the tempo and possession to move the opponent to create gaps to progress the ball through
• Improve midfielders’ spacing and awareness
• Check their shoulder and be aware of space to play through the lines
• Search out the most dangerous pass if possible

Activity #2:

Setup:

12×30, 16 field players and 2 GKs, two identical set ups as shown.

Instructions:

Variation 1:

Player A plays it to a checking player B, B lays it off to player A who hits a first time pass to player C, C lays the ball off to player B, player B slips a through ball to player D running on to it for a finish on goal.

Variation 2:

Player A plays it to player B who turns and plays it to player C, player C plays it through the defenders to player A running through. Player A plays it to player D who pops off the defender for a finish on goal. Each variation is done to each side for 3 minutes. Then teams switch.

4 x 3 mintes, 1:30 rest intervals

Coaching Points:

• Improve players’ ability to receive and play on different lines
• Improve ability to play through gaps and lines based on players’ movements
• Improve players’ passing and receiving technique and final finish

Activity #3:

Setup:

44×60 (20 yard zones), 9v9 to big goals.

Instructions:

1. Teams get a bonus point if they play directly through the middle channel to the target in the attacking zone.

2. Teams get a bonus point if the ball is progressed to the next grid and set back on first time touch.

3. Open play.

3 x 6 minutes, 2 minute rest intervals

Coaching Points:

• Look to play forward first with the most dangerous pass
• Midfielders will create angles of support for back line that allows them to receive the ball and also create passing lanes to the forwards
• Midfielders will position themselves to receive the ball with their back foot and face forward
• Backline players must play fast balls into forwards to break the line quickly
• As the ball advances, midfielders will quickly progress into angles of support underneath the forwards in order to get into goal scoring positions