Positional game 4v4+3

Setup

1. Mark a 40 × 30 m area. Two teams of four, plus three neutrals in a third colour.
2. One neutral on each end line, one inside. Each team sets up as a box: two wide in each half.

How it runs

1. The team on the ball plays 7v4 with the neutrals. End neutral to end neutral scores a point; via the central neutral it scores two.
2. Neutrals have two touches and the end neutrals may not pass to each other directly. Team players are free.
3. Lose it and the other team plays with the neutrals straight away. 4 × 5 min, 90 s rest; rotate the neutrals each block.

Coaching points

• Keep width and depth: two players hold the touchlines, so four defenders can never cover the whole area.
• Stand between two defenders, never behind one, and move after every pass to keep the angle open.
• Receive half-turned on the back foot and scan before the ball arrives, so the next pass can go forward first time.
• Go wide to come inside: the pass to the side pulls a defender out and opens the lane to the central neutral.

Common mistakes

• Players line up with the passer, so one defender covers two of them.
• Circulation is slow and sideways; the forward pass only comes once the defence has reset.
• The defending four press one at a time instead of closing the inside lanes together.