The Square Pass
A pass is defined as "square" when the
passing and receiving players are basically in line with each other
shoulder-to-shoulder.
The three players below are square to each other. The
pass sequence is 1-2-3-4, pass and return.
Now of course it would be extremely boring, and not
of much tactical use if this is all that the players did, so we combine
the square pass with either a diagonal or a through pass to create an
opportunity.
The Diagonal Pass
As the name suggests, this pass is made on a
diagonal. The easiest way to teach it is to make a grid of cones as shown
below.
Player #1 makes a square pass to his/her partner
(Player # 2). He/she then runs to the next cone in line and receives back
from his/her partner a diagonal pass. The player making the diagonal pass
immediately runs to receive back a second square pass.
This type of pass is to space and causes the
defenders to adjust their position
The sequence is repeated for as many repetitions that
you have room on the field for. At the end of the sequence the players
switch positions and the player originally making the square passes now
receives them and plays the ball back diagonally to his/her partner.
Coaching Points
- It is important that both players in the drill
practice both types of passing
- Use both the left and right foot to pass
- Make sure that the player receives the pass with
the correct foot so that they open to the field and can play the ball
back to their partner without excessive adjustments
- Trap the ball outside of their footprints
- Pass and then request a return pass. In this case
the request is made by executing a run-to-"space". Make sure
that the passer sees and recognizes the request.
- Proper weight on the pass, so that it reaches
the receiver, but doesn’t come at such a high speed that it can’t
be handled, is important.
- Stress timing the pass so that the ball and
receiver reach the cone at approximately the same time.
- Emphasize that this is not a race and that just
receiving the ball and "bombing" it down field is not the
goal of the exercise
The Thru-Ball Pass
In the simplest form of the thru-ball pass the
receiver will make a bending run, initially around a static defender, and
then receive the ball.
Player #2 has a ball. Player #1 makes eye contact
with Player #2 and then starts out on a bending run around the cone
directly in front of him/her. The run ends at the cone directly in front
of Player #2 Player #2 passes the ball to player one at this cone (leading
him into the cone).
Again this pass is to space. Space is exploited by
the person making the run and causes the defense to adjust.
Player 2 then makes a diagonal, cross-field run and
receives a square pass back from Player #1.
Player #1 then repeats his bending run in the
opposite direction and receives another thru ball from Player #2. Player
#2 repeats his diagonal, cross-field run and receives back a square pass.
This sequence is repeated for as many times as the
coach wants and then is reversed so each player gets to make the bending
run and the thru-ball pass.
Coaching Points
Eye –Contact before the pass – Request the Ball
Timing – Have player and ball arrive at the cone
at approximately the same time
Receiver must open up to the field of play. This is
a difficult concept at times, particularly in this drill. The receiver
naturally has their back to the field of play unless they turn their
hips as they receive the ball and face back in towards the field.
Receiver of the square pass must also open up to
the field
Progressions
- Add a static defender in each of the passing zones
so that there is a visual cue as to where the pass has to go to clear
this person
- Add a second static defender around which the
bending runner has to maneuver
- Have the defenders become semi-active, placing
pressure on the passer and receiver but NOT being allowed to intercept
the ball
- Move the game to a free-flow style (remove the
cones and boundaries). Play with numbers up on offense and have the
players make bending runs throughout the field and receive the ball.
Start this with semi-active defenders and progress to ¾ active and full
pressure as #3 above.
- Make sure in the free-flow drill that the players
are bending their runs behind defenders.
- Can make this drill a run towards the ball by
having the receiver "show" at the cone at which he is
receiving the pass. The play still makes the bending run but at the end
checks back towards the passer and receives the ball.
In this case, instead of making a square pass back
to the original passer, the player receiving the ball should two-touch
it to the player making the diagonal run
Thru-Ball Pass in the Triangle
We now want to introduce the thru ball pass and
relate it to the basic shape the team takes on the field, that is, the
triangle. In order to perform this exercise we set up a rectangular grid
of cones, approximately 10 yards by 15 yards. Place a player at each cone.
What you effectively have here are two triangles.
The ball is passed from player to player in any
order. Every third (or every fifth, you decide) pass is a thru ball. The
thru ball is to the player diagonally across from the passer. Initially,
players should yell thru ball as they let the pass go so that the concept
becomes ingrained.
Coaching Points
- Two touch passes to start. Emphasize all of the
proper receiving and passing techniques discussed.
- Players should be thinking ahead, knowing that if
the ball is coming to them where they want to go next with the ball.
- Make sure that they open up to the field of play.
- Since there is no pressure, stress technical
excellence.
Progressions
This is a good drill for working progressions from
easy to difficult while teaching the concept of a thru-ball pass.
- Progression 1 is to have two players in different
color pennies on the field, inside the grid. These players are entirely
passive. They are there to give the ball handlers visual cues as to
where pressure is coming from.
- Have the ball handlers decide now when they should
split the defenders with the thru pass
- Let the defenders become semi-active, i.e. be
allowed to intercept a ball but not steal it, or pressure the players,
once the pass is past them.
- Have the defenders become fully active allowing
them to pressure all over the field.
- Switch players often.
- Praise good decision making
The Wall Pass
One of the most effective passing techniques/tactics
for soccer is the give-and-go pass. The give-and-go (or wall pass) is
basic to the games of basketball, hockey as well as soccer. In simple
terms, the player with the ball passes to their teammate, who, at the
beginning, is stationary. The receiving player is, in essence, the wall.
And what happens when a ball hits a wall? It
rebounds. If it hits it at an angle it rebounds at the same angle. And
that is all we are trying to do here.
Perhaps the easiest way to introduce the wall pass is
to use a wall. If you have a gym you can spread players out along the
walls and just have them pass to each other as shown below.
If you are outside start the fundamental skill by
putting three people together in a triangle. The player at the apex of the
triangle is now the wall.
In order to teach this skill correctly, you want the
center player to truly act like a wall. In order to do this you want this
player to one-touch the ball on to the next player. With the younger ages
the wall player should start out as a coach or a parent so that the drill
builds success.
One of the good coaching points about wall passes at
the younger ages is that when the pass is given it always moves on and /or
comes back. Skilled players sometimes tend to hold the ball longer than is
prudent simply because they think that when they give it up, it will never
come back to them.
Coaching Points
- Switch the center player after every ten passes.
- Receiving players can use two touches. Since
they are under no pressure, stress technical excellence. They should
play the ball to the wall player so that he/she doesn’t have to
move for the ball.
- The wall player has the "pressure" of
having to one touch the pass on to the next player. Stress that he/she
should play the ball with the foot that is open to the field. For
example, a pass coming from their left, and moving on to their right,
should be played with the right foot.
Failure to do so causes the ball to
be chopped across the body, either as a pass, or as a
"prelude" touch so that the right foot can send the ball
onward.
The first instances causes the ball to be struck as
the foot is moving usually leading to a more inaccurate pass. The second
"wastes" time since you are now two-touching the ball.
- With regard to #2 above, every pass will not be
perfect. The wall player must be prepared to move laterally to open
themselves up to the field of play. They do this by 1), being on their
toes with their knees flexed, ready to move and 2), swiveling their hips
so that they get around the ball and take it on the correct foot.
Wall Pass with Movement (The
Give-and-Go)
The next progression of the wall pass is to add
player movement. I would suggest for the younger levels that you start
this drill with a coach acting as the wall to build success. Timing the
run of the player is critical and takes a lot of demonstration and a lot
of practice. The basic setup is shown below:
Player passes to the coach and immediately makes his
run to the second cone on his side. The coach times the run so that the
ball and the player arrive at the same time. If there are two coaches
repeat the process. Otherwise have the players pull a move after they
receive the ball and rejoin the line at the end.
Coaching Points
- Stress that the run is immediate. Do not watch the
pass since once it has left your foot, there is nothing your eyes can do
about affecting the flight of the ball
- Stress that the ball must be played with the
proper weight so that it gets there, but doesn’t get there with so
much pace that it cannot be handled
- Stress that the ball should be played to the
foot that is open to the field. In the illustration above this would
be the coach’s left foot. In that way the coach does not have to
chop the ball across his body.
- Stress receiving the ball on the foot open to
the field. In the illustration above that would be the receiving
player’s right foot.
- Switch sides often so that both feet are used by
the wall player and by the receiving player
Progressions
- Once the timing aspect of the drill is understood
and the players have achieved some measure of technical proficiency
receiving the ball "on the fly", it is time to make a player
the wall.
- Start the drill in the same manner and work both
feet.
- Switch the wall player often
- Add movement of the wall player as shown below.
After wall player makes his pass he makes a run to
get the wall pass back from whom he passed it to. A second player steps in
as the wall. This minimizes standing around.
- Add a passive defender so that the players can
see where the pass has to go and how the run affects the defender..
Generally the pass goes past the defender’s front and the run is
made behind his back
- Allow the defenders to attempt to intercept the
pass. However since the defender "knows" the drill you now
have to add movement on the player making the pass so that the defender
has to concentrate not only on the pass but on the fact that the ball
handler might dribble past them.
