CONTROL
SHOOTING
PASSING
DRIBBLING
TURNING
HEADING
CREATE SPACE
INDIVIDUAL DEFENDING
SUPPORT PLAY
GOALKEEPING
CROSSING
TACKLING
THE THROW IN
ATTACKING SET PLAYS
DEFENDING SET PLAYS
THE FREE KICK
PASSING
Please select a subsection from the topics below :
 Sidefoot pass    Progression   In tight areas  
 With varying distances    Playing against the touchline  
 Passing on the run    With opposition involved  
   Two players against one    Further two against one practices  
 Passing in tight areas with a shot at goal   Kicking the ball  
 Progression    Progression II  
 Exercises for passing with the inside of the foot I  & II
 Progression III    Passing with place changing 
 Passing for accuracy    Volleying the ball   Kicking the ball

PROGRESSION

Players must learn quickly how to control, look up, and pass the ball, in the modern game it is the speed of movement and control that separates the quality from the ordinary player. Here are two practices to deal with the improvement of players in these basic skills.

 

In practice 1

AREA 20 metres square with 4 cones (6 metres apart) in the centre of the square.

S1, S2, S3, S4 are the servers and they stand on each side of the square with a ball each.

The servers all have a partner X1 - X4 whose starting positions are on the inside area of the 4 cones.

 

 

 
   
Practice 1

The servers all serve to their partners who move forward to control as soon as possible and return pass back to the original server.

The players X1 - X4 all then return back inside the coned area, and move up one.

So now X1 after dealing with the serve from S1, now returns tot he coned area and now receives from S2. X2, moves to S3, X3 to S4 etc.

The servers all serve simultaneously and the X's must move quickly all the time, looking to avoid other X's and also other balls being served into the central area. S's and X's can rotate roles.
   
In Practice 2

A similar area to Practice 1, this time no cones required.

Organisation

4 players on the sides of the 20 metre square (S's).

They can move up and down their side of the square.

In the centre X's, with a ball each.

 



Practice

X's jog with the ball and then suddenly sprint releasing a pass to one of the S's on the edge of the square. S must return the ball first time to X who continues his sprint controlling the ball as he does so from S's return pass.

X1 - X4 can pass to any of the S's they wish, and from any distance.

Coaches should insist on variations in the distance of the passing, the quality of the passing (from both X and S) and also the control (with both the inside and outside of the foot).
 
Practice 3

In Practice 3 we have now tightened the area to 10 metres square.

Still with 4 players (S) on each side of the square.

The players X1, X2 in the centre with a ball each.

Practice

X's pass to any of the S's, take a return pass, control and turn and play out to another S. The passes need to be sharp, the S's must return the ball first time, and they can also move along their side of the square.

 
   
Practice 4

Alternatively the X's can work as a pair (with only one ball in the practice).

So in this progression X1 passes to S1, who returns the ball first time to X2.

In the meantime X1 races to a new position, and X2 can then either (a) pass the ball to X1, or (b) to another of the S's on the edge of the square.

Whenever possible players should try and play the ball first time - and the coach should insist on firm, quality passing from both S's and X's.