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PAGE 9
by Gary Rue
garyrue@bellsouth.net
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NOTE: Gary did not write these exercises and tips with the
idea that someone would publish them. I subscribe to the
Soccer-Coach-L e-mail list and Gary is one of the coaches that
posts extremely well thought out replies. These are some of
Gary's posts that I collected for use in coaching my own teams.
I approached Gary and he was gracious enough to allow me to
publish them here. If you like what you see or have a
question about one of the exercises you can reach Gary at
garyrue@bellsouth.net
There are
50+ more pages of Gary's posts
categorized at the Home Page of Exercises
of the Day by Gary Rue. Click here and enjoy.
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Exercise of the Day - 1v1 |
Concerning individual skills, I agree that being able to beat a
defender 1v1 is probably the most important skill a soccer player
can possess. However, stopping an attacker defensively in a 1v1
situation may be the most critical skill if a TEAM is to be
successful. Lateral quickness is one characteristic all good
defenders have. Following are a few activities that should help
improve this aspect:
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Beat The Ball
Set up two flat cones, or
shirts, etc. about 3 yards apart; the attacker with ball on one side of
the cones, the defender who can't tackle on the other; as the attacker
tries to touch either cone with the ball, the defender must get his foot
to the cone just prior to the ball.
This activity helps improve the side to side shuffling and staying
balanced, ready to reverse movement.
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Two Target 1v1
Set up two balls about 10
yards apart (can vary); play a 50-50 ball; whoever has the ball tries to
touch his ball to one of the other two balls; play continues until one
player wins or a adequate period of play is reached. The defender must not
overcommit to either ball as the dribbler can fake going to one ball and
reverse dribble to the other. There should be at least 6-10 players per
group as this is an extremely fatiguing activity, if early scores are not
realized. Be sure to have different opponents.
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No Tackling 1v1
Defender from goalline
plays ball out to attacker 30-40 yards out and closes down; attacker tries
to score; defender cannot tackle, only contain and try to block shot
attempt. I've found this activity the best at teaching a no-reach defense.
Players begin to realize shots can be stopped without over committing.
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Beating the Off-side Traps |
First, I feel that the man with the ball has just as much
responsibility for causing an off-side call as the player who is
judged to be off-side. He must be aware of what the defense is
doing, and make appropriate decisions. If the defense is
compressing the field towards ball, it may be too late for a
forward pass. In that case, continuing to dribble or laying off a
square or drop ball may be the best decision. However, a quick
released through ball may find an attacker on-side due to a late
stepping defender (the results would be goodness and worth a try
from time to time).
If we are talking a full fledge trap, then the defense is keying on the man
with the ball. Their 'step up' is timed to be just before the pass is made.
Now it is the attackers responsibility to be on-side.
We provide our forwards with two basic runs that effectively work against a
tight compressing defense. The first is a check back to the ball. If the
forward is going back to the ball, it will be very hard to catch them off.
The other is the diagonal run. We train attackers to run at defenders. As
the defender moves up, the diagonal run is adjusted.
Many teams run into trouble because their front line goes as far forward as
possible and then wait for the halfbacks or fullbacks to play a ball up to
them. They are then caught stationary and looking backwards, easy meat for a
defense to trap. Forward players should NEVER be caught "killing the grass"
by standing looking back over their shoulder.
We run
many 3 man combo activities that require checking back. We use the following
setup to reinforce the run at a defender:
Player
dribbling ball towards defender, second attacker making a run at the
defender, the pass is made to the opposite side of the defender from the
second attacker, so the second attacker can run onto the ball (finish with a
shot?!). Initially the defender is stationary, then moving forward, then
forward and backward, so the attacker has to readjust his run several times
before reaching the defender. If the player gets to the defender before the
pass is made, then he is to check to the ball or 'recycle' by dropping back
and letting another player move up into his space.
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Creating Player Movement |
QUESTION:
Does anyone have suggestions for activities that can get the girls moving?
A related topic is anticipation. . . .So any suggestions on activities to
get them to anticipate?
ANSWER:
Below is a post I made several months ago. I think the tenets still apply in
this ever changing world. The focus is on player movement. In my opinion,
getting players to move is much easier than to get them to move at the
appropriate time and to an adequate position. However, teaching and
reinforcing constant movement is the first step for a player to learn and
assess the effects of his movement. In the short term, a player that moves a
lot (albeit ill-timed or to a bad position) will produce better results for
the team than a player that "kills the grass." In the long term, hopefully
as the player matures, he will play with intelligence and intensity.
Anticipation comes when players are aware of what is going on around them.
There are so many variables that come into play that can affect a player's
response to a situation. In the situation you noted of being late to the
ball, my suggestion is to train checking to the ball. This is not so much
anticipation as it is just good technique (and movement).
---- Earlier Post -----
Here are some suggestions to generate more player movement, off the ball.
Play 4v0 in a grid. As the ball is passed, all players but the receiver must
move to different space. This is very hard and very tiring. The first pass
is no problem, it's making the next run on the next pass. This requires
constant movement with momentary stoppages--this seems to be a strange
concept most all players I have trained.
One of the biggest problems is that someone has to start the movement, so
the other players can find new space. It is tough concept for a player to
move to space that currently is occupied by another player. You don't have
many space options when in a fairly tight grid.
To help the activity along, ask the receiver to get in several touches
before making the next pass. Also, ask the passer to move off the pass
quickly and not wait to see how it turns out. This should allow the players
to get into a constant flow (for at least 5 seconds).
Now the fun starts, add a defender and watch the movement stop or become the
standard movements towards ball to support. It is critical that the players
understand they can and should make runs behind the defender. At some point,
a second defender can be added.
Other movement coaching opportunities include the standard 3v1 and 5v2
setups. How many times do you see players make crossing runs behind
defenders in the activity. All too often they just stay in their circle
formation comfort zone. But when they are moving, they enjoy the activity
more. And for some reason, their touches seem to improve.
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Preparing Your
Team Against
a Team with Superior Speed |
QUESTION:
Can anyone offer any effective strategies (individual, group or
team-oriented) for handling/containing quicker and/or faster opposing
players? Also, any practice activities that would address this?
ANSWER:
John, here are my notes from a panel discussion at the 1993 NSCAA
convention. The two coaches made some interesting points. I'll let you
digest and assess their merit.
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Preparing Your Team Against a
Team with Superior Speed
Panel Discussion - NSCAA
Convention 1/16/93
Yeagley (Indiana Univ.) |
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Positive marking, denying the pass is
better than soft marking worrying about getting burned deep
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IU vs Duke (1982)
Duke had three fast hard runners up front that paid the price to create
space for themselves
1 super server
IU's defensive strategy :
Pressured 10 yds past halfway;
By playing low pressure in IU's attacking half this cut down the space
Duke could run into. Pressured the wing halfs + high pressured the
server; invited other not so skilled players to serve the ball
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IU vs Howard (1988)
Howard had tremendous technical speed with the ball
USC played low pressure against Howard and lost
IU's defensive strategy:
IU could not high pressure early, else they would be beat off the
dribble + moved the sweeper up and compressed in a 25-30 yd mid field
area, realizing they would have to adjust if Howard started to play over
the top
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Chenoweth - There are three types of
player speed:
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Physical (running)
If you take the ball away from a pure runner, they won't miss it
When you gain possession over a running team, play slow, keep the ball
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Technical (playing)
This type of player needs the ball
Find the unskilled player, if a technical team
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Tactical (thinking)
This player "over-plays" so much, they die in beauty
Give this team space to play with the ball
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Using The Keeper
For More Than Stopping Shots |
I believe strongly in using the keeper for more than stopping
shots. I have taught this from U10's up (confession-the last time
I coached U10's they could HAND-le a kick back). Anytime a
defender faces his own goal, this is potentially a time to drop to
the keeper. I do several things to promote this attitude.
1) train the GKs to receive the ball from
one side and play it (two touch) to the opposite side.
2) train the GKs to play when under
pressure from an attacker; one touch clear (away from attacker) or first
touch to space and the second touch is a clear.
3) train the field players to drop the ball
while under pressure; discuss options and placement, based on keeper
position, keeper directional information, attacker pressure, and field
position.
4) train the field players to be passing
support for the keeper; especially the off ball side wings.
5) train the field players in defensive
responsibilities when ball played back to the keeper.
6) train the field players under pressure
with different services to reinforce which ball can be played back and the
keeper to recognize which balls can be HAND-led.
7) train the keeper to WANT the ball and to
DEMAND that it be played back.
8) train the keeper to support the backs
out of the box towards the halfway. This includes leaving the box to
clear a 51-49 ball.
On occasion I have restricted the keepers from using their hands during
practice play. Normally I just give points for using the keeper during
possession play or sometimes mandate the keeper must touch the ball before
the team can score. You can also use your Keepers as neutrals in a
keep-a-way game.
Though I don't hear it as much anymore, I
always chuckled when the opposing coach started screaming, "He can't pick it
up" (repeated several times). As the players mature in playing balls back to
the keeper, they become more aware and feel comfortable in utilizing the
keeper with all kinds of balls. However, if this is never taught and
practiced, even U19's will have trouble recognizing this as an option.
Regarding the situation where a bad drop
results in a goal, there is always that chance. However, I contend that more
goals are scored by defenders caught with the ball facing or running back
towards their own goal, when the option of playing back to the keeper would
have gotten them out of trouble.
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Double Teaming |
We double team differently in two
areas of the field. First, we like to guide the attacker to the
touch, where we can clamp down, making use of the touch as a third
defender. We want go in fast, strong, and together (closing off
the touchline and the square passes). Then we fill the gap between
the two defenders with a central support player. We don't want the
defenders reaching and toe poking at the ball, because we will
just give it away as a throw-in. Their main focus is heavy
pressure and NOT let the attacker split them.
When we double team in the middle of the field, we use a
recovering halfback or forward that aggressively goes after ball
from behind. The other defender continues to maintain nearly the
same defensive pressence on the attacker as if the double teaming
teammate was not there. It is important that the double team does
NOT come from a supporting defender in front of the attacker, else
through ball opportunities are available during the second
defender's close down (I watched that happen all too often this
weekend).
We train the recovering double team by
running the following setup:
(fig. 1)
(fig. 2)
C
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A
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A v
C
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B
B
A dribbles towards and does a
takeover with C (fig 1). C now attacks B 1v1.
A turns after the takeover, recovers and double teams C, while B
delays C until A can get back (fig. 2).
We train the double team on the
touch by running the following setup:
(fig. 3)
(fig. 4)
T
C
T
O
*
A
O
U
U *C A
C
C B
H
H
B
D
D
A shepherds C towards the touchline (fig. 3). B moves towards the touch to
take away the touchline pass, A and B keep about the same spacing from C,
until they both close hard and at the same time. A is normally the one that
initiates the close down. It is usally down between touches by C. D will
move in to provide support between A and B, 10-15 yards away (fig. 4).
We don't identify
star players to double team. We just look for our opportunities. If we play
a player that is an effective 1-touch server, we try maintain our marks more
off the ball. Generally we love the guys that dribble too much, especially
if they tend to go horizontally with good containing defensive pressure.
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