Annual training plan · U9–U13

Week 8: Feints – Step-Over & Scissors

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

In football there are many feints for getting past an opponent. Nevertheless, there are a handful of tricks that you see particularly often, simply because they have proved their worth. These include the step-over, the lunge, the shot feint and the scissors.

The next 3 sessions are about learning these feints.

Work starts with dribbling courses. This gives players the chance to use the feints without pressure and gain confidence.

Later in the training week, a number of small-sided games with few players and equal numbers are also played. This lets players apply the feints they have learned in match-realistic situations and in direct duels.

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

4 drills

After a competition format in which speed is what counts, the session continues with a short dribbling course.

The focus here is on the two feints step-over and lunge. With both feints it is important that the centre of gravity is shifted sufficiently to the side being faked. The movement should also be fluid. After the feints, it is important to make an explosive change of pace.

If the players execute the two feints very well, the level of difficulty can be increased by having your players perform both a double lunge and a double step-over.

Afterwards, the feints trained can be applied in a match-like way in the 2 vs 2 and in a 6 vs 6 on changing targets.

Coaching points for this session
  • Start the feint in good time
  • Shift the centre of gravity clearly
  • After the feint, make an explosive change of pace
Drill 1

Speed Team Game

15 min
  • The players start from the opposite positions.
  • They run around the pole.
  • They collect a cone of their colour from the centre and bring it to the starting position.
  • Whoever has collected all the cones of their colour first wins.

Variations:

  • Carry out the drill with a ball.
  • Additionally perform a feint when running around the pole.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two poles stand between the opposite starting positions; in the centre lie cones in two colours.

Equipment: 2 poles and cones in two colours; for the variation additionally balls.

Players: Two groups facing each other.

Coaching points
  • Increase the pace gradually.
  • Make sure that there is no collision when the cones are collected.
Drill 2

Body Feint

20 min
  • On command the first players dribble towards the first cone.
  • There they perform a feint — a lunge or a step-over: feint to the left and push the ball past the cone with the outside of the right foot.
  • They then dribble to the second cone and perform another feint there; this time the feint is to the right and the ball is dribbled past with the outside of the left foot.
  • To finish, a pass into the mini goal follows.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two starting cones and four tall cones mark the dribbling stations; behind them stand two mini goals.

Equipment: 2 cones, 4 tall cones, 2 mini goals and several balls.

Players: Two groups of equal size.

Coaching points
  • Watch for the correct shift of body and weight onto the standing leg.
  • Start the body feint in good time.
  • Look up from the ball.
  • Set a quick change of direction.
  • Follow up with a clear, short increase in pace.
  • Keep the ball close.
Drill 3

2 vs 2 on 2 Goals

25 minDouble penalty area
  • Two players from Team A with a ball and two players from Team B enter the playing area; this starts a 2 vs 2.
  • As soon as a goal is scored or one minute has been played, two new players each from A and B enter the playing area.
  • The four players who were in the playing area leave it.
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 equal size, A and B, plus goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Keep the rounds very intensive.
  • The defenders apply a high press.
Drill 4

6 vs 6 on Changing Goals

20 min25 x 25 metres
  • It is played 6 vs 6 on four mini goals.
  • The goal the teams attack is specified — for example yellow attacks goals 1 and 4, blue attacks goals 2 and 3.
  • During the game the goals are changed.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four tall cones mark the playing area; on the sides there are four mini goals numbered 1 to 4.

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

Players: Two teams of six players each.

Coaching points
  • Make the game wide.
  • Look for lots of 1 vs 1 situations.
  • Stay focused throughout in order to keep track of the changing goals.
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

A decisive factor when feinting is that the skill move appears as convincing as possible. For example, with a shot or pass feint the movement should be identical to that of an actual pass or shot until just before the end.

With a shot feint in particular, make sure that there is a clear backlift of the kicking leg.

The shot feint is especially useful in the final third and is ideal for opening up the way to goal. Faking a shot is often an attempt to get the opponent to stick a foot out or even turn their head away. Ideal conditions for then running past the opponent.

Coaching points for this session
  • Make sure the feints are convincing
  • Shooting feint: draw back the kicking leg clearly and visibly
  • Change of pace
  • Start feints in good time
Drill 1

4-Cone Zigzag: Dribbling with Feints

20 min

The set route runs in a zigzag from cone to cone. The runs are completed one after the other:

  1. Without a ball for orientation.
  2. Dribbling along the course.
  3. Cutting in front of the cone, alternating with the inside of the left and the right foot.
  4. Cutting in front of the cone, alternating with the outside of the left and the right foot.
  5. Lunge in front of the cone.
  6. Step-over in front of the cone.
  7. Scissors in front of the cone.
  8. Turning in with the inside of the foot in front of the cone.
  9. Turning in with the outside of the foot in front of the cone.
  10. Sole trick in front of the cone.
  11. In front of the cone, dragging the ball behind the standing leg with the sole.
  12. Combination of different techniques as specified by the coach.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones form a diamond.

Equipment: 4 cones and several balls.

Players: The players spread out evenly at the cones.

Coaching points
  • Start the feints in good time.
  • Carry out a change of pace with the cut.
  • Cut at as steep an angle as possible.
Drill 2

Speed of Action from 1 vs 1 to 4 vs 4

25 min
  • The game starts as a 1 vs 1, with one player from each group setting off into the area; the player from the lower group has possession.
  • After the finish, a second player of the team that was defending before comes into the area with a ball.
  • Play then continues as a 2 vs 1.
  • After the next finish, play continues as a 2 vs 2.
  • As soon as a goal is scored in the 4 vs 4, the round is over.
Equipment & set-up

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

Equipment: 2 goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two groups spread out evenly next to the goals; plus goalkeepers.

Coaching points
  • Put the focus on dribbling.
  • The players coming on with a ball set off into the drill explosively and at pace.
Drill 3

Funino as 3 vs 3

25 min
  • A free 3 vs 3 is played.
  • Goals may only be scored from the end zones.
  • The players try to play a team-mate into the zone with a pass into the run.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area and the end zones; there are four mini goals at the ends.

Equipment: 4 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of three.

Coaching points
  • Keep the rounds short and intensive.
  • Make the game wide in order to create space in the middle and for a switch of play.
  • The defending team must defend as a unit in order to keep both goals in view.
Drill 4

Dribbling with a Feint and a Shot

10 min
  • The player dribbles towards the dummy.
  • The player carries out a feint and goes past on the left or on the right.
  • The player then finishes.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: One starting cone, in front of it a dummy as an opponent; behind that the goal.

Equipment: 1 cone, 1 dummy, 1 goal and several balls.

Players: The players start one after the other; plus a goalkeeper.

Coaching points
  • Pick up speed.
  • Start the feint in good time.
  • Carry out a change of pace and direction after the feint.
  • If no chance to finish arises, use a shot feint.

Session 3

4 drills

The session begins with a tag game without a ball. Here the players can concentrate fully on using their upper body by wrong-footing the catcher with shifts of their centre of gravity.

After that, feinting is done with the ball again. The particular focus here is on feints for cutting very sharply. One feint that is especially suitable for this is the scissors. When cutting sharply, too, make sure that a change of pace is made after the feint in order to move away from the opponent quickly.

In Exercises 3 and 4 the feints trained beforehand can again be applied in a match-like way. Demand, especially in the 4 vs 4, that the players dribble boldly. In addition, ask the defending team to actively win the ball. This forces many 1 vs 1 situations.

Drill 1

Feint Run: Hare and Hunter

20 min10 x 15 metres
  • In a 1 vs 1, the hare tries to run through one of the two cone goals with running feints without being tagged by the hunter beforehand.
  • If this succeeds, the hare gets a point.
  • If the hunter tags the hare first, the hunter gets a point.
  • After that the hare becomes the hunter and the hunter becomes the hare.

Variations: Carry out the drill with a ball. For this the goals are made larger; the hunter then has the task of winning the ball.

Note: Make sure that the players face different opponents again and again.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Six cones — two mark the starting positions, two on the left and two on the right form the cone goals.

Equipment: 6 cones; balls in addition for the variation.

Players: Two groups — hares and hunters.

Coaching points
  • The drill can also be carried out with a ball. For this the goals have to be made larger and the hunter's task is now to win the ball
  • Make sure that the players get different opponents again and again
Drill 2

Feint Star

15 min
  • The player dribbles head-on at the pole in the middle and performs a feint.
  • Then the player dribbles at a cone and performs a turning technique there.
  • After that the player dribbles at the pole again, and the sequence starts again from the beginning.

Variations:

  • Specify the order of the colours.
  • Specify particular feints for the cone colours.
  • Later give the players' creativity room and let them choose the feints themselves.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: A pole stands in the middle, around it five cones in different colours are spread out in a star shape.

Equipment: 1 pole, 5 cones in different colours and 1 ball.

Players: One player with a ball.

Coaching points
  • Cut sharply.
  • Perform a change of pace after the feints.
  • Shift the centre of gravity sufficiently.
  • Perform the feints with both feet.
Drill 3

1 vs 1 Champions League

25 minDepending on age and ability
  • The player with the ball tries to beat the opponent and to dribble over the opposing end line; that scores a point.
  • If the defender wins the ball, the defender can also dribble over the opposing end line and score a point.
  • Every player is a defender three times and an attacker three times.
  • The winner moves up one division, the loser moves down one division.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark several areas next to each other; each area is assigned a division.

Equipment: Cones and several balls.

Players: Pairs of one attacker and one defender each.

Coaching points
  • Act at top speed.
  • Force the opponent towards the outside.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 with Dribbling Goals

25 min
  • Free play to dribbling goals.
  • Each team plays to two goals. This allows the play to be made wide, which creates more space for dribbling.
  • The focus is on dribbling and on the 1 vs 1.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones mark out the playing area, eight cones of a different colour form the dribbling goals, which are two to three metres wide.

Equipment: 12 cones and at least 1 ball.

Players: Two teams of four players each.

Coaching points
  • If necessary, limit the number of passes in order to force more dribbles and 1 vs 1 situations.
  • Go into the dribble decisively.
  • Run with the ball using the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Mix in feints again and again.
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