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Everyone moving with a ball from minute one, and the session's core habit installed with no pressure: scan, open your body, receive across yourself.

• 26 × 20 m grid marked with flat markers. Four mannequins spread inside it as passive obstacles.
• One ball per pair — 7 or 8 pairs. Odd number: make one group of three passing in a rotating triangle.
• Balls laid out at the edge of the grid so the first player to arrive starts immediately.
• Coach starts outside the grid to see the whole picture, then moves inside from minute 4 to coach pairs on the move.

• Maximum three touches from minute 7 — below three the technique breaks down at this age.
• Loose ball: nearest player retrieves and the pair restarts on the move, never from standing.
• Two coach freezes maximum, under twenty seconds each. Everything else is said individually, on the move.
• Swap which partner leads the movement every two minutes.

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The moment the session stops being about technique and starts being about perception. Ball in from behind, defender from one side, two exits — the free target is always opposite the press, but you can only know that if you scanned.

• Three identical stations, each 20 × 18 m, laid out along the far touchline with 5 m between them.
• Per station: a 9 × 5 m receiving zone marked with flat markers and a pole at each side; two 3 m target gates at the far end; one ball plus two spares behind the server; one blue bib.
• Five players per station (15 players). With 14, run one station with four — remove the second target and use a single wider gate. With 16, add a second server to one station.
• Coach stands between two stations, level with the receiving zones. From there you can see body shape and head movement — the only two things you're actually coaching — across two stations at once. Move to the third every 90 seconds.

• 1 point for a clean pass received by a target inside their gate. 2 points if the receiver's first touch beat the press before the pass.
• 1 point to the defender for a win, an interception, or forcing a backward pass to the server. Highest defensive score gets first pick of bib colour in the next practice.
• Ball out or won by the defender: instant restart from the server with a spare ball. Never wait for a ball to be fetched.
• Two group freezes maximum. Individual coaching is delivered by standing beside the receiver before the next serve, not after the mistake.
• Only go live once two-thirds of receivers are turning open under passive pressure.

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Two gates per team means nobody can defend both equally — so there is always a free side, and finding it means lifting your head. This is where 'the free target' becomes 'the free side', which becomes switching play in this theme.

• Two pitches, each 30 × 24 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: two 3 m cone gates on each end line, centred 7 m and 17 m from one corner; 4 red bibs, 4 blue bibs; corners marked with flat markers.
• 4 v 4 on each pitch (16 players). With 14, play 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, play 4v4 and 4v3 with the extra player on the weaker team.
• Coach stands in the 5 m corridor between the two pitches. From there you can see both games, feed both games and coach into both without walking. It's the most efficient coaching position of the session.

• 1 point for dribbling under control through a gate, or a pass through a gate received by a teammate. 2 points from game 3 for using the far gate.
• Ball out of play: the coach rolls a new ball in immediately to the team that didn't put it out. No throw-ins, corners or goal kicks — ball rolling time is the priority.
• From game 3, maximum four touches inside your own half — speeds up the scan and the release without penalising dribbling in the attacking half.
• No stoppages during games. All coaching happens in the 45-second gaps, and it takes the form of a question.
• Introduce the far-gate bonus only once they've discovered for themselves that both gates can't be defended.

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The theme in a real match picture — goalkeepers, goals, a scoreboard. One simple condition gives the habit a visible home on the pitch: turn HERE, and something good happens.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. A 12 m Turn Zone marked across the full width, centred on the halfway line, using flat markers.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal so the goalkeeper always restarts within five seconds.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14 players). With 15–16, play 8v8 or use rolling subs every 90 seconds — never leave a player standing longer than that.
• A 2-3-1 outfield shape in front of each keeper — the Saturday 9v9 shape minus one defender and one midfielder. Assign positions, then tell them they're free to move.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch, level with the Turn Zone. That's where the theme lives. Resist patrolling the touchline.

• Goal = 3 points. Bonus = 1 point each time a player receives in the Turn Zone, turns, and plays forward (a pass or carry that beats an opponent). Bonuses count towards the final score.
• No touch restrictions. This is a match.
• Normal restarts, but keepers always restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins to keep the ball rolling.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.
• If both teams are earning the bonus freely, remove the Turn Zone markers for the last three minutes and see whether the behaviour survives without the visual cue. That's the real test.

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Make the touch have a destination. Six numbered 2 × 2 m squares are marked on the grid and the receiver's first touch must finish inside one — the touch is no longer judged on whether it looked neat, but on whether the ball arrived where it was aimed.

• 26 × 20 m grid. Six 2 × 2 m landing zones marked with flat markers and numbered 1–6, spread asymmetrically so no two are the same distance apart.
• One ball per pair — 7 or 8 pairs. Odd number: one group of three passing in a rotating triangle.
• Balls at the edge of the grid so the first arrival starts immediately.
• Coach outside the grid for the first two minutes, then inside coaching individuals on the move.

• One touch to reach the zone. If it takes two, it doesn't count — let the pair police it themselves.
• Maximum three touches per possession from minute 6.
• From minute 7, only the called zone scores.
• Loose ball: nearest player retrieves and the pair restarts on the move.
• One group freeze maximum, at the demonstration.

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The Y-Gate with the difficulty raised in exactly one dimension: three doors and two defenders. One door is always open, but finding it means reading two opponents rather than one — the specific perceptual demand of midfield play.

• Two stations, each 22 × 18 m, along the far touchline with 5 m between them.
• Per station: a 10 × 5 m receiving zone with a pole at each side; three 3 m doors along the far end at 3.5 m, 11 m and 18.5 m; one ball plus two spares; two blue bibs.
• Seven players per station (14). With 15, one station runs eight with a second server alternating. With 16, both run eight.
• Defenders D1 and D2 start on the same side, between the doors and the receiving zone.
• Coach stands between the two stations, level with the receiving zones — the only vantage point from which hips and first touches are both visible.

• 1 point for a clean pass received by a target inside their door. 2 points if the first touch alone took the receiver clear of both defenders.
• 1 point to the defenders for a win, an interception, or forcing a pass back to the server.
• If both defenders come within 3 m of the ball, the attackers get an automatic point — this makes them organise into press and cover within two repetitions.
• Ball out or won: instant restart from the server with a spare ball.
• Two group freezes maximum. Individual coaching goes to the next receiver before the serve, not the last one after the mistake.
• Only go live once two-thirds of receivers are finding the free door under passive pressure.

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Make the first touch worth points. The scoring act IS a controlled first touch — a pass into the 4 m end zone, controlled there with one touch. No goal, no keeper, no shot: nothing to distract from the theme.

• Two pitches, each 30 × 24 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them. A 4 m end zone marked across the full width at each end.
• Per pitch: 16 flat markers, 4 red bibs, 4 blue bibs, 2 balls.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3 with the extra player on the weaker team.
• Coach in the 5 m corridor between the pitches, feeding and coaching both games without walking.

• 1 point for a pass into the end zone controlled by a teammate with one touch. 2 points for a weak-foot control, or a control that leaves the player facing forward. No points if a second touch is needed to bring it under control.
• Ball out: coach rolls a new ball in immediately to the team that didn't concede possession. No throw-ins, no corners.
• From game 3, maximum three touches per player anywhere on the pitch.
• No stoppages during games. Coaching happens in the 45-second gaps, as a question.
• Add the bonus scoring only once teams are regularly reaching the end zone. Rewarding difficulty before basic success flattens confidence.
• If nobody has scored after two games, widen the end zone — don't lecture.

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Prove that a good first touch buys time and a poor one costs it. Two touches inside the middle third: one to control, one to release. There is nowhere to hide — a touch that stops the ball dead leaves one touch and no space.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. An 18 m middle third marked across the full width with flat markers.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape in front of each keeper. Keepers swap at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch, level with the middle third.

• Goal = 3 points. Bonus = 1 point for a two-touch sequence in the middle third ending in a forward pass that beats an opponent.
• Two touches inside the middle third, unlimited elsewhere. Goalkeepers are exempt.
• A third touch in the middle third gives possession to the opposition from where it happened — restarted immediately, no ceremony.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question. No group freezes.

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Break the one-pass habit immediately. Pairs move freely; the coach calls a range and they must adjust their separation BEFORE the next pass — so the same technical action has to be re-weighted three different ways within a minute.

• 30 × 20 m grid marked with flat markers.
• One ball per pair — 7 or 8 pairs. Odd number: a group of three, with the spare player as a moving target.
• Balls at the grid edge so the first arrival starts immediately.
• Three reference distances demonstrated once at the start: short 5 m, medium 10 m, long 15 m. Pace them out in front of the group — don't describe them.
• Coach outside the grid to call the ranges; move inside from minute 5.

• Adjust the distance first, then pass. A pass played from the wrong range doesn't count.
• Maximum three touches per possession.
• All passes along the ground except when the coach calls LONG — then the ball may be lifted.
• Loose ball: nearest player retrieves; the pair restarts on the move.
• One demonstration and one range-call at a time. No group freezes beyond the two built into the steps.

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High-repetition passing with a live decision built in. Two balls circulate a diamond at once, so every receiver must scan before the ball reaches them. The free man in the centre creates the session's key question: do I go ROUND the diamond, or THROUGH it?

• A 24 × 24 m diamond marked with flat markers — one station at each point (North, East, South, West), plus one player in the centre.
• Three or four players at each corner station, standing in single file behind the station marker. One free man in the middle wearing yellow.
• Two balls in play, starting at opposite corners (West and East).
• 14–16 players: 3 per corner + 2 free men rotating, or 4 per corner + 1 free man.
• Coach positioned outside the diamond, level with the centre, where every receiver's body shape is visible.

• Follow your pass — always. Nobody stays at a station.
• The free man is limited to two touches, and cannot return the ball to the player who passed it.
• Round the diamond is 17 m; through the free man is 12 m — the weight must change accordingly.
• A ball that leaves the diamond is retrieved by the player who misplaced it, and restarted from their station.
• If the two balls arrive at the same corner, that's a coaching moment, not a failure — ask the group how it happened and let them solve it.

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Reward the penetrating pass in a live game. Three small gates scattered in the middle of the pitch mean a point is available for any pass played through a gate to a teammate — the game version of 'the pass that eliminates an opponent'.

• Two pitches, each 30 × 24 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: two mini goals at each end, plus three 2 m split gates made of cones, scattered in the central area — one left, one central, one right, at different angles.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• Coach in the corridor between the pitches, feeding both games with a spare ball.

• Mini goal = 2 points. Pass through a gate received by a teammate = 1 point. Goal within five seconds of a gate split = 4 points.
• A gate may be split from either direction, but not twice in a row through the same gate.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new ball in immediately. No throw-ins, no corners.
• No stoppages during games. Coaching happens in the 45-second gaps, as a question.
• If the gates are being ignored completely, do not lecture — move one gate somewhere more inviting and see what happens.

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Scale the penetrating pass up to a match picture. The pitch is marked in thirds and a controlled pass from one third into the next is worth a bonus point — so progression is rewarded, sideways passing is not punished but is not paid for either.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. Two dashed lines across the full width at 17 m and 33 m, dividing the pitch into thirds. Shade the middle third with a different marker colour if you have one.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape in front of each keeper. Keepers swap at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. Bonus = 1 point for a pass from one third into the next that a teammate controls.
• The bonus does not apply to goalkeeper distribution — otherwise every keeper simply thumps it.
• No touch restrictions. This is a match.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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One activity, three levels of difficulty. The grid shrinks twice without anyone being told to change anything — so the touches get smaller and quicker because the space demands it, not because a coach said so.

• Three nested rectangles marked with different-coloured flat markers: 30 × 22 m, then 24 × 17 m, then 18 × 12 m, all sharing roughly the same centre.
• One ball per player. Four mannequins spread inside the smallest rectangle so they are obstacles at every stage.
• Everyone works in the outer grid for four minutes, the middle grid for three, the inner grid for three.
• Balls at the edge so the first arrival starts immediately.
• Coach outside the grid, calling moves and stage changes.

• No stopping. If you have the ball, you are moving.
• No contact — the challenge is the space, not the opponent.
• Every called move must be attempted with both feet before the next call.
• On "OUT!" the ball must be driven with the laces, not carried on the inside foot.
• Anyone whose ball leaves the grid retrieves it and rejoins immediately.

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Join the whole block together in one action. Receive on the half-turn (Session 1), take a first touch away from pressure (Session 2), then — instead of passing (Session 3) — carry the ball at speed through a gate. This is the practice where the whole theme becomes one skill.

• Two or three stations, each 24 × 18 m, along the far touchline with 5 m between them.
• Per station: a 10 × 5 m receiving zone; two 3 m speed gates at the far end, 13 m apart; one ball plus two spares; one blue bib.
• Six players per station (12–15 players over two or three stations). The two target players stand beyond their gates and act only as ball collectors and callers.
• The defender starts beside the receiving zone, not behind it — the receiver must escape sideways before driving forward.
• Coach between stations, level with the receiving zone.

• The ball must be carried through the gate, not passed through it.
• 1 point for a clean break-out. 2 points if it takes under four seconds. 1 point to the defender for a win, or for forcing the ball back to the server.
• The defender may recover and tackle from behind once beaten — this is what makes the speed matter.
• Ball out or won: instant restart from the server with a spare ball.
• Only go live once two-thirds of receivers are escaping cleanly under passive pressure.

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Pay players for carrying the ball into the danger area. A dashed line 8 m from each goal is worth a point to any player who dribbles across it under control — so running with the ball becomes the profitable option rather than the risky one.

• Two pitches, each 30 × 24 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: one mini goal at each end, plus a dashed carry line marked with flat markers 8 m from each goal, running the full width.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• Coach in the corridor between the pitches with a spare ball.

• Mini goal = 2 points. Carry over the line under control = 1 point. Goal within five seconds of a carry = 4 points.
• The ball must be at the player's feet as they cross the line — a heavy touch that crosses ahead of them doesn't score.
• The same player may not score two carry points in a row.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately. No throw-ins or corners.
• No stoppages during games; all coaching in the 45-second gaps, as a question.

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Put the carry where it belongs in a match — in the wide areas, where the space is. A 6 m channel down each touchline pays a bonus for anyone who carries the ball through it at speed, which also drags the team's shape wider and sets up the width work in this theme.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. A 6 m channel marked down each touchline with flat markers, running the full length.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape in front of each keeper. Keepers swap at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. Bonus = 1 point for carrying the ball through a wide channel and beating a defender in the process.
• A carry that goes through the channel unopposed does not score — this stops the bonus becoming a free jog down an empty touchline.
• No touch restrictions. This is a match.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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Teach the feint before anyone can be tackled. One player carries, their partner shadows two metres away without challenging — so the carrier learns that a defender's feet can be moved by a movement, and gets to try it with nothing at stake.

• 28 × 20 m grid marked with flat markers.
• Pairs — one ball between two. One player carries, the other shadows.
• The shadow is not allowed to tackle. They mirror the carrier at roughly 2 m, staying goal-side.
• Balls at the grid edge so early arrivals start immediately.
• Coach on the long edge with a whistle.

• No tackling at any point. The shadow blocks the route; they never win the ball.
• The shadow must stay within roughly 2 m — too far and the carrier learns nothing; too close and it becomes wrestling.
• An escape counts only if the carrier crosses an edge with the ball under control.
• Swap roles every two minutes.
• If a pair is badly mismatched for speed, swap the pairings quietly and without comment.

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The full 1v1 in its cleanest form. The defender serves the ball and closes down, so every repetition starts with a receive — connecting this theme to this theme — and the attacker has two gates to attack, so the defender cannot simply guess.

• Three or four arenas, each 16 × 14 m, side by side with 4 m between them.
• Per arena: two 3 m escape gates on the far line, 8 m apart; a dashed engage line across the middle; one ball plus a spare.
• Four players per arena — one attacker working, one defender working, one of each waiting at the start line. Waits are under 20 seconds.
• Pair by ability. Put confident attackers against confident defenders. This matters more in this practice than in any other in the curriculum.
• Coach walking between arenas — you cannot see four 1v1s at once, so watch one arena for a full minute before moving.

• The ball must be carried through a gate, not passed through it.
• 1 point for beating the defender through a gate. 2 points if the attacker used a recognisable move to do it. 1 point to the defender for winning the ball cleanly or forcing the attacker back over the start line.
• The defender must serve the ball firmly along the ground — a bad serve wastes the repetition.
• The defender may not tackle until the attacker crosses the engage line, so there is a genuine approach phase.
• Ball out: instant restart with the spare ball. Never wait.

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Force the 1v1 to appear inside a real game without turning the game into a drill. The condition is simple and brutal: a goal only counts if somebody in that attack has beaten an opponent with a dribble.

• Two pitches, each 30 × 20 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: two mini goals at each end, positioned 6 m and 14 m from one corner. Two goals per end means the defence has to spread, which creates the 1v1s.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• Coach in the corridor with a spare ball, feeding both games.

• A goal only counts if a player has beaten an opponent with a dribble during that possession. The players call it themselves; do not referee it.
• Goal after a beat = 1 point. Goal scored BY the player who beat someone = 3 points.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately. No throw-ins or corners.
• No stoppages during games. Coaching happens in the 45-second gaps, as a question.
• Never disallow a goal yourself in a way that deflates a player — if there's doubt, give it and move on. The rule exists to shape behaviour, not to punish.

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Transfer the duel into a full match picture and put the reward where it belongs — in the attacking third, where beating a player creates a chance rather than a risk.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. Both attacking thirds marked with flat markers at 17 m and 33 m.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape in front of each keeper. Keepers swap at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. Beat an opponent = +1. Beat an opponent inside their attacking third = +2.
• A 'beat' means the ball and the player go past the opponent together and the attacker keeps possession.
• No touch restrictions. This is a match.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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Get the striking technique into the legs before anyone is asked to score. Pairs face each other across a line of gates and drive the ball through — same action as a shot, no goalkeeper, no pressure, and no chance of an embarrassing miss.

• 30 × 21 m area with a line of 2.5 m gates down the middle, spaced 3–4 m apart. One gate per pair.
• Pairs face each other 8 m either side of their gate, one ball between them.
• A single marker 3 m behind each player to jog around between strikes — this keeps the practice moving and warms the legs.
• With 14–16 players, make some groups of three: striker, receiver, and one jogging the marker. They rotate every strike.
• Coach walking the line of gates.

• Below knee height at all times. A strike that flies over the partner's head doesn't count, however satisfying.
• The ball must pass through the gate, not around it.
• Jog the marker between every strike from minute 7.
• Alternate feet from minute 8.
• Any ball that leaves the area is retrieved by the player who struck it — immediately, at a jog.

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Attach the finish to the duel. Same 1v1 as in Session 5, but now there is a real goal, a real goalkeeper and a shooting zone — so the attacker must beat their player AND get the shot away before the defender recovers.

• One station at each full-size goal — 26 × 22 m, using the goal and the space in front of it.
• A shooting zone marked 10 m from the goal line: shots must be taken from inside it, which stops speculative long-range efforts.
• Per station: goalkeeper, server standing wide with the balls, attacker, defender, and two players waiting. Six to eight per station.
• Balls stacked with the server, not with the coach — a finishing practice must never wait for a ball.
• Coach positioned to the side of the shooting zone where you can see the strike, not behind the goal.

• Shots only from inside the shooting zone.
• 1 point for a goal. 2 points if the attacker beat the defender first. 1 point to the defender for winning the ball or forcing the shot from outside the zone.
• Rebounds are live for three seconds — this teaches following in the shot without turning the practice into a scramble.
• The server must serve firmly along the ground; a bad serve wastes the repetition.
• Ball out or goal scored: next pair goes immediately. Never wait.

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The duel and the finish inside a competitive game, using both full-size goals and both goalkeepers. Shooting zones stop the game becoming a long-range shooting contest and pull the duels into the areas where they matter.

• One pitch, 40 × 28 m, using both full-size goals with a goalkeeper in each.
• A shooting zone marked 14 m from each goal line — shots only count from inside it.
• 5 v 5 outfield plus two goalkeepers (12 players). With 14–16, use rolling substitutes changing every two minutes — call the changes yourself so nobody has to ask.
• Spare balls behind each goal so restarts are instant.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Shots only from inside the shooting zone. A goal from outside doesn't count and play restarts with the keeper.
• Goal = 1. Goal after a duel = 2. Goal scored BY the player who won the duel = 3.
• Rolling subs every two minutes when the squad is 14 or more. Nobody sits for longer than two minutes.
• Keeper restarts within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• No stoppages. Coaching happens during substitutions, in a sentence.

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A full match with one condition that quietly rebuilds the whole attacking picture: goals count only from inside the box. That pulls players into the scoring positions, which means somebody has to beat a player and deliver, and somebody else has to arrive.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. A 9 × 20 m scoring area marked in front of each goal.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape in front of each keeper. Rotate keepers at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goals count only from inside the scoring area.
• Goal = 2 points. Goal after a duel anywhere in the build-up = 4 points.
• No touch restrictions otherwise. This is a match.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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Build the defensive stance and footwork before anyone can be beaten. Pairs work in lanes: the attacker moves, the defender mirrors, and the whole focus is on the feet — small steps, side-on, never crossing over.

• 30 × 20 m divided into five 6 m lanes with dashed lines of flat markers.
• A target line across the far end, 16 m from the start — the attacker's objective.
• One pair per lane: attacker with a ball at one end, defender 6 m in front. With 14–16, make some lanes a three and rotate every repetition.
• Players must stay inside their own lane. The lane is what makes the practice work — it removes the option of simply running around the defender.
• Coach walking behind the lanes so you can see the defenders' feet.

• Stay inside your lane. Leaving the lane with the ball is a win for the defender.
• No tackling until minute 7.
• An attacker scores by crossing the target line with the ball under control.
• A defender scores double for a stop that involves no tackle — forcing the attacker backwards or out of the lane.
• Swap roles every two minutes so nobody spends the whole warm-up defending.

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Session 5's arena, scored the other way round. The defender serves the ball, approaches on a curve, and tries to show the attacker into the shaded side — the side that is worth double, and which should be the attacker's weaker foot.

• Three or four arenas, each 18 × 16 m, side by side with 4 m between them.
• Two 3 m escape gates on the far line. One half of the arena is shaded with flat markers as the 'show him here' side.
• Four players per arena: one defender working, one attacker working, one of each waiting. Waits under 20 seconds.
• Set the shaded side to the attacker's weaker foot and swap it when a left-footed attacker comes up. This is a 15-second job between repetitions and it doubles the value of the practice.
• Coach walking between arenas, watching the defenders' approach — not the outcome.

• 2 points to the defender if the attacker is forced into the shaded side, whatever happens afterwards. 2 points for winning the ball cleanly. 3 points for forcing the attacker backwards over the start line without a tackle.
• 1 point to the attacker for getting through either gate.
• The defender must serve firmly along the ground.
• No slide tackling. State this once and hold it — it removes the biggest injury risk and forces better footwork.
• Ball out: instant restart with the spare ball.

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Put both halves of the block on the same scoreboard. Goals score, and so does winning a 1v1 — so an attacking team and a defending team can both be winning at the same time, and every duel on the pitch matters to somebody.

• Two pitches, each 30 × 20 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: two mini goals at each end, 4 red bibs, 4 blue bibs, 2 balls.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• The players keep their own duel score. Do not referee it — announce at the start that you're trusting them, and then trust them.
• Coach in the corridor between the pitches with a spare ball.

• Goal = 2 points. Winning a 1v1 = 1 point to the defending team. Winning a 1v1 with cover behind = 2 points.
• A 1v1 is 'won' by a clean tackle, an interception, or by forcing the attacker backwards or out of play.
• No slide tackling.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately.
• No stoppages during games. Coaching happens in the 45-second gaps, as a question.

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Session 5's bonus system, mirrored. Winning a duel is worth a point anywhere and two in your own third — so the moments that actually save goals in a 9v9 match are the moments that pay.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. Both defensive thirds marked at 17 m and 33 m.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape. Rotate keepers at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. Win a 1v1 = +1. Win a 1v1 in your own third = +2.
• A duel is 'won' by a clean tackle, an interception, or by forcing the attacker backwards or out of play.
• No slide tackling.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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Teach the single most important idea in wide defending before anything else happens: the touchline is on your side. Pairs work along a narrow strip, and the defender's only job is to make sure the attacker ends up next to the line rather than inside them.

• A 30 × 12 m strip marked along a real touchline if one is available. The touchline is the bottom edge and should be marked or pointed out clearly.
• A 4 m target gate at the far end, positioned on the INSIDE (away from the touchline) — reaching it is the attacker's win.
• Pairs work in waves: one attacker and one defender at a time, with the rest waiting at the start. Waves are 8–10 seconds so waits are short.
• With 14–16 players, run two strips side by side so the waves are even shorter.
• Coach standing at the far end where you can see whether the defender's body is pointing inside or outside.

• The attacker's target is the inside gate — they only win by getting central.
• Defender scores double for a stop without a tackle.
• Ball over the touchline is a win for the defender.
• No slide tackling.
• Waves of 8–10 seconds. Next pair goes as soon as the previous one finishes.

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The real picture: a winger in a wide channel, a full-back defending, a goalkeeper, and two attackers arriving in the box. Both sides of the idea get coached at once — the full-back learns to force outside and block the cross, the winger learns to beat them and deliver.

• One station at each full-size goal, each 26 × 24 m, with the goal off to one side.
• A 10 m wide channel marked down one side, and a cutback zone marked in front of goal.
• Six to eight players per station: goalkeeper, winger, full-back, two box runners, and the rest waiting.
• Balls stacked with the waiting wingers, not with the coach.
• Coach positioned where you can see the full-back's approach angle — beside the channel, not behind the goal.

• Full-back: 2 points for forcing the winger over the touchline or backwards; 2 points for blocking a cross; 3 points for winning the ball cleanly.
• Attackers: 1 point for a cross or cutback that reaches a runner; 3 points for a goal; 4 points if the winger got inside the full-back first.
• The winger may go inside or outside — the full-back's job is to make outside the only realistic option.
• No slide tackling.
• Ball out or goal scored: next group goes immediately.

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A live game that pays for exactly the two behaviours these sessions have built: beating your player wide and delivering, or defending it and stopping the delivery. Both teams can win on either scoreboard.

• Two pitches, each 32 × 24 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: one mini goal at each end, plus a 6 m wide channel marked down each touchline.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• Coach in the corridor with a spare ball, feeding both games.

• Goal = 1 point. Goal from a cross or cutback delivered out of a wide channel = 3 points. Blocking a cross = 1 point to the defending team.
• From game 3, the 3-point goal needs two attackers in the central area when the ball is delivered.
• Only one defender may enter the wide channel at a time — this preserves the 1v1 and stops the game becoming a wall of bodies.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately.
• No stoppages. Coaching in the 45-second gaps, as a question.

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The last fifteen minutes, with both halves of the theme on the same scoreboard in a full match picture. Win the wide duel or beat it — either way, the moments that decide 9v9 matches are the ones that pay.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. A 6 m channel marked down each touchline.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape. Rotate keepers at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. Full-back wins a duel in the wide channel = +2. Goal from a cross or cutback = +2.
• A wide duel is 'won' by forcing the attacker out, backwards, or by a clean tackle.
• No slide tackling.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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Build the two halves of the wall pass with nobody defending. Groups of three move continuously: A passes to B, B sets it back first time into A's path, A plays forward to C. The set is one touch from the very first repetition.

• 28 × 20 m grid marked with flat markers.
• Groups of three, one ball each. With 14–16 players that is four or five trios; a group of four simply adds a fourth station in the chain.
• No cones inside the grid. Trios move freely and must avoid each other, which is part of the warm-up.
• Balls at the grid edge so the first arrival starts immediately.
• Coach inside the grid from minute 5, coaching individual trios on the move.

• The set-back is one touch. A controlling touch means the sequence doesn't count.
• The passer must be moving before the ball reaches the wall player.
• The return must arrive in front of the runner, not at their feet.
• Loose ball: nearest player retrieves and the trio restarts on the move.
• Rotate roles every ninety seconds so everybody is the wall player.

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The wall pass against a real defender. The attacker must recognise the moment the defender commits, play into the wall, run past on the correct side, and receive the return in the space behind — then get through a gate.

• Three stations, each 22 × 18 m, with 4 m between them.
• Per station: two 3 m gates on the far line; one ball plus a spare; one blue bib.
• Five players per station (15): attacker, defender, wall player, and two waiting. Waits under 20 seconds.
• The wall player stands to one side at roughly 45 degrees, about 7 m from the attacker's starting position, and does not move until the ball is played.
• Coach walking between stations, watching the timing of the run more than the quality of the pass.

• The wall player is limited to one touch. Two touches and the sequence doesn't count.
• 1 point for completing the wall pass and reaching a gate. 2 points if the return was received without breaking stride. 1 point to the defender for an interception or a tackle.
• The attacker must run past the defender, not around the outside of the whole practice.
• From minute 10, dribbling past counts for 1 point — the wall pass is worth more, but the choice is theirs.
• Ball out: instant restart with the spare ball.

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Put a price on the combination. A normal goal scores one; a goal that follows a completed one-two scores three. The players will find the wall pass themselves because the scoreboard makes it worth finding.

• Two pitches, each 30 × 22 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: two mini goals at each end, 4 red bibs, 4 blue bibs, 2 balls.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• The players call their own one-twos. Trust them; the rule is there to shape behaviour, not to be refereed.
• Coach in the corridor between the pitches with a spare ball.

• Goal = 1 point. Goal after a completed one-two = 3 points.
• A one-two counts only if the return is first time and the passer has run past an opponent.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately.
• No stoppages during games. Coaching happens in the 45-second gaps, as a question.
• Give any close call to the attacking team. The rule exists to encourage a behaviour, not to police it.

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The wall pass in a full match picture, where it belongs — used to escape a press in midfield and to break a line in the final third, rather than performed for its own sake.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. No extra markings tonight — the condition is behavioural, not spatial.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape. Rotate keepers at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. A one-two that beats an opponent = +2. A goal originating from a combination = +2 more.
• The return must be first time and the passer must have run past an opponent.
• No touch restrictions otherwise. This is a match.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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Get the overlap into the legs with nobody defending. One player carries, the other runs around the outside and receives the release. Then they swap, continuously, so the run becomes automatic before it becomes a decision.

• 28 × 20 m grid marked with flat markers.
• Pairs, one ball between two. The carrier travels with the ball; the partner overlaps.
• No obstacles inside the grid — pairs must avoid each other, which is part of the warm-up.
• Balls at the grid edge so early arrivals start immediately.
• Coach inside the grid from minute 5, coaching individual pairs on the move.

• The runner goes on the outside, never through the middle.
• The ball is released only when the runner is level or past the carrier.
• The pass must arrive in front of the runner so they don't break stride.
• Roles swap automatically on every repetition — no stopping to organise.
• Loose ball: nearest player retrieves and the pair restarts on the move.

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Turn the pattern into a decision. There are two gates — one outside, one inside — and the defender chooses which one to close. Whichever they close, the other is the answer. The carrier and the runner have to read it together.

• Three stations, each 24 × 20 m, with 4 m between them.
• Per station: an outside gate and an inside gate, both 3 m, on the far line; one ball plus a spare; one blue bib.
• Five players per station (15): carrier, runner, defender, and two waiting. Waits under 20 seconds.
• The runner starts level with and inside the carrier, so both routes are genuinely available.
• Coach walking between stations, watching the timing of the release more than anything else.

• 2 points for going through the gate the defender has NOT closed. 1 point for getting through the closed side anyway. 2 points to the defender for stopping both routes or winning the ball.
• The ball must be released after the runner is level or past. A release before that doesn't score.
• The carrier must carry towards the defender — carrying away from them earns nothing.
• The runner must commit fully; a jogged run is not a run.
• Ball out: instant restart with the spare ball.

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Pay for the run. A goal that follows an overlap or underlap scores three, which means the long sprint that produces nothing directly becomes the most valuable action on the pitch.

• Two pitches, each 32 × 22 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: two mini goals at each end, 4 red bibs, 4 blue bibs, 2 balls.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• The pitch is deliberately wider than usual — 32 m gives the overlap somewhere to happen.
• Coach in the corridor between the pitches with a spare ball.

• Goal = 1 point. Goal after an overlap or underlap = 3 points. A completed overlap run = 1 point on its own (from game 3).
• A run counts only if it goes beyond the ball carrier — running alongside doesn't count.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately.
• No stoppages during games. Coaching happens in the 45-second gaps, as a question.
• Give any close call to the attacking team.

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The overlap in its natural habitat — a full-back going beyond a winger in a real match, and a central midfielder having to decide whether to follow the runner or hold their position.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. No extra markings.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape. Name the full-backs out loud and tell them the overlap is part of their job — this is the first session where a position gets a specific instruction.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. An overlap that creates a free player = +2. A goal originating from an overlap = +2 more.
• The run must go beyond the ball carrier to count.
• No touch restrictions. This is a match.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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Install the timing before anything else. Groups of three, moving continuously: A passes to B, and C — who started running the moment A's foot hit the ball — receives from B first time. Unopposed, so the only thing being learned is when to go.

• 28 × 20 m grid marked with flat markers.
• Groups of three, one ball each. Four or five trios with a squad of 14–16.
• The three players form a rough triangle and travel around the grid together.
• Balls at the grid edge so early arrivals start immediately.
• Coach inside the grid from minute 5, coaching individual trios on the move.

• C starts running as the first pass is played. A late run doesn't count.
• B plays the second pass first time. A controlling touch doesn't count.
• The second pass must go in front of C.
• Roles rotate automatically — no stopping to reorganise.
• Loose ball: nearest player retrieves and the trio restarts on the move.

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The third-man run against defenders who behave like real ones. B comes short and drags their marker out; C runs into the space the marker has just vacated. The picture is exactly what happens in a 9v9 midfield twenty times a match.

• Two or three stations, each 24 × 20 m, with 4 m between them.
• Per station: two 3 m gates on the far line; one ball plus a spare; two blue bibs.
• Six players per station (12–15 across two or three stations): A (deep, on the ball), B (comes short), C (the third man), two defenders, one waiting.
• D1 marks B and is told to follow B when B comes short. That instruction is what creates the space — without it there is nothing to run into.
• Coach walking between stations, watching when C starts and nothing else.

• B plays the second pass first time in the first ten minutes. From minute 10, B may turn instead if the picture demands it.
• 2 points for a completed third-man run through a gate. 1 point if C receives but has to check their run. 2 points to the defenders for an interception.
• C must start before the first pass arrives at B. A late run scores nothing even if it works.
• D1's job is to follow B — this is a coaching instruction, not a tactical choice, for the first ten minutes.
• Ball out: instant restart with the spare ball.

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Find the third-man run in a live game, where nobody organises the picture and the trigger has to be recognised rather than announced.

• Two pitches, each 32 × 22 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: two mini goals at each end, 4 red bibs, 4 blue bibs, 2 balls.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• Four players is the minimum for a third-man run to exist — passer, receiver, runner, plus one more for width. Don't drop below it.
• Coach in the corridor between the pitches with a spare ball.

• Goal = 1 point. Goal after a third-man combination = 3 points. A correctly-timed third-man run = 1 point on its own (from game 3).
• The run must start before or as the first pass is played.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately.
• No stoppages. Coaching happens in the 45-second gaps, as a question.
• Give any close call to the attacking team.

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The third-man run where it wins matches — from a defender, through a pressed midfielder, into a forward running beyond the last line.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. No extra markings.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape. Rotate keepers at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. A third-man combination that beats a line = +2. A goal originating from one = +2 more.
• The run must start on the first pass.
• No touch restrictions. This is a match.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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Refresh all three combinations in six minutes, then hand the choice to the players. Three zones, one for each combination, then a final phase where groups move freely and pick their own.

• 30 × 21 m grid divided into three vertical zones by dashed lines of flat markers.
• Zone 1 — one-two. Zone 2 — overlap. Zone 3 — third man.
• Groups of three, one ball each. Four or five groups with a squad of 14–16.
• Balls at the grid edge so early arrivals start immediately.
• Coach outside the grid, moving between zones. Almost no talking tonight.

• One combination per zone until minute nine.
• In the free phase, a group may not use the same combination twice in a row.
• All the technical rules from the block still apply: one-touch sets, release after the runner is past, run on the first pass.
• Groups rotate roles constantly — nobody stays in one job.
• Loose ball: nearest player retrieves and the group restarts on the move.

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One picture, three answers. The ball carrier has an inside support player and a wide one, and two defenders whose behaviour decides which route is open. Nobody is told which to use — the defenders tell them.

• Two or three stations, each 26 × 21 m, with 4 m between them.
• Per station: three 2.6 m gates across the far line; one ball plus a spare; two blue bibs.
• Six players per station: carrier (C), inside support (S1), wide support (S2), two defenders, one waiting.
• Defenders are given a secret instruction each repetition — either 'commit to the ball', 'stand off and hold', or 'follow the inside player'. The coach whispers it or shows a card. The attackers must read it live.
• Coach positioned to the side, watching the carrier's head as much as their feet.

• 2 points for getting through a gate. 3 points if the combination used matched what the defenders gave them.
• No repeating the same combination twice in a row within a group.
• 2 points to the defenders for an interception or for stopping all three routes.
• Technical rules stand: one-touch sets, release after the runner is past, third man moves on the first pass.
• After every repetition, the carrier says one word — one-two, overlap or third man — naming what they chose. This is the whole practice and it takes two seconds.

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All three combinations live on the same scoreboard, with one rule that forces variety: you may not score with the same combination twice in a row. Teams have to use their whole toolkit rather than their favourite tool.

• Two pitches, each 32 × 22 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: two mini goals at each end, 4 red bibs, 4 blue bibs, 2 balls.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• Write the scoring on a cone or say it twice — three values and a rule is a lot to hold onto mid-game.
• Coach in the corridor between the pitches with a spare ball.

• One-two = 2. Overlap = 2. Third man = 3. Goal = 2. Two different combinations in one attack = 5.
• The same combination may not be scored twice in succession by the same team.
• Teams keep their own score and announce which combination they used. If they can't name it, it doesn't count.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately.
• No stoppages. Coaching in the 45-second gaps, as a question.

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Everything from this theme in one game. Any combination that beats an opponent scores, and the only constraint is that a team may not use the same one twice running. Then, for the last four minutes, everything comes off and you watch what remains.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals. No extra markings.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape. Rotate keepers at the halfway point.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. Any combination that beats an opponent = +2. Not the same combination twice in succession.
• The team must be able to name what they used.
• No touch restrictions. This is a match.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Final four minutes: all conditions removed.

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Let them feel it rather than hear it. The same practice is played in a 14 m square and then a 9 m square, and nobody is told what will happen. The players discover that space is what makes possession possible.

• Two square sizes marked from the start: a 14 × 14 m square and a 9 × 9 m square, using different-coloured flat markers. Mark three or four of each so every group has one.
• Groups of five: four players on the sides of the square (one per side), one defender inside.
• Outside players must stay on their line — they may move along it but not into the square.
• Balls at the edge so early arrivals start immediately.
• Coach moving between squares. Say almost nothing in the first six minutes.

• Outside players stay on their line. Stepping inside loses the ball.
• Two touches maximum.
• The defender scores a point for every interception or every ball forced out.
• Rotate the defender every 45 seconds — nobody stays in the middle.
• Loose ball: nearest player retrieves and the group restarts immediately.

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The first rondo of the curriculum, and it arrives now rather than in September for a reason — a rondo teaches nothing to players who cannot yet receive under pressure. Five outside, two in, with points for the two passes that matter: the split and the switch.

• Two boxes, each 14 × 14 m, marked with flat markers, with a cone at each corner.
• Five outside players on the lines, two defenders inside. Seven per box; two boxes covers 14 players, and with 15–16 add a sixth outside player.
• Outside players may move along their line but may not step inside the box.
• One ball per box plus two spares at the coach's feet.
• Coach between the two boxes, watching body shape on receiving.

• Outside players stay on their lines. Stepping in gives the ball to the defenders.
• Two touches maximum for the first eleven minutes; one touch for the final four if the group is coping.
• Split = 1 point. Switch = 1 point. Ordinary passes score nothing.
• Defenders swap with an outside player when they win the ball twice, or every 90 seconds — whichever comes first.
• Ball out: instant restart with a spare.

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Put a price on the switch. Wide channels on both sides mean the ball can be moved from one touchline to the other, and doing so is worth more than a goal — because at Under-12, the switch is the pass nobody plays.

• Two pitches, each 32 × 24 m — as wide as you can make them — side by side with a 5 m corridor.
• Per pitch: one mini goal at each end, plus a 6 m wide channel marked down each touchline.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• At least one player from each team must be in a wide channel at all times — announce this as a rule, not a suggestion.
• Coach in the corridor between the pitches with a spare ball.

• Goal = 1 point. A switch from one wide channel to the other = 2 points. A goal within five seconds of a switch = 4 points.
• Each team must have a player in a wide channel at all times. If they don't, play continues but no switch can be scored.
• The switch may be one pass or two — the ball simply has to travel from one channel to the other without the opposition touching it.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately.
• No stoppages. Coaching in the 45-second gaps, as a question.

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A deliberately wide pitch and one instruction that changes everything: the wingers stay wide. What follows is a team discovering that a big pitch is easier to play on than a small one.

• 50 × 36 m — wider than any pitch used so far. If you can mark 38 m, do.
• A 5 m stay-wide zone marked down each touchline. Wingers must be inside it whenever their team has the ball in the opposition half.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 shape, with the two wide midfielders explicitly told their job is the touchline.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. A switch from one side of the pitch to the other = +2.
• Wingers must be in the wide zone when their team has possession in the opposition half.
• The switch may travel through one central player.
• Keepers restart within five seconds. Throw-ins may be taken as pass-ins.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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One rule, ten minutes: never stand in a straight line with the ball and a teammate. Groups of three move continuously and must keep re-forming a triangle, so the shape becomes something the body does rather than something the brain calculates.

• 28 × 20 m grid marked with flat markers.
• Groups of three, one ball each. Four or five trios with a squad of 14–16.
• No obstacles — the groups must avoid each other, which is part of it.
• Balls at the grid edge so early arrivals start immediately.
• Coach inside the grid from minute 5, working with individual trios.

• Never a straight line. If the coach can draw one line through all three players, the group has lost the ball.
• The two players off the ball must move every time the ball moves.
• Two touches maximum from minute 7.
• In the final phase, the defender swaps with whoever loses the ball.
• Loose ball: nearest player retrieves and the group restarts on the move.

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Add distance to angle. Five against two with a target at each end, and one demand: the player on the ball must always have someone short, someone long and someone wide. When they don't, they lose it — and they will feel exactly why.

• Two areas, each 24 × 16 m, with a 3 m target zone at each end.
• Five in possession, two defenders, and a target player in each end zone. Nine per area; two areas covers 16–18, so with 14–15 run one area of nine and one of six with a single defender.
• Target players stay in their zone and may not be tackled. They play one-touch back into the area.
• One ball per area plus two spares.
• Coach between the areas, watching the shape around the ball rather than the pass itself.

• 1 point for reaching a target, then the team turns and attacks the other one.
• Targets play one touch back into the area and may not be tackled.
• The team loses the ball if the player on it has fewer than two options — the coach calls it, once or twice, to make the point.
• Defenders swap out after two wins or every 90 seconds, whichever comes first.
• Ball out: instant restart with a spare.

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Possession with a purpose and a number attached. Six consecutive passes is worth a point, which is achievable enough to be motivating and hard enough to require proper support angles.

• Two pitches, each 32 × 24 m, side by side with a 5 m corridor between them.
• Per pitch: two mini goals at each end, 4 red bibs, 4 blue bibs, 2 balls.
• 4 v 4 per pitch (16). With 14, run 4v4 and 3v3. With 15, run 4v4 and 4v3.
• The teams count their own passes out loud. This is not optional — the counting is what makes them aware of the sequence.
• Coach in the corridor between the pitches with a spare ball.

• Goal = 2 points. Six consecutive passes = 1 point. The count resets on any turnover.
• From game 3, the sequence must change direction at least once.
• Teams count out loud. A sequence that isn't counted doesn't score.
• Ball out: the coach rolls a new one in immediately.
• No stoppages. Coaching in the 45-second gaps, as a question.

Tap to enlarge

Support angles in a full match, where the shape has to hold across a much bigger area and the ball carrier is often forty metres from three of their teammates.

• 50 × 34 m with full-size goals.
• Four spare balls in the back of each goal.
• 7 v 7 including goalkeepers (14). With 15–16, play 8v8 or roll subs every 90 seconds.
• 2-3-1 outfield shape. Name the roles: the two centre-backs are the deep options, the wide midfielders are the wide options, the striker is the long option.
• Coach on the halfway line, outside the pitch.

• Goal = 3 points. Six consecutive passes = +1. A goal within ten seconds of a six-pass sequence = +2 more.
• The count resets on any turnover or when the ball goes out.
• No touch restrictions. This is a match.
• Keepers restart within five seconds and count as a passer — a pass back to the keeper keeps the sequence alive.
• Two individual interventions maximum, plus the scheduled break question.

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Make the decision physical. A group keeps the ball in one half of a grid and may only progress through one of four gates in the middle line. A defender patrols those gates, so sometimes forward is on and sometimes it isn't — and the group has to tell the difference.

• 28 × 22 m grid divided in half by a line of flat markers, with four 3 m gates built into that line.
• Groups of four in the near half, two teammates waiting in the far half. One defender patrols the gate line.
• The ball may only cross the line through a gate.
• Balls at the grid edge so early arrivals start immediately.
• Coach on the touchline, level with the gate line.

• The ball crosses the line only through a gate.
• An intercepted forward pass gives the ball to the defender and the group starts again.
• The defender may guard any gate but may not leave the line.
• Two touches maximum from minute 7.
• Groups count completions and interceptions separately.

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The judgement in its clearest form. Five against two in the near half, two against one in the far half. The five can keep the ball almost indefinitely — but their job is to find the moment to break the line, because two against one up there is a chance and five against two down here is not.

• One area 26 × 20 m, divided into two equal halves by a clear line of flat markers.
• Near half: five in possession against two defenders. Far half: two attackers against one defender.
• Nobody crosses the line except the ball — this keeps the two pictures clean.
• One ball plus two spares with the coach.
• Coach standing on the dividing line where both halves are visible.

• Players stay in their own half. Only the ball crosses.
• 1 point for a completed forward pass; 2 points if the receiver can turn. 2 points to the defenders for intercepting one (from minute 10).
• Two touches maximum in the near half from minute 8.
• The far-half players must be moving to make themselves available — a static target doesn't count.
• Ball out: instant restart with a spare.