Annual training plan · U9–U13

Week 23: Switching Play in Small-Sided Games

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

Switching play becomes much more important with the move to the full-size pitch. Above all because ball-orientated defending is applied more intensively, which creates a lot of space on the far side.

In small-sided football, defending players orient themselves more to their opponent than to the ball. Nevertheless, it helps players from U12/U13 onwards to get to know the switch of play as a possible option in attack. Because in small-sided football, too, there are situations in which the space on the ball side has become very crowded and playing forward is very difficult.

Unlike on the full-size pitch, small-sided football is not about preparing the switch of play by, for example, luring the opponent to the ball side. Instead, the young players should simply get to know the switch of play as an option in attack and develop a feel for the match situations in which a switch to the far side can be helpful.

The next 2 training weeks will also be about giving players pointers for carrying out a switch of play, so that ultimately a dangerous attack can be prepared through a switch. Important for a successful switch of play are …

  • … firm, accurate passing. Team-mates should be played into their run or onto their front foot wherever possible, so that no pace is lost.
  • … players on the far side pushing up as high as possible to bridge as much space as possible.
  • … taking the ball in one's stride instead of stopping it.

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

4 drills

In the warm-up, a total of 15 minutes is spent on passing. The lay-off and long passes are trained.

The second and third exercises then work on the switch of play. In the second exercise the players learn to play quickly out of pressure after winning the ball.

After that, a positional play exercise with a clear overload is carried out. Here the players learn, on the one hand, to keep the ball moving safely within their own team, to create enough passing options and to make the game as wide and deep as possible. But this exercise also specifically trains playing out of pressure.

Make sure that the players keep playing the ball out of the tight spaces by combining very deliberately and quickly into the free space. Passing options should be provided in the free spaces, and great importance should be placed on the players not playing the ball back into pressure when it is possible to keep playing into the free spaces.

Coaching points for this session
  • Play the ball out of the tight spaces
  • Switch play at high speed: firm passes, skip stations
  • Take the ball straight into free space
  • Do not play back into pressure
Drill 1

Passing in Threes

15 min
  • On a command from the coach, Player C moves one to two metres towards the player with the ball — Player A.
  • Player A plays a ground pass to Player C.
  • Player C lays the ball off to Player A and turns towards Player B.
  • Player A plays the ball first time to Player B.
  • Player B controls the ball and again plays a ground pass to Player C; and so it goes on.
  • Player C receives the ball ten times from each of Players A and B, then the players change.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two cones mark the outside positions.

Equipment: Cones and one ball per group.

Players: The players split into groups of three. Two players — one of them with a ball — occupy the cones, the third stays in the middle between the two cones.

Coaching points
  • Show for the lay-off at a diagonal angle.
  • Play the ball with the outside foot.
  • After the lay-off delay briefly and, as soon as the middle player is bypassed, follow the ball at speed.
Drill 2

Positional Play: 4 vs 2 with a Change of Area

20 minTwo areas of 15 x 15 metres each
  • In one of the two areas, 4 vs 2 is played for possession; two players wait in the other area.
  • The two players with the numerical disadvantage try to win the ball.
  • If they succeed, the ball is passed into the other area as directly as possible.
  • Two players from each team move into the new area; now the other team plays with the ball and with the numerical advantage.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Six cones or tall cones mark out two squares next to each other.

Equipment: 6 cones or tall cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four players each.

Coaching points
  • Demand quick transition play.
  • The team with the numerical disadvantage defends the space, but goes aggressively for the ball when a good opportunity arises.
Drill 3

Game to 4 Goals with 3 Teams

20 min
  • Two teams play together for possession for five minutes at a time.
  • With five to eight successful passes in a row both teams receive one point each.
  • After winning the ball the defending team can finish at all four goals and receives a point for it.
  • Every team has to defend once.
  • The team with the most points wins.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: There are four goals at the sides.

Equipment: 4 goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Three teams.

Coaching points
  • Play out of the pressure quickly.
  • Make the game wide and big.
  • Constantly provide three passing options: centrally, left and right.
Drill 4

Finishing Drill with Cone Dribbling

20 min
  • On a call the first players of each queue start at the same time; four players are always involved in one round.
  • At position 2 the player pushes the ball forward and shoots at goal immediately.
  • At position 1 the player first completes the slalom course with the ball and then finishes immediately afterwards.
  • Meanwhile Player 3 plays the ball out to the wide position, and Player 4 delivers a cross, if possible first time and on the run.
  • After Players 1 and 2 have shot at goal, they cross their running paths and try to convert the cross.
  • After the execution it is the turn of the next group; the four players move on one position in the next round.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four stations with a slalom course of cones and a goal.

Equipment: 8 cones, 1 goal and several balls.

Players: Four stations with one player each. The players at positions A, B and C have a ball.

Coaching points
  • Pay attention to precise timing.
  • Gradually increase the tempo of the drill.
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

In switches of play, speed is a very decisive factor. Only if the ball is moved across to the other side quickly enough can enough space be gained to create a promising goal-scoring chance.

If, on the other hand, the switch of play takes too long, the opposing team has enough time to shift back across to the other side. The ball can then be kept within the team across several players, but the switch of play becomes an end in itself. Because the slow execution gains no space.

An effective way of switching play with speed is to play past one or more positions. However, because of the greater distance, the player should make sure that the pass cannot be intercepted. In addition, the ball naturally has to be played with more pace than when it is only played on to the next player. If several positions are played past at once, a lofted ball can also be used for the switch of play.

Coaching points for this session
  • Take the ball in your stride straight away
  • Play passes with sufficient pace
  • Play passes into the team-mate's path or to the front foot, without the team-mate having to reduce pace
  • Bypass individual positions if possible
  • Play with few touches. The ball always travels faster than a player.
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

1 vs 1 After Activation

20 min
  • The coach plays or throws the ball roughly into the middle of the playing area.
  • One player each from Red and Blue starts towards the ball.
  • The players may only score a goal once they have dribbled through one of the four yellow cone goals.
  • The finish is on the two goals that are further away from their own starting position.

Variations: It can also be played 2 vs 2.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Eight yellow cones form four cone goals about two metres wide; plus four mini goals.

Equipment: 4 mini goals, 8 cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams — Red and Blue — waiting at opposite starting positions.

Coaching points
  • Dribble with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Use feints and changes of pace to get away from the opponent.
  • Keep the ball close.
  • Get to the finish promptly.
Drill 3

Game: Switch of Play

20 minA quarter of the pitch
  • In the area, 3 vs 3 is played with two neutral players.
  • The team with the right to attack may score in both goals.
  • The right to attack changes when a team wins the ball and a player briefly dribbles it over the goal line opposite the mini goals.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area; two mini goals stand on one side.

Equipment: 2 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of three and two neutral players.

Coaching points
  • Use the numerical advantage to pull the opponents apart.
  • The defenders occupy the space without losing sight of the two goals.
Drill 4

8 vs 8 to Four Cone Goals

25 min30 x 40 metres.

Both teams play against each other with an unlimited number of touches. The red team defends the two red cone goals and attacks the two blue ones, the blue team the other way round.

Progression:

  • Limit to three touches.
  • Limit to two touches.
  • One-touch play with a single touch.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: An area marked out with cones measuring 30 x 40 metres. In the middle of each of the four lines there is a cone goal — two red and two blue.

Equipment: 12 cones.

Players: Two teams of eight players each.

Coaching points
  • In defence, shift across as a unit depending on the position of the ball.
  • On winning the ball, switch quickly. If that is not possible, control the ball and move the opponents with deliberate passing until a space opens up to finish.
  • Always keep an eye on the opponents and on the goals to be defended.
  • Play passes firmly and accurately and keep the timing of the pass.
  • On losing possession, switch to defence immediately.
  • Talk to each other and organise the shape.
  • When play gets stuck, switch the play and do not commit to one goal.
  • Where possible, build up quick passing moves and look for the pass in behind.
  • In possession, change positions and do not play statically.

Session 3

4 drills

The session begins with a passing drill on the switch of play. This drill also works on showing for the ball and getting free, with the players showing in the gaps and moving out of the cover shadow. Make sure that the players take their first touch in the direction of play, use as few touches as possible and play the passes firmly enough.

This is followed by 25 minutes of positional play. Here play should repeatedly be switched through the centre. As a lay-off must also be played in the centre, staggering in depth should be maintained there at all times.

After a further 25 minutes of work on attacking 1 vs 1 with finishing, the session continues with a small-sided game on the switch of play.

In the small-sided game the teams can each finish on 3 goals, spread evenly along the goal line. This means that play can repeatedly be switched deliberately and quickly to the far side when a team has got stuck on one side.

Coaching points for this session
  • Play past individual positions
  • Pass the ball with sufficient pace
  • Play the ball to the front foot or into the path where possible, without the attack losing pace
  • When the space becomes too tight, deliberately look for the switch of play
  • Take the ball in your stride straight away and into free space
Drill 1

Getting Away from the Opponent with a Switch of Play (Passing Rotation)

20 min
  • Player B gets out of the cover shadow of the dummies to the side and receives a pass from Player A.
  • Player B takes the ball towards the cone goals.
  • Player C shows behind one of the two cone goals as preferred and receives a pass; Player B gives the command to turn.
  • Player C controls the ball and takes it in their stride.
  • Player D moves into the gap in the row of cones and receives a pass from Player C.
  • Player D dribbles towards Player E and plays a forward pass to that player.
  • Player E dribbles a few metres and plays a firm pass into the mini goal.
  • Every player then moves on one position in the rotation.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two central cone goals level with position C, two dummies at position B and a row of cones with a gap at position D. Two cones mark positions A and E, behind which stands a mini goal.

Equipment: Cones, 2 dummies, 1 mini goal and several balls.

Players: One player at each of positions A to E; with more than five players the starting position A is occupied at least twice.

Coaching points
  • Take the passes straight into the direction of play.
  • Demand communication.
  • Pay attention to the pace of the passes.
Drill 2

Switch of Play - Possession Game

20 minOuter square 25 x 25 metres, inner square 7 x 7 metres
  • The blue players play for possession and try to pass the ball to the players in the inner square.
  • If no passing option to the inside is available because of pressure from opponents, they orientate themselves towards the free side — there is always a free player there.
  • The yellow players may not enter the inner blue square.
  • The blue outside players act with a maximum of two touches, ideally with one.
  • The inside player who receives the ball stands deep and lays the ball off to the second inside player — staggered in depth — who switches play to another side.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Mark out two squares, one inside the other. Four red cones mark the outer square of 25 x 25 metres, four blue cones the inner square of 7 x 7 metres.

Equipment: 4 red and 4 blue cones, bibs in two colours, several balls.

Players: Six players of the possession team, four of them outside the outer square spread over the four sides and two in the inner square. Three opponents move freely between the two squares.

Coaching points
  • Always be on the move and look for possible passing lanes.
  • Move out of the cover shadow.
  • The outside players should play the ball on first time wherever possible, otherwise the switch comes too late.
Drill 3

1 vs 1 with a Shot at Goal

20 min
  • Player 1 plays a pass to Player 2.
  • Player 2 takes the ball in their stride and tries to get past opponent 3.
  • Player 2 then finishes at goal.
  • Change of positions: Player 1 moves to position 2, Player 2 to position 3, Player 3 to position 4 and Player 4 to position 1.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Five cones mark the positions; there is a goal at one end.

Equipment: 5 cones, 1 goal and several balls.

Players: Players 1 to 4; plus a goalkeeper.

Coaching points
  • Take the ball straight into the movement.
  • Get past the opponent with a feint and a change of pace.
  • Shift the centre of gravity sufficiently when feinting.
  • Finish quickly after winning the 1 vs 1.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 on 6 Mini Goals

30 min
  • Two teams play 4 vs 4 on the six mini goals.
  • The other two groups run around the playing area and perform coordination or fitness exercises while doing so.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area; six mini goals stand all around it.

Equipment: 6 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Four teams of four players each.

Coaching points
  • The defenders work in quick pressing.
  • The attackers make the game wide.
  • The attackers escape the pressing with combinations and look to score.
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