Annual training plan · U14–U23

Week 24: Dribbling at Speed & Shielding the Ball

3 complete training sessions with 12 drills – created by licensed coaches. Open every drill in the easy2coach web app with one click.

This week’s focus

Last training week, playing lofted balls and controlling high balls already set a technical focus. This week, the focus will again be on technique. The work is on dribbling skills. Because a lot of work has already been done this season on feints to beat opponents and on the attacking 1 vs 1, this week is about 2 other forms of dribbling – dribbling at speed and dribbling to keep possession.

Dribbling at speed, also known as dribbling to cover ground, is needed above all when a player has a lot of space in front of him. For example, after a switch of play or a won 1 vs 1. The space can be covered more quickly if the ball is pushed further ahead. But it is a matter of getting the weight right, so that the ball is not pushed too far and an opponent suddenly has a shorter route to the ball. This is another reason why it is important to keep an eye on the game when dribbling at high speed.

Dribbling to keep possession is, as the name suggests, about keeping the ball within your own team. But also about preparing follow-up actions, for example by opening a passing window with a feint or buying time until a passing option appears.

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

4 drills

The first session of the week works on dribbling to keep possession. Both in the 1 vs 1 and at the end in the 4 vs 4, play takes place in a very tight space and without a direction of play. As a result, the players in possession can repeatedly get away from their opponents by using sudden changes of direction and feints.

Because of the tight space, the ball should be kept close and with the foot furthest from the opponent. In this way the body is always kept between the ball and the opponent, making it much harder to attack the ball. Keeping the ball close makes it possible to react more quickly to new match situations.

However, to get the players attuned to the focus first, the session starts with an exercise without direct pressure from opponents. Pairs of players take turns to copy their partner's dribbling path and dribbling speed, as well as their feints. In this exercise the players are therefore forced to look up from their own ball again and again.

Coaching points for this session
  • Two-footed dribbling
  • Dribbling with the foot furthest from the opponent
  • Keep looking up from the ball
  • Use feints, changes of pace and direction to get free from the opponent
  • Close ball control
Drill 1

Shadow Dribbling

20 min15 x 20 metres
  • Two players run and dribble one behind the other — the front player as the dribbler, the rear player as the shadow.
  • The front player determines the direction and the pace.
  • The front player tries to shake off the shadow with changes of direction.
  • After one to two minutes both players swap positions.

Variations: Build feints such as the lunge and the step-over into the dribbling.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones mark out the playing area. With more than ten players a second area is set up.

Equipment: 4 cones per area and several balls.

Players: Pairs, each consisting of a dribbler and a shadow.

Coaching points
  • Keep making changes of pace and direction in the dribbling.
  • When feinting, shift the centre of gravity sufficiently.
Drill 2

Coordination Training: Coordination with Sprints

20 min

Right side

  • The players run through the agility ladder with a quick sequence of steps.
  • This is followed by a short sprint over six to seven metres.
  • The players then run through the slalom course at a fast pace.
  • This is followed by a sprint over about 10 to 12 metres.
  • On reaching the goal line, they jog easily across to the other side.

Left side

  • The players run through the agility ladder with a quick sequence of steps.
  • This is followed by a sprint over six to eight metres.
  • The hurdles are then jumped through; here too the focus is on speed.
  • This is followed by a sprint over 10 to 12 metres.
  • On reaching the goal line, they jog easily across to the other side.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two courses side by side with agility ladders, hurdles and slalom poles.

Equipment: 2 agility ladders, 10 hurdles, 5 slalom poles, 2 red and 2 yellow cones.

Players: Two groups, lined up on the goal line.

Coaching points
  • Have different variations performed at the agility ladders.
Drill 3

Endurance with Ball Techniques

25 min12 x 12 metres
  • Two players at a time play 1 vs 1, one pair after the other.
  • The coach plays a ball into the playing area.
  • As soon as the ball is in the playing area, the first player in each line may set off into the playing area.
  • Both players try to score on one of the four goals as quickly as possible.
  • If the ball goes out of play or into the goal, the attack ends and the players leave the playing area.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area. The four mini goals stand evenly distributed in the playing area, with their backs to each other and the openings facing outwards.

Equipment: 4 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of equal size. The players stand in two lines one behind the other, to the left and right of the coach.

Coaching points
  • Use feints as well as changes of pace and direction in order to get away from the opponent.
  • Dribble with the foot furthest from the opponent.
Drill 4

Small-Sided Game 4 vs 4 with Dribbling Goals

25 min
  • The game is played 4 vs 4 with four dribbling goals.
  • A goal counts when a player dribbles through two cones with the ball at the feet.
  • After a dribbling goal the team stays in possession, but must now attack one of the other three goals; so no team has permanently assigned goals.
  • Five rounds of four minutes are played, with one minute of rest each.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four tall cones mark out the playing area, eight cones form four dribbling goals.

Equipment: 4 tall cones, 8 cones and several balls.

Players: Two groups of four.

Coaching points
  • Dribble with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Use feints as well as changes of pace and direction with the ball.
  • Make the game big when in possession.
  • Pay attention to sufficient showing for the ball and getting free.
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Session 2

4 drills

Dribbling at speed is the focus of today's training session. At the start, a passing drill in a square teaches the players to take the ball straight in their stride. This exercise could, for example, simulate a full-back or winger taking the ball in stride after a switch of play. What matters here is for the players to take the ball straight in their stride and pick up speed in order to cover as much ground as possible.

This is followed by 1 vs 1 on the wing, with the defender coming from the side. By taking the ball in stride well or having a speed advantage, the attacker can avoid a direct duel by cutting across the defender's path. If the defender can follow the attacker so that cutting across their path is not possible, the ball should be carried with the foot furthest from the opponent.

This 1 vs 1 on the wing is trained in a match-realistic way in the 3rd exercise. After the ball is won, a 3 vs 5 in the centre turns into a 5 vs 5 counter-attack. The wide players learn not only to dribble at high speed, but also to carry out follow-up actions at high speed.

Coaching points for this session
  • Dribbling with the foot furthest from the opponent
  • Cross the running path of the opponent
  • Keep looking up from the ball
  • Boldly pick up speed
Drill 1

Passing in a Square - Passing into the Run

20 min
  • The red player plays the ball into the zone of the blue player, who has asked for it beforehand.
  • The blue player takes the ball on under control and plays it on to the next player — here to the yellow one.
  • The drill continues in this way.

Variations: After a few rounds, change the direction of play.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four zones are set up with 16 cones.

Equipment: 16 cones and balls.

Players: At least one player stands at each zone, at least two at the starting position.

Coaching points
  • Take the ball on with the outside foot and play it with that foot.
Drill 2

Situational Drill: 1 vs 1 on the Wing

20 minAs shown in the graphic
  • The coach starts the drill with a pass into the marked playing area.
  • The attacker tries to dribble over the inside line or, after crossing the edge of the penalty area, to score with a square pass.
  • The defender can finish on a counter-attack goal after winning the ball.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark a narrow wing channel from the halfway line to the goal line. In the penalty area there is a mini goal as the target goal, behind the starting position a second mini goal as the counter-attack goal.

Equipment: 2 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: One attacker and one defender in different bib colours, plus a coach with the balls next to the counter-attack goal.

Coaching points
  • Dribble with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Cross the running path of the opponent.
  • Dribble at the highest possible speed, in order to give the opponent no chance of a duel.
Drill 3

5 vs 3 + Wide Forwards

20 minHalf a pitch
  • In the semicircle the red team plays 5 vs 3 against the blue team. The red players have two touches, the blue players try to win the ball.
  • If the blue players win the ball, they pass it immediately towards the goal into the path of one of the two blue wide forwards.
  • As soon as the pass has been played, the players from the semicircle join the attack: the three blue players become attackers, the red team becomes the defending team. The second winger joins in as well, so that 5 vs 5 is played.
  • After a certain time Team Red and Team Blue swap positions.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: There is one goal on the goal line.

Equipment: 1 goal, at least 5 bibs and several balls.

Players: A goalkeeper goes in goal. Two teams of five are formed — Red and Blue. The five red players go into the semicircle at the halfway line together with three blue players. Of the two remaining blue players, one lines up on the left touchline and the other on the right touchline, on the halfway line.

Coaching points
  • The three players in the minority in the semicircle become attacking players immediately on winning the ball.
  • The pass is played firmly towards the corner of the penalty area.
  • The wide players stay focused and look for the quickest route to goal.
  • The players in possession in the semicircle control the ball and always have a central passing option in the middle.
  • On losing possession they sprint back to the goal immediately and try to stop the attack.
Drill 4

6 vs 6 with Dribbling Goals

25 minHalf a pitch
  • The game is played 6 vs 6 with fixed formations.
  • Red starts the game and must play through to the goal within 15 seconds.
  • After winning the ball, Blue counters on the dribbling goals on the outside or on the passing gate in the middle.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Six tall cones form two dribbling goals on the outside and one passing gate in the middle on the halfway line; a goal stands at one end.

Equipment: 6 tall cones, 1 goal and several balls.

Players: Two teams of six players each in fixed formations — Blue with a back four and two holding midfielders, Red with a midfield four and two strikers, each derived from the 4-4-2. In addition one goalkeeper.

Session 3

4 drills

The 3rd session trains both dribbling at speed and dribbling to keep possession. The warm-up is a 1 vs 1 game of keeping possession. Here the ball can be shielded, especially against physically weaker and smaller defenders. The ball is on the foot furthest from the opponent and the way to the ball is blocked with the body. The distance between the opponent and the ball should be kept as large as possible.

If the player in possession is up against a physically stronger opponent, it can definitely help to get away from the opponent with feints and changes of direction.

This is followed by another 1 vs 1 exercise. This time, however, the aim is not to keep the ball but to finish on one of 2 opposite mini goals. Here too, feints are an excellent way to wrong-foot the opponent and then cut sharply.

The 3rd exercise then works on dribbling at speed. The players should pick up speed as soon as they take the ball in their stride, dribble for a few metres and then finish on a full-size goal.

Coaching points for this session

Dribbling to keep possession:

  • Get free from the opponent with feints, changes of pace and direction
  • Carry the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent
  • Close ball control

Dribbling at speed:

  • Dribble the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent
  • Cut across the opponent's running line
  • Cover the open space decisively and at the highest possible speed
Drill 1

1 vs 1 | Keeping Possession

20 min20 x 20 metres

Exercise 1

  • Practise passing as well as the first touch and taking the ball in stride — laying the ball off, turning and the like.

Exercise 2

  • The player in possession tries to shield the ball and defend it against the partner.
  • If the defender wins the ball, the defender then has to keep it.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area.

Equipment: Cones and 1 ball per pair.

Players: The players form pairs.

Coaching points
  • Control the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent.
Drill 2

1 vs 1 with Mini Goals

25 min10 x 12 metres
  • Player 1 plays a firm pass to Player 2.
  • Player 2 takes the ball straight into the run.
  • Player 2 tries to score on one of the two mini goals.
  • Goals only count if the ball has been dribbled through one of the cone goals beforehand.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four yellow cones mark out the playing area at the corners, four red cones form two cone goals on the longitudinal axis. Two mini goals stand at the ends.

Equipment: 2 mini goals, 4 red and 4 yellow cones as well as several balls.

Players: Players 1 and 2.

Coaching points
  • Get away from the opponent with feints as well as changes of pace and direction.
  • Dribble the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Finish attacks off purposefully.
Drill 3

Dribbling at Speed with a Finish

20 min
  • Both goalkeepers start the action at the same time by rolling the ball into the path of the player next to them.
  • The players take the ball into their stride, set off dribbling at speed through the poles and finish on goal.
  • They then join the queue on the other side, so that a rotation is created.

Variations:

  • Start on the other side and dribble and shoot with the other foot.
  • The coach calls out whether to dribble through the poles, around the outside or around the inside.
  • The players play a ground pass and a lofted pass to each other at the same time and take it into their stride.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two goals, with poles and tall cones in between as shown in the graphic.

Equipment: 2 goals, 4 poles, 6 tall cones and 4 to 8 cones.

Players: Two goalkeepers as well as one group of players next to each goal.

Coaching points
  • Take the ball straight into the stride.
  • Look up from the ball once more before the finish.
Drill 4

1 vs 1 up to 4 vs 4

25 min30 x 20 metres
  • Every game starts with a 1 vs 1.
  • The task is to dribble through a goal on the opposite side or to pass along the ground through it.
  • After a goal or after the ball goes out over the goal line or the touchline, one more player from each team moves into the playing area — making it 2 vs 2, 3 vs 3 and finally 4 vs 4.
  • To do so, the new player of the team entitled to the ball dribbles in.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area; eight tall cones form four goals.

Equipment: 8 tall cones, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four players each.

Coaching points
  • Look for the 1 vs 1 bravely.
  • Get past the opponent with a change of pace and a feint.
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