Annual training plan · U9–U13

Week 38: First Touch Under Pressure

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

The focus of this training week is the 1st touch under pressure from opponents. Particularly when an opponent is very close, mistakes in receiving the ball happen. One reason is that the opponent seeks physical contact with the receiver at the moment the ball is controlled. This can knock the receiving player off balance, and the ball is not brought under control. On the other hand, the situation of having to control the ball under pressure can of course also lead to mistakes. Players who cope less well with pressure become hectic with an opponent breathing down their neck and, as a result, do not control the ball cleanly.

Besides developing a good receiving technique, you can also support your players in controlling the ball under pressure with the following pointers:

  • Use running feints before the pass to create space to control the ball. If the ball is to be played short, the receiver can hint at a run in behind with a few steps before the pass. After the hint, the receiver bursts towards the passer.
  • Just before the pass, shape to take the ball one way and then take it the opposite way. This way, the receiver already gets away from his opponent with the 1st touch and has enough space for his follow-up action.
  • Build up body tension during the 1st touch when the opponent is right on the receiver. This allows the ball to be controlled cleanly even when the opponent pushes or leans in.
  • If the ball is controlled with the foot nearer the opponent, the opponent can attack the ball more easily. That is why, under direct pressure, the ball should always be controlled with the foot furthest from the opponent if possible.

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

4 drills

The first session on controlling the ball under pressure from an opponent will be about the first touch with an opponent behind. A match situation that attacking players in particular are confronted with. Especially with an opponent behind, the ball should be controlled with the foot furthest from the opponent. The receiver should not stand with their back to the opponent, but side-on to them. This keeps the distance between the ball and the opponent as large as possible.

With the first touch, the receiver then has several options:

  • If the opponent applies a lot of pressure from behind, the receiver can turn around them with the first touch. In this case too, the ball should be carried around the defender with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • If the opponent acts very cautiously, the receiver can also try to move into an open body position with the first touch.
  • Another option is to hold the ball up and shield it. This lets the receiver buy time until a team-mate following up is available for a pass. Here, the distance to the opponent should be kept as large as possible.
  • Take the ball to one side with an explosive burst. If the receiver can get far enough away from their opponent, they have enough space for a follow-up action. For example, playing the ball further forward, looking for a shot or continuing to dribble.
Coaching points for this session
  • Control the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent
  • Defender keeps a large distance: turn in front of them with the 1st touch
  • Opponent defends very tightly: turn into them
  • Play side-on to the opponent (distance between ball and opponent kept large + opponent is easier to watch)
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

Taking the Ball with an Opponent and the Goal Behind

20 min
  • Player A stands with the back directly in front of the wall of poles.
  • Player B plays a pass into Player A's foot.
  • Player A takes the ball to the side and tries to gain space and time with the first touch.
  • Player A then looks for the finish.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Five poles form a wall, one cone marks the position of the passer; behind it stands a goal.

Equipment: 1 goal, 5 poles, 1 cone and several balls.

Players: Players A and B; plus one goalkeeper.

Coaching points
  • Control and take the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Always take the finish with the foot furthest from the opponent as well.
  • Take the ball with an explosive burst.
Drill 3

Numbers Duel II

25 min
  • The coach calls out a number and plays a ball towards the goal.
  • The two players with that number sprint towards the ball.
  • They play 1 vs 1 on the goal.

Variations: Call out several numbers, so that the game is played 2 vs 2 or 3 vs 3.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: A goal stands at one end; the coach stands 20 metres in front of it with the balls.

Equipment: 1 goal and several balls.

Players: Six to eight players are divided into two groups and numbered; both groups line up next to the goalposts. Plus a goalkeeper.

Coaching points
  • Hold the ball up at the start, because the defender is standing behind.
  • Use the space.
  • Keep enough distance from the defender and switch into an open body position immediately.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 with Striker Zone

25 minFrom the penalty area to the halfway line, played across
  • The game is played 4 vs 4 or more.
  • Each team nominates a striker who has to stay in the striker zone; no other attacking player may enter it.
  • The defenders may enter and leave the zone, but no more than one defender may be inside it at any one time.
  • The aim is to bring the striker into position, who then has to win the 1 vs 1.
  • Goals scored by the striker inside the zone count double, goals from outside by the other players count once.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Red cones mark the pitch, yellow ones the striker zone; two goals stand at the ends.

Equipment: 2 goals, cones in two colours and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four or bigger plus two goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Secure the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • If the opponent defends very tightly behind the striker, the striker turns into that opponent with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • In the striker zone either break free with a short running feint or seek body contact with the defender before the pass in order to keep that defender behind.
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

This session will be about combining the first touch with skill moves or body feints. This allows the opponent to be wrong-footed, and the receiver has enough space for a follow-up action.

If, for example, a winger receives the ball while being closed down at the same time by an opponent coming from the side out of the centre, the winger has several ways of using skill moves or body feints:

  • The winger can move towards the ball with a lunge using the back leg to suggest taking the ball towards their own goal. Instead, the winger lets the ball run through onto the front foot and takes it forward with a change of pace. It is often possible to cross the opponent's running path directly.
  • Another option is for the winger to make a lunge forwards shortly before the first touch and to shift their body weight forwards as well. This forces the opponent to move backwards, and the ball can be received in an open body position or taken into the centre.
  • The winger can also just dummy the first touch. To do this, the winger moves towards the pass. If the winger is followed closely by the opponent, the wide player can let the ball run through their legs and burst away in behind. As the opponent, because of the movement towards the ball, expected the ball to be taken backwards, the opponent is still moving forwards.
  • A further option is for the player to perform a pass feint or a shot feint shortly before the first touch

But even if the opponent is wrong-footed by a feint or body feint, the skill move has no effect if the subsequent first touch is not good.

Coaching points for this session
  • When using body feints before the 1st touch, shift the centre of gravity sufficiently
  • Take the ball in your stride with an explosive change of pace
  • Body feints: change direction only just before the 1st touch
  • With shooting or passing feints before the 1st touch, make sure the feints are convincing
Drill 1

Forest of Poles

15 min15 x 15 metres
  • The players dribble freely inside the area.
  • The coach calls out a colour with an acoustic signal.
  • The corner cone of that colour has to be dribbled around.
  • The players then dribble back into the area.

Variations: Add extra tasks to the dribbling in the area — cut with a feint in front of the poles, beat the poles with feints or carry the ball only with the left or only with the right foot.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones in four colours mark the corners of the area; poles are spread out inside the area.

Equipment: 4 cones in 4 colours, poles and one ball per player.

Players: All players dribble inside the area.

Coaching points
  • Keep the ball close.
  • Look up from the ball.
Drill 2

1 vs 1 Passing Follow-Up Action

20 min
  • The attacking player asks for the ball from one of the outside players.
  • The attacking player takes the ball and goes into the 1 vs 1.
  • The attacking player tries to play a pass to another outside player; if that works, a point is scored.
  • If the defender wins the ball, the defender can also pass to an outside player; that earns a point and the right to attack.
  • The drill ends after a set time or after a set number of points.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones mark out the area, eight more form a three-metre-wide cone goal on each side.

Equipment: 12 cones and several balls.

Players: On each side of the area a player with a ball stands behind a cone goal; two players play 1 vs 1 inside the area.

Coaching points
  • Perform a body feint before the first touch.
  • Get into an open body position with the first touch.
  • If the opponent is directly behind, control the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Shift the centre of gravity far enough during the body feints.
Drill 3

4 vs 4 in 3 Zones

25 min55 x 40 metres
  • The game starts with a pass from the coach to a defender showing for the ball.
  • The aim is to play the ball from the defending zone into the middle zone and then into the attacking zone, in order to finish there on one of the two cone goals.
  • A back pass is not allowed in the middle zone.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: The playing area is divided into three zones; four mini goals stand at the ends.

Equipment: 4 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of four players each. In the defending zone and in the attacking zone there is one striker and one defender each, and two midfielders each in the middle zone.

Coaching points
  • Be close enough to the attacker to prevent a first touch in an open body position.
  • Use overlapping cover in order to be able to intercept passes.
  • Do not stand too tight to the attacker, so as to be able to react to running feints.
Drill 4

3 vs 3 in a Marked-Out Area

25 min32 x 32 metres
  • The two teams play 3 vs 3 with goalkeepers.
  • The aim is to score as many goals as possible in two minutes.
  • The outfield players are then changed.
Equipment & set-up

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

Equipment: 2 goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of three outfield players each; plus two goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Use the size of the playing area to make the game wide.
  • Make the opponents run.
  • Get to the finish quickly.
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