Put on by legend Michel Preud’homme, current manager of Standard Liège, here is a very competitive, unique and fun version of an 8V8 multi-goal small sided game. Standard Liège is currently sitting 4th in the table in the Belgian Pro League.
This activity was submitted by youth soccer coach and founder of Changing the Game Project, John O’Sullivan. Read about his recent travels to the south of Spain!
In early January 2019, I took a trip to southern Spain to visit a coaching friend and was pleasantly surprised to find numerous German, Belgian, and Dutch teams training and playing games in the area. Teams included Borussia Dortmund, Mainz 05, Standard Liege, Feyenoord, and others. On January 10 we had the opportunity to watch Mainz vs Standard Liege. Mainz led 2-0 at half and then both teams made wholesale changes, and Standard ended up winning 3-2. The following day we watched both teams do a morning recovery training session, and Standard Liege players played this high-energy, highly entertaining game. They played it in a 10v10 format with the goalkeepers training off to the side with the GK coach. As you can see, the small goals faced in multiple directions, forcing teams to switch play quickly. Each team had to both defend and attack all the goals, and whenever a goal was scored or the ball went out of bounds a new ball was played in by the coach, keeping the energy high. There were minimal stoppages for coaching, and once they decided to play “next goal wins” it got very competitive. What struck me was not only the technical quality, athleticism and speed of play, but how much enjoyment there was in this game as well. There are multiple ways you could play this, with a “pass through” goal in the center, Coerver goal with GKs, etc but overall it was a great game that got players passing, moving, switching play, communicating, and competing.
Explore more contributions from John O’Sullivan via the links below:
Anthony Latronica – Way of Champions Podcast
Is “Fear of Missing Out” Ruining Youth Sports?
8 Coaching Mistakes I Wish I Never Made
The Ostrich Effect: Why We Ignore our Coaching Problem, and How to Fix It
Standard Liège 8V8 Multi Goal Game
Setup:
8V8 progressing to a 10V10 small sided game to six goals. Playing area is 60X60. Coach with a supply of balls on side.
Instructions:
Teams can score in every goal and must also defend every goal. Goals face in both directions and there is space past goals to receive a pass. Players are instructed to move the ball quickly and look for overload situations to attack goal, or switch the play when attacking space is closed.
Coaching Points:
Play quickly, create numerical advantages, recognize the moments to switch the point of attack, compete and have fun!
Watch a video clip from the session below!