Technical:
Players in the previous two stages were working on ball familiarity a lot and in this stage this will continue. A big difference in this stage as they will have more game application. Our main job is to encourage our players to recognize and solve problems that present themselves in games. They were instructed and provided with a set of skills to do that. Now it’s time to apply them. Be careful about joystick coaching. In other words, you already have a big influence on your players and they will look into you for answers. Make sure you’re not telling them what to do play by play as it doesn’t do them any favors. As mentioned before they need to be able to recognize and solve problems on their own (read a post about Stages of Proper Player Development).

Create sessions that replicate game situations/moments so players can visualize what things will look like in games. Most of the exercises should have imitations of different game situations, from technical individual work to micro (with few numbers) to macro (small/big groups) sequences. Players should also have freedom to experiment. There shouldn’t be limit on creativity but distinguish a difference between goofing off and actually trying something productive.

Psychological:
Player of this age are like sponges and they have the ability to sync the new information easily. That’s why is called the ‘Golden Years of Learning’ as players are not necessarily fazed by failure but rather see what they’re doing right and are eager to learn/try. They’re also seeing their skill set grow and therefore are aware on the impact on the game they have. Players are not yet impacted by the ’adult syndrome’ or ‘real world’ where we, as adults, with the experience behind us are shaped more and more by failure.

That’s why we have the responsibility as coaches not the ruin or negatively impact children’s open minds but support them in becoming confident. In times when things are good but to make sure that we teach them that mistakes are not to be taken as ‘the end of the world’ but rather an opportunity. Be positive, optimistic, encouraging but also realistic. Recognize situations between being positive/supportive and actually correcting things that need to be corrected. You can’t be all smiles and laughs at all times as you won’t be doing your players a favor.

Tactical:
Player are becoming more aware of the tactical implications in games. The ability to take players on is crucial but with an importance of recognizing situation on how to use numerical advantage. That’s why your sessions should have progression in situations varying from small to big –  1v1, 2v1, 2v2, 3v2… Passing and ball movementis becomingmore important but should not be the main focus or a measurement of how your team is progressing.

Formation will evolve with the mandated changes starting with the 2016/17 season. Most popular and effective way to go is 1-3-3-2. That way your players will, beside understanding positional demands (make sure they rotate positons in games), have a good outlook on the relationship play between positions and lines. For example – outside back with central defender or outside mid, midfield players understanding how to move together, two forwards working together, pushing up, understating of spacing, pressure/cover/balance, transition, overlapping…etc. How much of the material you establish on your players will depend in how advanced they are.
There are a lot of options to explore but focus on the importance of problem solving of small groups/relationships – #3 to #11 OR #6 to #7 and #10, for example.

Physical:
The athleticism and physical advantage can make a difference on all levels, from youth to professional. At this stage there will be obvious differences in your players in size, speed, coordination… it is an imperative you recognize those needs and work on them with your players. Don’t let the fastest player rely only on his speed. It is a good advantage but that won’t work for him/her down the road. If you manage to convince them about the importance of other development needs, you might be creating a player with a full set of skills. That is our job as coaches – recognizing, influencing and changing our players. It starts with your understanding that physical advantages are temporary and then transferring it to your players. Continue working on development of coordination, motor skills and even flexibility exercises.

Here are some exercises that can help you in working with your 11-12’s. As you can see they are addressing ball skills, passing, movement, switching sides in various different situations from 1v1 to small groups. They can be adapted and changed to fit
your players.

Warm-up:

Group Activity:

Small Sided Activity:

Scrimmage:

The post Part III, Age Specific Needs: Golden Years of Learning, 11-12-year-olds first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.

Don’t be result oriented as your team will start organized competition and some might even play in tournaments. Don’t promote with your players/parents the importance of results. Important step of long term player development is the parent education as well. Educate your parents that this is just one step of the long journey and that kids are loved and appreciated for many things besides soccer. They’re valued just as much when they lose the game. If you ignore or skip this opportunity to educate the group about your club’s philosophy you will pay the price down the road. (read about 4 Steps to Building an Effective Club Culture). There will be parents with their own agenda that will pull the kids out of your program. It might be tough but better to clean house early and set the right expectations with everyone included.

In this phase, as well as in the next one, be aware of the winning at all cost trap. It will be easy and tempting to play players that can win you games (faster, bigger, taller players) at these ages (here is an article about Development Over Winning: 8 Aspects of Proper Player Development). The bottom line is, this approach is short-term and will not work down the road.

– Technical
Continue focusing on ball familiarization with your players. For a good portion of your session, especially at the beginning, one ball per player should be a norm. Players need to be encouraged and challenged by the coach to try different moves, feints, skills while going into space. Pay attention to the detail and address them with your players. Now is the right time to teach proper technique and reinforce building right habits because players are very receptive to learn new things.

Passing/receiving exercise should start being incorporated also, but as a part of a sequence: pass-receive- take players while changing multiple directions. As you get into scrimmage, there will be passing involved but don’t let it become the main focus. It can look very nice that a bunch of 9-10 year-olds are looking like mini FC Bayern Munich squad but it can be detrimental to player development.

They will also love the opportunity to just kick the ball away for the fun of it or because the lack of comfort. Make sure you address this with players that need help understanding the importance of controlling the ball, looking up and engaging players in 1v1, 1v2 and even 1v3 situations.

– Social
Players are still involved because they want to be around their friends. Also, sessions should be fun and engaging while keeping things simple, player per ball to ensure proper development, focus and positive environment. In the player’s mind it’s all about themselves, which is fine, but we should slowly start introducing the concept of the team.

– Psychological
With the short attention span your players will not be able to focus for a long period of time. It is our job to increase that and keep our players accountable. The accountability level for 9-10-year-olds is not the same as for older players but they should be able to focus and LISTEN while you’re explaining the exercise. They also need to be able to carry on the task without much time spent on re-explaining. Keep in mind that won’t necessarily mean they’ll execute the exercise perfectly but that they’ll know what you’re asking them to do. So, by instilling focus and discipline into your players, you’ll be preparing them for the next stage of their development path.

– Physical
Most of the physical part can be achieved by just letting your players play and incorporate games that will have turning, jumping, catching, running exercises. This is where they will have the most fun and engage themselves the most. Another aspect to continue working on is going to be lots of coordination exercises, all of which can be done with the ball.

– Tactical
Tactical aspect for these ages is generally irrelevant. Anything complex you try will be either shut down by players, won’t be understood or simply won’t be beneficial. At the most, players should start thinking about basic understanding of positions and where they should be standing on the field. Another aspect to consider is teaching them how to handle defensive 1v1 situations.

Under tactical arrangement you have to include is player rotation. Your players must try playing in more than one position in order to understand demands of each one of them. You’re doing them a big favor by rotating players around.

Number of players will go to 7 v 7 format, with mandated changes starting with the 2016-17 season.  Recommended formation should be 1-3-2-1 with – goalkeeper, central defender, 2 outside backs who will join in the attach, 2 central midfielders and 1 forward. Another option is to go with 1-2-3-1 where instead of 3 defenders you will have 3 midfielders. The idea behind this is for two wide players to play up and down the field. How realistic is it to expect from your players to do that? Probably not high but you need to start creating right habits that they will be able to carry later in their careers.

In conclusion, program for U9 and U10 players is just an extension of the first phase. The focus is on making sessions fun, engaging, challenging and safe while instilling focus and discipline in your players. Remember, in the previous post (click here to read about Introductory/Fundamental Period, 4-8-year-olds) we spoke about developing the love for the game. Now, our responsibility is to build on that. Keep the focus on development and not results while educating both, players and parents during this important stage.

Here are some practice activities that can be adapted to suite your players.

Warm-Up:

Transitional 1v1 (progress to 2v1, 2v2):

The post Part II, Age Specific Practice Needs: Developing a Soccer Player first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.

We can start by dividing them into 5 separate categories:
– Introductory/Fundamental Period, 4-8-year-olds
– Developmental Period, 9-10-year-olds
– Golden Years of Learning, 11-12-year-olds
– Learning to Compete, 13-14-year-olds
– Learning to Win, 15 and up

In the next 5 parts, we will take on those requirements in more detail.

Part I, Age Specific Needs: Introductory Period, 4-5-year-olds:
Developing a practice or a season plan for these ages can be a very challenging but also very important task. The approach should be child-focused, meaning one player per ball for a good portion of your training session. (read a post about Development Over Winning: 8 Aspects of Proper Player Development) At the beginning of their soccer careers players need to develop a love for the game and if it’s not fun and engaging they won’t want to participate. Even if the session is very good and creative some kids will be resistant. Finding a way to motivate every individual will be one of many responsibilities.

So, create exercises that are fun, engaging multiple muscle groups, dynamic, short (considering the attention span) with plenty of games, repetition, and breaks. Make it simple, entertaining yet soccer applicable so they’re learning without even noticing. The bottom line is, if they don’t enjoy it they will not want to come back.

– Technical:
Develop familiarity with the ball – dribbling with different surfaces of the foot – inside/outside, laces. Keep the ball close with lots of small and dynamic touches while focusing on the ball and also keeping the head up while moving into space. Start introducing moves and turns such as the step over, Maradona, Cruyff… Lots and lots of repetition, slow progression within training session without forcing too much material. Rather a slow and steady progression to make sure children are learning the material.

– Social:
At this stage, they will start to develop the concept of other people around them and build relationships. Being around their friends is one of the main reasons for participation. Foster and encourage interactions with and among your players.

– Physical:
Focus on developing a range of motion and turning, jumping, landing, throwing, catching skills. All of these aspects need to be done while players are working with or around the ball. You can incorporate a lot of tag and relay games that will be fun while players will work on multiple muscle groups.

– Cognitive:
One aspect to consider is the development of imagination, creativity and learning about trial and error. Be very supportive of all of your players and provide them with plenty of praise and encouragement especially to the ones that are holding back and/or are shy.

– Tactical:
No serious tactical work needs to be done for this age. The main focus should be on players starting to learn about rules, positions (3v3, 4v4 and no GK at this point) and applying principles of play – penetration, mobility, and creativity.

In conclusion, players at this age are self-centered. You need to understand that and use the concept of one ball per player with lots of repetition and movement. Create a friendly environment where children can feel comfortable experimenting, trying and developing their overall comfort with the ball. (how to plan a training session? read about 6 Steps of Methodical Soccer Practice)
The session should not be longer than an hour, once or twice per week with well-timed breaks to avoid boredom and ‘losing’ your players due to focus span.

Here are some sample activities, from a simple warm-up to a group activity and fun game. Keep it simple and effective. You should always finish you training with a scrimmage where players should be encouraged to implement skills that were learned during the training session.

Warm-up:
– One player per ball, dribbling in the grid.
– Focus on close control, small touches, feints, moves, jumps, turns…

Small Sided Activity – Crab Soccer:
One group of players starts with the ball while 2-3 volunteers start as ‘crabs’ (in blue).

Players in ‘red’ jerseys try to dribble from one end of the field to the other while ‘crabs’ try to win the ball by locking it in between their legs. They also need to move as ‘crabs’, palms of the hands on the ground and propped up using their hands and feet to maneuver around. Once they secure the ball in between their feet ‘red’ players automatically become ‘crabs’.

Great and a fun activity for ball control, movement, change of direction/speed.
 

Group Activity – 1v1:
It starts with the coach serving a ball and two players (one from each end) runs to try to win it. Whoever gets to the ball first tries to beat the defender and score. If the defender wins the ball he/she is trying to finish. Players need to engage in contact before shooting on goal. That way you will emphasize ball control and avoid players running to the ball and just kicking it.
Players can execute different movement activities on their way to the top cone such as duck walk, backpedaling, side shuffles…

 Scrimmage:
– 4v4 or 3v3, no goalkeepers, and coach should have a good supply of soccer balls to minimize stoppages. Encourage players to engage other players in 1v1 situations and remind them to about using the space (looking at the diagram you’ll see all the players running toward the ball), as much as possible. This will be difficult but you need to start somewhere.

The post Age Specific Practice Needs: Developing a Soccer Player first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.

In the next 6 steps we will try to explain how to deliver a “Methodical Soccer Practice”.

1 – Plan Accordingly
Plan your session ahead of time and make it age appropriate for your players (learn more by reading this article – Development Over Winning: 8 Aspects of Proper Player Development). It doesn’t mean your players should work on things you saw FC Barcelona work on the internet.

The practice should have a natural flow that progresses from simple, technical work to more complex exercises. You can divide your training into 4 categories with time for breaks in between (not necessarily after every progression).
– Technical Activity:
Lots of technical work and repetition in small groups, from unopposed to lightly opposed.
– Small Sided Activity
Your technical training should progress into a little more advanced, opposed work that can be directional or non-directional.
– Expanded Small Sided Activity:
This segment looks more game like and must be opposed and directional.
Last part is the scrimmage with rules you can adjust based on the needs of your session.

The focus should be on your topic but you can’t ignore other technical and tactical issues that you might come across during your session. Be reasonable with how much you stop the session and try to coach through the flow, especially in the later stages of the training.

Here is a SAMPLE PRACTICE TEMPLATE by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF)

2 – Demonstration
Show what you want your players to do. Be comfortable demonstrating techniques and doing it the way you want your players to do it – passionately, accurately and dynamically. Also, besides visual learning, young players will best replicate your movement and will learn quickly. Stress to your players the importance of paying attention to detail and proper technique. They won’t be able to excel to more complex material unless basic technical aspects are learned first and properly. Be patient and take time, when necessary.

photo by woodleywonderworks/ licensed under CC BY 2.0

3 – Repetition
Give your players plenty of repetition. From creating small and short lines to repeating the material from time to time. Also, be aware of the quantity vs. quality trap. It doesn’t mean they will learn just by repeating certain technique. They need to execute things properly. After a little while, repetition can become boring and white noise to players. Some players will soak the information quickly while others might not. Pay attention to all but make sure that the ones who need more time are provided with just that.

4 – Teach more than one way or situation
Players need to understand when they need to apply what they’ve learned to specific situations. So, for game purposes, paint the picture of when this might happen and in what forms. For example, if you’re teaching them how to open up properly make sure you explain to them there will be more than one channel or option to open up to. Or, if you’re teaching passing and receiving, make sure they understand there is more than one way to execute and more importantly, which technique we use will differ from situation to situation. That way, they will think about it in a broader context.

5 – Game Application
The game is the best teacher. Some players might just need to see it in the game before understanding what you’re referring to in training. Let players try, experiment and make mistakes. The process of trial and error will help them learn. The more comfortable they are in trying, the more comfortable and creative they’ll become. You also need to differentiate between your players trying and goofing around.

6 – Correction & game application for progress purposes
Go back to training and re-visit with the aspects that were not working. You might need to start the whole process again and dig deeper this time or it might be just certain parts that need to be refreshed. The more systematic you are, the better your players will be. Every detail matters and can come up in the game situation.

If your players are progressing well, keep challenging them with more complex material, from technical to tactical. Reward your players with public praise for the parts that really work. Positive reinforcement will motivate your players to do more. On the other hand, be ready to correct and teach your players that mistakes are a part of the game as long as they’re correcting them.

Be thorough and detail oriented in your work. Focus on proper technique, don’t cut corners and give time for your players to grow. It will be a longer path, a path that won’t show instant results. But, when it happens and your players show progress, it will be the most rewarding aspect of coaching that a teacher can receive. In the words of a great coach and teacher John Wooden who said, “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”

The post 6 Steps of Methodical Soccer Practice first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.

Step 1 – Ask Why

The first step in creating a philosophy (learn more about Player Development in this blog post) will be a question you ask yourself, why am I doing this? That reason doesn’t necessarily go within the lines of “work hard so we can win.”

In my opinion, the emphasis shouldn’t be on early winning or to get your name into the Sunday newspaper so you can feed your ego. The bottom line is that winning a few games in the beginning of young player’s careers comes and goes.

Have a higher cause that will attract people to buy into the concept of player development. Don’t let yourself become obsessed with instant results. Instead, invest into the process of creating, developing and nurturing the ones around you — even at the expense of early success in order to flourish when it matters the most, in the recruiting stage of their career. It is the process of setting high standards/expectations — doing it constantly and success will follow.

Ajax Amsterdam T.I.P.S. Model

Here is an example from the Ajax Amsterdam Soccer Academy. They have been known as the best youth academy in the world.

They established the T.I.P.S. model which translates into technique, insight, personality and speed.  They’re very selective about who gets invited into the academy and very few will get a chance to play for the ‘A’ team. The importance is on the selection and development of both, people and future world class soccer players.
Source:http://english.ajax.nl/youth-academy/youth-academy.htm

photo by Bil Kleb/ licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Step 2 – Work On Yourself

For this next one, you’ll have to look into yourself. As a leader make sure that the philosophy is based on the core values you feel strong about. You will be the focal point and need to make sure you’re comfortable with making decisions and executing the plan.

Educate yourself in the field of soccer but also psychology and needs of players of various ages, nutrition, physical preparation. The more competent you are, the better the club will be.

Also, try to surround yourself with people that have similar values and thinking. I understand that this is a hard task but bringing someone that is willing and open to learn will be as important for him/her as it is to you as a leader. It comes down to this, people will see through you if some of the materials you’re campaigning about are not exactly followed through by you in the first place. You also can’t expect someone to do something you’re not willing to.

Step 3 – Examine the Organization Inside Out

After you’ve established your philosophy and made sure that the values you’re about to carry on you’ll need to examine the organization inside out. Get to know everyone that is associated with the club; from the club president, board of directors, coaches to maintenance staff. Get everyone who is linked with the club on the same page and get excited about what you’re going to do as a team.

As soon as you examine the current way, what worked in the past, and what didn’t work in the past… you’ll be able to start implementing changes.

Also, listen to what people have to say. If you really listen to what others have to say, you will learn a lot! Some feedback will be useful and applicable while others will give you an idea of what not to do. Your way isn’t the only way and people associated with you need to know you’re open for ideas.

The bottom line is that you’re all on the same team and all pieces of the puzzle will need to fit together for an organization to function properly. Keeping those around you in sync and on the same page will help you carry out your philosophy throughout.

Step 4 – Time

Now, you will just have to give it some time. Creating something good takes time and it doesn’t come overnight. It might not come right away at the beginning. Actually, you shouldn’t even see the results of your work immediately.

It will also be very challenging to keep up considering the modern era we’re living in. A lot of organizations and clubs are based on instant success and winning at all cost. Keep in mind that the way they come is the way they go – quick and not much before people forget about them.

In the early winning focused approach, we forget important steps to ensure a bright future. There will be tough times when you might even question yourself. But your culture, philosophy and the people you’re investing your time in should be a constant reminder of why are you doing this. You must be patient and really give time for roots to grow. The stronger the root, the stronger your tree will be.

The post 4 Steps to Building an Effective Club Culture first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.

photo by Bil Kleb/ licensed under: CC BY-SA 2.0

At a young age it’s easy to disguise success through winning. On paper everything looks great – the kids are passing well, scoring goals, smiling faces and parents are having a pretty good time on the sideline. Why do those teams and players disappear down the stretch?

In youth soccer, the term “player development” is probably the most used word. As much as it’s used, it is also misused. Understanding that when winning becomes the focal point at early stages some very important lessons are missed and wrong values are thought which can be detrimental for their future careers.

Here are 8 aspects of proper player development:

– Curriculum
Develop and follow a curriculum that stresses on individual player development that progresses to a team concept. Don’t cut corners during tough times!

– Ball control and proper technique
Make your players comfortable with the ball and educate yourself how to teach the right technique. Young players should be able to engage multiple players without the fear, the process that will help build their confidence. Let your players know that it is ok to make mistakes as long as the right decision was in mind.

– Player rotation and playing time
Provide your players with plenty of playing time and give them time to develop. Reward hard work, creativity, positive attitude. Place players in different positions, even in the ones they’re not good at. Keep yourself from using tactics that will not benefit players on a long run. Coaches can be easily tempted to skip this important step for a few wins and medals.

– Allowing mistakes and positive reinforcement
It might sounds like a cliché but the truth is everyone makes mistakes. So, why would you hold younger players more accountable when even at the professional level there are plenty of mistakes. Don’t get me wrong, you shouldn’t support mistakes due to lack of effort or hard work — but should approve of the ones that are made out of trial. Be supportive of your players and teach them that mistakes are part of the process and not the problem. The problem is not correcting them.

– No joystick coaching
Let your players make decisions and let them figure the game out for themselves.
Soccer is a game of lots of combinations and it is impossible to predict them all. Rather than telling them what to do, equip your players with a set of tools that will help them solve the game situations.

– Develop love for the game
When your players enjoy what they do, they will have plenty of motivation to keep learning. Make the learning experience be more important than the outcome.  The more they learn, the more capable they will be later in their career when winning becomes more important.

– Education of coaches and parents
Understanding the game and why things are done certain ways will be as important for your staff as for parents. Educate them and have materials available that explain your philosophy. They will need to be patient with the process as results are not visible immediately.

– Stick to your guns
It will be very tempting to compromise the developmental path and maybe play a stronger, faster player in only one position or not play those that are as skillful. You, and more importantly, your players will pay the price at the later stages of their career by cutting corners. They won’t be either comfortable in more than one position or will not have enough confidence in their abilities, all of which could’ve been managed during their most critical ages. Understand that your teams might be losing, a lot, but all your work will pay dividends at the later stages.

In conclusion, it is not a secret that Paul Scholes was one of the smallest players in the Manchester Untied academy. On top of that he was also asthmatic. He could’ve been easily left behind. It was a challenging task for coaches to turn him into a world class player. But with the right nurture, patience, and a lot of hard work on player’s behalf he turned out to be one of the most complete midfielders Manchester United have had in their rich history.

The post Development Over Winning: 8 Aspects of Proper Player Development first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.

The 4-3-3 works well for teams who have a good defensive central midfielder who has a lot of responsibilities. He is skilled at disrupting the opponent’s attack, maintaining possession on the offensive side of the ball, offers support in front of the defensive fullback line, and supports the two other midfielders and attackers. He should be able to read plays well, have good awareness of passing options, and must be disciplined in maintaining shape, balance and depth to his team.

Defending in the 4-3-3

A fullback on the back line has a responsibility to stay with his man wherever he goes. For example, when an offensive player makes a run out wide and receives a pass at his feet, the fullback should be arriving at about the same time so that the offensive player can’t turn towards the goal.

If the opposing attacker comes inside, the fullback should stay with him. If he drops into the midfield area, again the fullback should stay with him. If at any point he goes too far beyond the midfield line, then the fullback is to let him go and recover his position on the back line.

No matter where the ball is, for the most part, the fullback’s main responsibility is always the striker playing wide on the side.

As for the midfielders, they also participate in defense. It’s typical that one of the three midfielders acts as a defensive midfielder while the other two participate more in the attack.

Attacking in the 4-3-3

The 4-3-3 works best when a team is on the attack and trying to win a match rather than contain the opposition and hold onto a lead.

This formation relies on the center forward, capable of holding the ball when necessary so that his fellow wingers on either side have time to get into the play. These wide forwards are attacking players with good shooting ability that also use their speed to travel up the wing before cutting in towards the goal.

At least two of the central midfielders offer support to these wing forwards. Those central midfielders take on triangle formation in the center part of the field and play the roles of attackers, defenders, and possession-maintainers. So, as you can see, both defensively and offensively, a well-balanced midfield is key to the 4-3-3.

With a strong midfield, the fullbacks can also join the attack and use the large amount of open space that’s presented to them due to the high positioning of the wide forwards, who draw the defense back.

Pros of the 4-3-3

 The 4-3-3 might be one of the most overwhelming of all formations to the opposition. When in possession, it allows at least seven players to attack.

One special quality of a good 4-3-3 is the strangling quality it brings. This comes from a three-man central midfield which uses passing triangles to dominate possession and three strikers who make runs high up the field. Opponents have difficulty getting the ball and keeping it once they do get it. Opposing defenders are faced with three attackers pressing them and attacking fullbacks close behind.

The 4-3-3 has been likened to a tide against a sandcastle, meaning it might take a while, but the defense will eventually break!

Cons of the 4-3-3

 If you have a team that can’t keep hold of the ball very well while in the attack, the defense can become very vulnerable because on an offensive run the only players left back to defend are the center fullbacks and defensive midfielder. This can create a dangerous situation on a counter-attack as it gives the opposing team a lot of space to break into. One misplaced pass and the other team can quickly mount a dangerous counter attack.

From the wide players, the 4-3-3 requires a huge amount of discipline. If the wide forwards do not track back then the potential to be exposed is huge. Also, fullbacks who make runs up the field to support the attack must have the energy to run back to their defensive line if necessary.

 Conclusion

 They key to a successful 4-3-3 occurs during transition times. When the opponents regain possession then the defensive shape of the 4-3-3 team must occur quickly. When possession is regained by the 4-3-3 team, it must be prepared to create width, depth, and support going forward.

Overall, this formation best suits a team that is looking to play an attacking style with wingers pushed high, overlapping fullbacks, and two offensive-minded midfielders.

The post Understanding the 4-3-3 Formation first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.

The 4-4-2 works well whether a team is interested in attacking or defending, based on the situation. The roles of central midfielders and fullbacks vary depending on how much emphasis a team is placing on defense or offense.

Defending in 4-4-2 formation

Fullbacks join the midfield players when on attack, providing an overlap run to get crosses into the penalty area. The fullbacks can then run into the middle to cover the two central defenders when the ball is being advanced down the wing.

The back line players often have a close relationship and the more experience they have together the stronger the line becomes. This is one of the positives of the 4-4-2.

A negative of playing with four defenders in a flat back is complacency. Fullbacks may want to take the chance of joining the midfield or even helping out in the attack. This can cause the remaining four midfield players and the two attacking players to be outnumbered and will ultimately goals will be hard to come by.

Attacking in 4-4-2 formation

The two strikers link up in play with the midfield players and the rest of the team. It is important that these players spread the defense apart to create space for the midfield players and fullbacks joining in the attack. These two forwards may play far up the field or can drop a little deeper depending on the need. In this regard the forwards in 4-4-2 formation are often interchangeable with the midfield players. This causes confusion for the opposing defense and can help open up a scoring opportunities.

Pros of the 4-4-2

The main benefit of the 4-4-2 is that it’s simple! With clear player roles, it provides a basic foundation of defensive depth and the ability to attack in numbers.

On defense,  the four fullbacks and four midfielders can put eight men in front of the opposition, and cover the entire width of the field. If the defense pushes up high with the midfield, the opposition can be forced to stay within its own half. On offense, there are always options out wide and a strong presence up front to provide attacking options through crosses or long balls to the wings.

Cons of the 4-4-2

Playing with two strikers can leave your team outnumbered in midfield. While one striker can drop back to help out, many strikers typically do not do this. Also, ff the wingers play out by the sidelines, the central midfielders can be isolated against teams that play three or four central midfielders.

If a team has is playing a 4-4-2 and is not very well organized, a lot of space in front of the defense can open up. This forces the midfield to close down passing lanes and if they can’t, teams will have trouble defending opposing players in that open space.

If you are new to coaching, the 4-4-2 is probably the formation that’s best to start with. Most players are familiar with it, and it can be used at all levels. As you begin to learn the strengths and weaknesses of your players, you will be able to determine which players fit the best roles in the 4-4-2.

The post Understanding the 4-4-2 Formation first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.

The 4-2-3-1, in its simplest form, originated in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Prominent European club teams started using it regularly in 2010 and by the 2012 Euro tournament half the teams participating used the formation, including hosts Poland and semifinalists Germany.

Popular and Effective

So why is it so useful, so popular and so common for teams to apply it? For one, it’s amazingly versatile.

In big-money international soccer where expensive players are forced to integrate into new systems quickly, the 4-2-3-1 has defined roles that enable a player to quickly gel with his new team. This hides the fact that the player has had little time to train with his new teammates and gets him up and running quickly.

Midfielders, wingers, defenders and strikers all know their job, and due to the vast area of the field that the system comprehensively covers, it’s a great shape to use.

Goals are often scored at the beginning of games or immediately after halftime when teams haven’t yet settled into a rhythm. At these times, a team is most vulnerable. The 4-2-3-1 allows a team to safely establish an early rhythm to the game and feel out an opponent without risking too much.

Fast-forward to 2015 and the 4-2-3-1’s flexibility and attacking power is fast becoming the formation of choice for leading coaches all over the world. Even USA soccer where both pro and college league coaches have the luxury of choice and time on their side, the 4-2-3-1 is becoming the go-to default formation.

The 4-2-3-1 On Defense

The beauty of this system is that there are four lines that interchange freely. This formation can be very successful if all players do their part on the soccer field and cover their zone in defense.

As with most popular formations, there is a back 4 defensive line (2,3,4,5) and the players have similar roles as they would with any other formation. That, however, is where the similarities end.

Defensively, a box is formed between 4,5,6,8 in the diagram. This “box” travels together defensively and it is always outnumbering an opponent’s attack by 1 player, which is especially apparent on outside wing attacks. In doing so, the defense is able to accomplish 2 things:

• It is able to stop an opponent’s entry pass (6,8 act as a screen in front of the back 4).

• It is able to stop most goals from where they originate. That means, it’s able to smother shots from 12-16 yards out.

Most formations employ a lot of flexibility on offense. The 4-2-3-1 does this too, but is surprisingly flexible on defense as well. To protect leads, the 4-2-3-1 can easily become a 4-5-1 when the midfielders change their roles to be strictly defensive.

The 4-2-3-1 system of play can be used against most other soccer formations and the strength of this formation lies in the midfield and overlapping outside defenders (RB and LB or 2,3,7,11 in the diagram) who are given a lot of range not only in defense, but also on the offensive side of the ball.

The 4-2-3-1 On Offense

All coaches in every sport understand that a good offense arises from a good defense. As well as the 4-2-3-1 is a formation that offers great cover defensively, it is one of the emerging systems of play that provides a more potent attacking style. Although it may seem like a defensive formation and it is very strong defensively, when going forward this formation turns into a strong offensive 4-3-3 if everyone is doing their job.

The 4-2-3-1 gives a team defensive stability in the middle as well as a compact unit with the ability to attack in wide areas. There’s one defined striker so at first glance goals look like they might be hard to come by. Don’t be fooled! Although it may come off as defensive-looking to the untrained eye, this formation can be very powerful going forward.

If hitting a team on the counter, the wide players fly up the field and the center mid (WST in the diagram below) also joins the attack giving this seemingly defensive formation an instant transformation to offense.

Tactically, the wingbacks (2,3) get more offensive opportunities in the 4-2-3-1 than they would in any other formation. They can freely travel up the wings during a building attack and are reinforced, if necessary by the wide-midfielders (7,11) who are among the players with the most responsibilities on the entire field, both offensively and defensively. The one true offensive-only player is the lone striker at the top (9) who interacts closely with the center-midfielder, 10.

As most teams play a 4-4-2, which is a zone type of formation, the interchangeability of players in the 4-2-3-1 causes the 4-4-2 a lot of marking-up confusion. When on full attack and with a slight change, the 4-2-3-1 actually resembles a 4-3-3 formation when 7,9, and 10 become all-out attackers supported by a midfield of 6,8, and 11.

How to Teach and Coach the 4-2-3-1

Unique to the 4-2-3-1, as opposed to other formations, is that players have specific jobs they must execute in order for it to work as the well-oiled machine it can be. Different lines have different responsibilities. So how do you teach a new system to players that are most familiar with other formations, particularly the 4-4-2, so that they can simply pick up new job responsibilities quickly?

Begin by teaching this formation from a defensive standpoint. Why? No matter what formation you wish to use, coaching can have a bigger impact on the defensive side of the ball. Defending is a more controlled situation. That is, it is usually easier to control the opposing offense rather than trying to work your offensive presence against an opposition’s defense.

So use the defending side of the ball as your departure to venture off into teaching a new system and build outwards from it.

Break things down into a front 6 and a back 6. See the video – Coach Butch Lauffer from the Texas A & M men’s soccer team will explain how to implement the 4-2-3-1 using the Back 6 defensive approach.

The Back 6

Let’s start with the back 6. It’s very simple…from the coach’s chalkboard –

Notice the 6 defenders consisting of two defensive midfielders, two backs (right and left) and two center backs. Draw a restraining line in front of the back four and then divide the field into 3 vertical zones. In this exercise the defenders may travel anywhere into any zone they wish.

The 9 attacking players “O” are divided into 3 zones and may not leave their specific zone. During this drill, defensive players try to stop goals and the offensive players try to score goals. Now, “O” players, if they break the restraining line, are allowed to go to goal and score if they can. As for the defending team, no matter what the zone, the defense must outnumber the offense 4 to 3. So the 4 closest defenders must pressure the ball. The remaining defenders fill in the spaces left by the 4 using what are called “Angles of Recovery” towards the play.

How should the defenders best travel and work with each other? Simply by creating a defensive “box”.

Watch this clip from 4-2-3-1 Soccer System DVD the as Coach Lauffer explains the Back 6 and how to integrate it into a training system…

The Top 6

Now let’s take a look at the top 6 which is used for teaching and practicing on the offensive side of the ball.

The situation is simply “flipped” from what was seen in the exercise for the back 6. The objective is that the defensive 6 should not give up goals and should try to score. The 8 “O” players should not give up goals and at the same time try to break down the defensive 6. When possession is lost, defensive players must get behind the ball as quickly as possible. The lone striker (LST) should force the game wide as soon as possible when possession changes. This is accomplished with pressure to the WM in order to force the team wide.

When the defense wins back the ball, it should pass to the “highest line” and then support quickly. This takes out as many opposing defensive players from the game as possible.

Where does the 4-2-3-1 fall short?

Weakness for this formation in soccer comes from three attacking midfield players forgetting that they have to defend and slacking off when transitioning to defense.

One of the biggest challenges when coaching young players is getting them to stay in position. Time and again, you see them charging for the ball before huddling around it in a clumsy effort to get a kick. Even senior players can succumb to over enthusiasm, creating huge gaps for the opposition to exploit and break through on goal.

Coaches should always set the formation to suit the players they have and not the other way around.

Players need to play with speed and make correct decisions.

Related Pages and Helpful Resources

If you’d like to learn more about the 4-2-3-1 formation, we highly recommend Butch Lauffer’s DVD – Tactical Flexibility with the 4-2-3-1 Soccer System.

The post Breaking Down the 4-2-3-1 Formation first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.

The exercises provide ample warm up and a considerable amount of touches on the ball, the purpose of which is skill development, technique maintenance, and preparation for the more difficult drills that follow.

Your goal when performing these exercises should be to maximize the number of touches you take and the amount of ground you cover from side to side. Concentrate on quick, quality touches, and not how fast you complete the drills.

Warm Up Drill 1 – Foundation Forward

– Focus on using the inside of both feet
– Take opposing and angled touches back and forth (while moving forward)
– Chop, don’t sway
– Stay on your toes

Warm Up Drill 2 – Foundation Side to Side

– Focus on using the inside surface of both feet
– Take opposing and angled touches back and forth
– Lateral movement – great for side stepping defenders
– Agility and speed of touch

Warm Up Drill 3 – Right Foot Zig Zag

– Focus on using the inside and outside surfaces of the right foot
– Change of direction
– Movement with the ball

Warm Up Drill 4 – Left Foot Zig Zag

– Focus on using the inside and outside surfaces of the left foot
– Change of direction
– Movement with the ball

Warm Up Drill 5 – Transition Touch

– Focus on exchanging the ball between feet using different surfaces of each foot
– Explosive/attacking change of direction
– Movement with the ball

Warm Up Drill 6 – Three Touch

– Focus on exchanging the ball between feet using different surfaces of each foot
– Explosive/attacking change of direction
– Movement with the ball

Warm Up Drill 7 – Roll

– Focus on using the bottom of your foot
– Lateral movement

More Drills

The drills above were taken from the Precision Dribbling Series DVD by Chris Ross. If you want more drills like this or step by step soccer workouts, check out the Precision Dribbling Series.

The post Soccer Warm Up Routine – 7 Skill Building Drills first appeared on SurefireSoccer.com.