Annual training plan · U9–U13

Week 13: Counter-Attacking After Winning the Ball

2 complete training sessions with 8 drills – created by licensed coaches. Open every drill in the easy2coach web app with one click.

This week’s focus

Training week 13 is about transition play, specifically the transition from defence to attack. Shortly after winning the ball in particular, there are good opportunities to pass or carry the ball forward quickly. Straight after losing the ball, the opponent is still disorganised and not compact, which opens up big passing windows or space to dribble towards the opponents' goal.

Of course, keeping the ball after winning it is also a way of continuing the game. But in small-sided football especially, it makes sense to teach players to look for brave solutions. In this case, playing forward quickly helps.

But to carry out a fast counter-attack successfully, you need to give your players a few tips:

  • Make yourself available in depth.
  • After a pass in behind, follow the ball at top speed.
  • Find a player in depth with the 2nd pass at the latest, ideally with the 1st pass.
  • Once an opponent has been beaten, do not cut back again and take the pace out of the attack.
  • Finish attacks purposefully.
  • Where possible, play passes into the run or onto the front foot.

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

4 drills

After a 15-minute rondo, a 1 vs 2 drill on doubling up is carried out. After the ball is won, place particular emphasis on the ball being dribbled quickly through the counter-attack goal, to prepare the players for the session focus of transition play.

This is followed by a 3-colour game with teams of 3. A drill that is ideal for training transition play, both attacking and defending. For the team that has won the ball, it is important to make the game big.

The last 30 minutes are then played from 1 vs 0 up to 5 vs 4. This drill is very intensive and guarantees lots of transition moments. When coaching, focus on attacking transition play and the quick forward play that goes with it.

Drill 1

Classic Rondo

15 min
  • The outside players pass the ball to each other.
  • Two players in the middle try to intercept the ball.
  • The third player in the middle acts as an additional passing option for the outside players.
  • If the outside players lose the ball, the player who lost it goes into the middle.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark the boundaries of the playing area.

Equipment: Cones and several balls.

Players: Three players stand in the middle, the rest form a circle around them.

Coaching points
  • Depending on the ability level, also have the ball played first time.
Drill 2

Doubling Up and Winning the Ball

20 min6 x 24 metres
  • The attacker tries to get into the defenders' triangles.
  • The two defenders try to double up on the attacker.
  • If the defenders win the ball, they have to dribble through the middle cone goal.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Twelve cones in two colours mark two triangles for the defenders and one cone goal at the attackers' end.

Equipment: 12 cones and several balls.

Players: One attacker and two defenders.

Coaching points
  • Let the second defender come into the playing area from different starting positions: from the side, from behind or from the front.
  • The defenders try to double up on the attacker immediately.
  • The attacker has to use the pace built up and use different feints in order to beat two defenders.
Drill 3

6 vs 3 with 3 Colours

25 min
  • Inside the playing area the game is played 6 vs 3 with a maximum of two touches.
  • Two teams work together and try to keep the ball.
  • If one of the two teams in possession loses the ball, it becomes the defending team.
  • The team that defended before now plays for possession together with the third team.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones mark out the playing area.

Equipment: 4 cones and several balls.

Players: Three teams of three players each, every team in a different colour.

Coaching points
  • Make the game big quickly after a change of possession.
  • The attacking team applies a high press.
Drill 4

Transition Game from 1 vs 0 to 5 vs 4

25 minDouble penalty area
  • The drill starts with a 1 vs 0 and a finish on goal; a rebound shot is not allowed.
  • Immediately afterwards two opponents set off into the area with a ball for a 2 vs 1.
  • After every ball out of play or goal, two players per team set off into the area alternately until the game is 5 vs 4.
  • A short rest follows; in the next run-through the other team starts the drill.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark the playing area; two goals stand at the ends.

Equipment: 2 goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of five plus goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Use the numerical advantage to combine quickly or to dribble through.
  • Demand immediate transition.
  • The defenders try to cover the space.
The complete session as a ready-made training plan – with animated drills in the web app. Go to the web app

Session 2

4 drills

The warm-up is a handball heading game. An exercise in which it is constantly important to make yourself available for a pass. In addition, with targeted coaching, the exercise can be used to prepare the players for the session focus of attacking transition play.

After that, 2 drills are carried out in a 4 vs 2. In both variations, the aim for the team with fewer players is to get the ball quickly out of the zone where it was won. In Exercise 2 with a pass into a new area and in Exercise 3 by dribbling out of the area.

To finish, a small-sided game with advanced target players is used to work on playing forward quickly after winning the ball. It is also important here again that the players sprint quickly after the ball once it has been played forward.

Drill 1

Handball and Heading in End Zones

15 min25 x 20 metres, of which 5 metres each is end zone
  • In the middle zone the ball is played with the hand and headed.
  • With the ball in the hand only one step is allowed.
  • The aim is to head the ball from the middle zone into the opposing end zone after a throw.
  • If a team-mate catches the ball in the end zone, the team gets a point.

Variations:

  • The ball is thrown or headed into the end zone and headed back into the middle zone by a third team-mate — that counts two points.
  • Inside the end zones the offside rule applies.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Eight cones mark the playing area with a middle zone and two end zones.

Equipment: 8 cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of equal size.

Coaching points
  • Watch the players' showing for the ball and getting free.
  • Keep moving after passing.
  • Play the ball with power and do not throw it in an arc.
Drill 2

Alternating 4 vs 2

20 min
  • In one area the game is played 4 vs 2 for possession.
  • If the team with fewer players wins the ball, it plays it into the other area and follows it.
  • Two players of the team that previously had the extra players follow as defenders.
  • In the new area the 4 vs 2 for possession is now played for the other team.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out two adjoining playing areas.

Equipment: Cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four players each. In one area the players are set up for a 4 vs 2; the remaining two players wait in the other area.

Coaching points
  • Look out for a quick transition.
  • Keep an eye on the workload — this small-sided game is very intensive.
Drill 3

4 vs 2 with Counter-Attack Goals

20 min10 x 10 metres
  • The game is played 4 vs 2.
  • The team of four tries to keep the ball.
  • If the two defenders win the ball, they counter-attack on one of the counter-attack goals.
  • Rules: a maximum of two touches and only ground passes.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area, eight tall cones form the counter-attack goals.

Equipment: Cones, 8 tall cones and several balls.

Players: Four players in numerical superiority against two defenders.

Coaching points
  • After winning the ball, look for a free counter-attack goal quickly and go boldly into the 1 vs 1.
  • The team of four makes the game wide and makes the opponents run.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 with Outside Players in 3 Variations

25 minDouble penalty area
  • Inside the playing area the game is played 4 vs 4.
  • In the attacking half each team positions two crossing players.
  • The crossing players have three ways of getting involved in the game: one-touch play to a team-mate, dribbling into the playing area — in which case the passer must switch to the outside — or a cross.

Scoring of goals:

  • An outside player sets up a goal or scores a goal after dribbling in: two points.
  • Goal after a cross: three points.
  • All other goals: one point.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area; two goals stand at the ends.

Equipment: 2 goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams. For each team four players are in the playing area and two outside as crossing players; in addition there are goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Encourage the players to look for the wingers on the far side of the ball, because they usually have a lot of space; a lofted ball is particularly well suited to this.
  • Bring the ball down to the ground quickly and dribble straight forward into the playing area.
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