>My U-12 boys team recently completed play in the Cup Division of the Atlanta Cup. We played what I would call a conservative 3-3-1 lineup. Defensively we played great and allowed only two goals in three games. The problem was we did not score any goals in the last two games and lost 1-0 to two strong teams out of NC and FL who had two speedy defenders that played centrally. Our target is big and fast and technical but he could not beat these two players. I am looking for activities to “drill” (I know I don;t like the term) into his head that he can look for drops or hold and wait for help on the outside to arrive.
Can you suggest such activities?
A couple of things:
1) Now you’re getting into functional training which at U12 can be very limiting. In four years this player might be a defender or a mid so why spend a lot of time doing functional training with a 12 year old. You can still do a lot of pattern training with these ages so it would fit. My HSBV team is using a lot of classical target training and the mids are just as important in this regard so you need to train them together.
2) Playing to and supporting a Target session
: warmup: groups of three: 3p:1b, open space, a) two players establish a passing rhythm of one touch passes about 5-6yds apart. when the “target” player calls for the ball (I use “target” or a location on the field, i.e., through center, down line, etc.) one player sends a driven pass on the ground and the other player runs to support the player receiving the ball the target lays off the ball on one touch and the supporting player accelerates on their first touch past the target (dribble toward or near to work on 1v1 skills). reset with two players playing 1 touch passes CP- first touch, passes on the ground, following through on the initial driven pass, body shape of target, checking away and coming to the ball for target player, timing of the supporting run-don’t close space too soon.
b) pass, layoff and turn. this time, the target lays the ball off and spins around while bending their run to receive another ball. the bending run is important because you want to avoid being offsides if the supporting attacker holds the ball too long. keep eye contact on the bending run.
c) either pattern but balls in the air, to chest, to head, flick past a defender etc. get a lot of repititions.
d) make it competitive, which team can do 10 target patterns first? which team can do it with their weak foot?
::small sided activity: 2v2+N to 2T in 25×40 grid. play is directional to one target in each 5 yard endzone. in the endzone on the endline place 2 or 3 “defenders” that the target must start their run from behind. The target may not be in the endzone but must time their runs to enter the endzone when the pass is made. (basically you are training the striker to start their runs from behind the defense, it takes some time, but they get it, make sure to point out that their runs must attack the gaps in the “D” ) a point is scored in one of three variations: a) game is directional but both targets are neutral so you can play to support (goalie) and targets can play to one another, the team in possession scores when the ball is played from target to target without losing possession. b) the team scores when they play to target and a supporting player receives a drop pass and dribbles over the endzone (through the gap of defenders. c) the supporting players plays a ball to the target after a spin move through a gap in the defenders.::CP:: same coaching points as above, although you can also coach the off the ball runs of the 2v2 players when looking to receive a ball from the target, runs should be angled and their first touch should be forward/positive –same applies to T when turning, but that’s not really the session so I often leave those CP’s for another session, maybe covered previously.
expanded: 5v5 + 2K +2T; both teams in a 3-2 formation with T on each team. T’s should wear pennies to differentiate themselves. (with boys i go shirts v skins with targets wearing orange pennies. ) 3 lines of players. field: 50×35 with restraining line (offsides line) at about 18 yards from each goal to allow more build up play. ( I like marking out the thirds of the field in this session for two reasons: 1) target play differs in the attacking third than in the middle third or defending third and this is where I coach this difference with the thirds of the field 2) how, when, where, why, and what are important. be sure when you let players know that forwards turning and taking players on in the middle third doesn’t maintain possession and forwards always turning in the attacking third doesn’t shred the defense as well as mids running through the D off the target.
Coach within the game
game 6v6 +K; 3-2-1 and 2-3-1 formations; coach the targets and the mids, did you make a difference?
I follow up this session with a similar warmup but my second activity is 4v4 with a half line and 3v1+3v1 on each side to work on the timing off the ball. a) play the ball to target, follow your pass after the layoff,
b) play to target, switch to third attacker,
c) play to target, drop/lay off, or turn,
d) free play
Play to big goals and it’s a lot more fun!
Good luck,
Christian
leftfootcoach 