Annual training plan · U9–U13

Week 31: Learning to Get Free of a Marker

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

When to use: winter preparation

These sessions are ideal for U10/U11 and U12/U13 teams from grassroots league level upwards.

Week 5 of the preparation for the second half of the season continues with training showing for the ball and getting free. But before players learn to show in an open body position, get out of the cover shadow, show in the gaps or use running feints deliberately, an absolute foundation has to be laid – developing the willingness to always want the ball.

The unconditional will to want the ball can vary greatly between the players of a team. It is usually the key players who collect a lot of touches in training games, because they bring a lot of confidence and are therefore not afraid of losing the ball.

On the other hand, there are players who virtually hide from the ball and would rather stay behind their opponents. But to develop, a player needs above all actions on the ball. So be patient with the more reserved players and encourage them to get free and demand the ball. At first, the number of actions on the ball matters more than their quality. So let your players make mistakes again and again. Better to make a mistake on the ball than not to have the ball at all.

As the number of touches increases, the quality of passes, dribbles, first touches and finishes will rise by itself.

Once this willingness is in place, the 2nd step is to teach very specifically how players can show for the ball and get free.

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

4 drills

Today's session works on movement off the ball. The players should repeatedly get away from their opponents or out of their cover shadow. When the players manage to make themselves available for a pass, they should call for the ball actively and audibly.

If the players have difficulty getting away from their opponents, using running feints and sudden changes of pace and direction can help. Depending on the situation, it can also help to sit briefly on the opponent's blind side and then suddenly become available for a pass. As a result, the defender initially cannot see the player and needs more time to react to the movement to get free.

Even after the ball has been passed, the players should not stand still, but should immediately run into a new space. Ideally with an explosive change of pace. This not only serves to get the ball back straight away, but also helps the receiver. Pass & go immediately drags an opponent along, so that this opponent does not put the player in possession under pressure.

Coaching points for this session
  • Keep getting free from the opponent or out of their cover shadow
  • Use running feints, changes of pace and direction to get free
  • Pass & move (with a change of pace)
  • Show availability/ call for the ball verbally
Drill 1

Handball Football on 4 Mini Goals

15 min
  • In the playing area the ball is played with the hand.
  • After ten passes a goal may be scored on one of the four mini goals with a header or a volley.
  • After losing possession, after a goal or after a ball out of play the right to attack changes; the coach plays a new ball into the playing area each time.
  • After a few rounds the coach plays a ball along the ground into the playing area; then it is played with the feet.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark the playing area; at the sides there are four mini goals.

Equipment: 4 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of equal size.

Coaching points
  • Show for the ball constantly.
  • Make the game big.
  • Demand the balls actively.
  • Keep moving immediately after the pass.
  • Move the ball on quickly.
  • Throw the passes firmly and not in an arc over the opponents.
Drill 2

Back Four Acceleration Speed

15 min
  • The first players dribble towards the centre of the area at the same time and dribble around any cone there.
  • Then they pass the ball to the team-mate at the outer cone opposite.
  • The dribbler sprints after the pass.
  • As soon as the receiving player has been tagged, that player may dribble into the area and has to dribble around a different cone.
  • The sequence continues until one team has dribbled around all four cones.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones form a square, four more stand as a diamond in the middle of it.

Equipment: 8 cones and one ball per player.

Players: Groups of equal size at the outer cones.

Coaching points
  • Look up from the ball when dribbling.
  • Perform the acceleration after the pass explosively.
Drill 3

1 vs 1 in Zones with Floaters

20 min
  • In every area two players play a 1 vs 1.
  • They try to pass the ball to a player of their own team.
  • One of the two extra players can show for the ball in the area and play the ball on.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones form a large square that is divided into four small squares.

Equipment: Cones and several balls.

Players: In every square there is one player from each of the two teams; in addition there are two extra players.

Coaching points
  • Use running feints in order to get away from the opponent.
  • Show availability for a pass and demand the ball verbally.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 with a Goalkeeper

25 min25 x 30 metres
  • Free play in a 4 vs 4.
  • Only ground passes are allowed in the combination play.
  • When the ball goes out at the side, it is dribbled back in.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area; there is a goal at each end.

Equipment: 2 goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four and goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Defend in a ball-orientated and compact way in the 4 vs 4 as well.
  • Try to double up and, in doing so, cut off the passing line to another opponent.
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Session 2

4 drills

Further internalising pass and go, as well as learning to show for the ball in an open body position, are the aims of today's training session.

For pass & go, a small-sided game with 3 zones is played. Each time the ball has been played on into the next zone, one player from the team in possession may set off into that zone as well. This gives the receiver the option of laying the ball off first time if they have an opponent behind. Moving up also actively gets more defensive players to take an active part in the attacking play. Ideally, pass and go is carried out with an explosive change of pace in order to lose the opponent.

Showing for the ball in an open body position is trained in a finishing drill. The open body position offers above all 2 major advantages:

  • The receiver can see what is happening in the direction of play. This means the receiver recognises follow-up actions more quickly and does not rely on a call such as “turn!”
  • Taking the ball in stride can be done more quickly. The receiver can take the 1st touch straight into their stride and pick up speed if the space is there. If, on the other hand, the player shows for the ball in a closed body position, they first have to turn, which makes the attack lose pace unnecessarily
Coaching points for this session
  • Pass and move with a change of pace
  • Show for the ball in an open body position
  • Actively call for the ball
Drill 1

Numbered Passing

20 min30 x 25 metres.

Players 1 and 7 each start with a ball. Passing follows ascending numerical order: Player 1 passes to Player 2, Player 2 to Player 3 and so on. At the same time Player 7 starts and passes upwards to Player 8.

To begin with, play with at least two touches per player, not first time. As the drill progresses, switch to one-touch play with a single touch.

Variations:

  • Players 1, 5 and 9 each start with a ball — three balls in play in total.
  • Change the group size and the number of balls; both increase the level of difficulty.
  • A maximum of three touches per player, with the incoming pass controlled in one touch. This is followed by a quick change of direction and a firm pass to the next team-mate.
  • Set the passing technique: inside of the foot, laces, outside of the foot, inside-of-the-foot push pass or curling the ball with plenty of spin.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: 30 x 25 metres, marked out with four cones.

Equipment: 4 cones and 2 balls.

Players: 12 players, numbered from 1 to 12, spread out across the playing area.

Coaching points
  • Call out to the receiving player before playing the pass.
  • Keep constant eye contact with the passer and the receiver.
  • Coordinate the timing of the pass and of the start of the run.
  • Keep moving and change areas rather than standing in one position.
  • Correct any faulty execution and demonstrate the correct execution.
Drill 2

Speed Training II

20 minTwo separately set up stations
  • Exercise 1: Two-footed jumps over the hurdles, then a sprint to a hoop of the colour called out. To finish, run through the cone goal diagonally opposite.
  • Exercise 2: Two players run at an easy pace from one cone goal to the other. At about the halfway point the coach calls out a number. With an even number the sprint goes through the cone goal for even numbers, with an odd number through the other one.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Set up two stations next to each other. At the first station the four hurdles stand in two pairs one behind the other, behind them lie four hoops in two colours, two of each colour. All around, yellow cones mark several cone goals. At the second station two cone goals made of red cones face each other: one counts for even numbers, the other for odd numbers.

Equipment: 4 hurdles, 4 hoops in two colours, cones in two colours.

Players: The players complete the stations one after the other, at the second station two players run together.

Coaching points
  • Leave enough rest between the individual rounds.
  • Have five to six rounds performed per drill.
  • Only call out the colour or the number once the players are on the way, so that they have to decide under time pressure.
Drill 3

Open Body Position with a Shot at Goal

20 minHalf a pitch

Variation 1:

  • The rear players pass to the front players.
  • The receiver controls the ball, turns into an open body position and finishes at goal.
  • The passes are played from left to right so that the receivers always get the ball from different positions. Alternatively the centre is occupied twice, and the outside players pass to centre left and centre right.
  • Afterwards the passer takes the receiver's position; the receiver collects the ball and takes up the position at the cone of the previous passer.

Variation 2:

  • The outside players become defenders.
  • Alternatively or in addition, a passive defender is added in the centre.
  • The rotation order is: receiver, passer, defender, passive defender in the centre.
Equipment & set-up

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

Equipment: 7 cones, 1 goal and several balls.

Players: The rear players as passers, the front players as receivers; plus a goalkeeper.

Coaching points
  • Take the ball straight into the movement with the first touch.
  • Pass to the front foot.
  • Finish quickly.
Drill 4

Overload Game with Zones

25 min
  • In the outer zones two defenders play against one striker, in the middle zone it is played 2 vs 2.
  • The players try to play into the next zone.
  • If this works, one player of the team in possession pushes up from the previous zone into the next zone.
  • The ball can also be played straight into the final zone; in that case one player from the middle zone moves up immediately.
  • The players of the defending team stay in their zone.

Variations: The team in possession plays with an underload in the zones.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark the playing area, which is divided into three equally sized zones; there are two goals at the ends.

Equipment: 2 goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams with equal numbers; plus goalkeepers. In the outer zones there are two defenders and one striker each, in the middle zone two players per team.

Coaching points
  • Use the overload to combine quickly.
  • Use the overload to make the game wide and make the opponents run.

Session 3

4 drills

Today's session is about creating passing options further forward. It is important that the attacking players learn to get out of the cover shadow of the opposing defenders in front of them. Either by the attackers moving away wide or by showing for the ball in the gap between 2 players.

Another way of driving play forward towards the opposition's goal is to make runs in behind. If the player moves diagonally rather than straight towards the opposition's goal line, it becomes easy for the passer to find the player in behind.

A good way of opening up space in behind is to make a running feint. In this case, the player takes 2-3 steps towards the player in possession and then sets off explosively in behind.

However, when trying to play the ball in behind the defence, it is not only the attackers' runs that are decisive. It is also important that the players learn to play the ball into free space. To do this, the players must be able to judge their team-mates' runs and speed.

Coaching points for this session
  • Get out of the cover shadow – move away wide or show for the ball in the gaps
  • Make runs in behind
  • Set off diagonally in behind
  • Prepare the run in behind with a running feint
Drill 1

3 vs 1 in 3 Zones

Outer area 15 x 15 metres, inner area 10 x 15 metres
  • Group A tries to pass the ball among themselves five times in the first area; one defender tries to prevent that.
  • After five successful passes the ball is played to Group B; Defenders 2 and 3 try to intercept the pass.
  • Group B now tries to play five passes within their area.
  • Defender 2 tries to prevent that, while Defender 1 pushes up into the middle area.

Note: Every group should act as defenders at least once.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark the playing area, two lines running across divide it into three zones. The left zone belongs to Group A, the right one to Group B, in between lies the middle zone.

Equipment: Cones, bibs in three colours, several balls.

Players: Three teams of three players each. Group A stands in the left zone, Group B in the right one. From the defending team, Defender 1 starts in the zone of Group A, Defenders 2 and 3 stand in the middle zone.

Coaching points
  • Group B gets out of the cover shadow of Defenders 2 and 3.
  • Keep adjusting the position in the 3 vs 1 in order not to stand in the cover shadow of the defender.
  • The passer should always have two passing options.
Drill 2

(Reaction) Speed with a Finish

20 min
  • The coach calls out a combination of colours, for example red and yellow.
  • The players touch the corresponding cones in the order called out.
  • Then they sprint to the ball.
  • The faster player finishes with the second touch.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Eight cones in four colours form two squares; the ball lies about 15 metres in front of the goal.

Equipment: 8 cones in 4 colours, 1 goal and several balls.

Players: In the middle of each square there is one player; in addition a goalkeeper.

Coaching points
  • Keep the centre of gravity low in the area.
  • With the first touch, cross the running path of the opponent.
Drill 3

5 vs 5 up to 8 vs 8 with Target Players

25 min32 x 16 metres
  • The game is played for keeping possession.
  • The aim is to move the ball between the neutral players of the two end lines.
  • The neutral players always play with the team in possession.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones mark the playing area.

Equipment: 4 cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of five players each — also more, up to 8 vs 8 — as well as four neutral players at the end lines.

Coaching points
  • Make the game big.
  • Show for the ball in an open position.
  • Get out of the cover shadow in depth.
  • The neutral players keep adjusting their position in order not to stand in the cover shadow of the defenders.
  • Show for the ball in the gaps.
  • Always create at least three passing options — left, right and central.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 to Target Zones

25 min22 x 22 metres
  • Two teams of four play towards the target zones in the marked area.
  • The aim is to pass to a team-mate in such a way that the ball can be run onto in the target zone.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Eight cones mark the playing area and the two target zones.

Equipment: 8 cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four players each.

Coaching points
  • Make the game wide in order to pull the defenders out.
  • Later on, also allow dribbling into the target zones.
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