The short pass is the most basic element of soccer. Use these eight activities to hone the fundamental skill among your players. For beginners: Pass the ball 3 yards to a team mate. Sounds simplistic but a critical starting point to establish the core skills in your young players. Follow up with: Pass to a... MORE
When performed with the right weight and timing, a lay-off pass speeds up attacking play and creates opportunities your team can exploit.
What this session is about
- One-touch play.
- Improving touch.
What to think about
- Cushion ball – make it inviting for team-mate to run onto without breaking stride and so they can pass/shoot first time.
- Accuracy, timing and weight of pass.
- Use inside (and outside) of foot.
- Communication – verbal, eye contact, hand signals.
Use 1 penalty area.
|Warm up||Session||Developments||Game Situation||Warm Down|
|10 minutes||10 minutes||20 minutes||10 minutes||7 minutes|
What you get your players to do
Split players into two equal groups – those with a ball (group “A”) and those without (group “B”). “A” players can pass to any “B” player, who must the return the ball using a lay-off. “A” players must now dribble to a new “B” player and repeat.
“A” and “B” players switch roles every couple of minutes.
Players line up centrally and just outside the “D” of the penalty area, with one player located centrally approx 2-3m inside the penalty area. The first player in the line passes to the “lay-off” player, then shoots first-time at goal. After shooting, they turn and become the next player to lay-off the ball before joining the back of the line.
Players laying-off the ball must practice passing both to the left and right and using both feet. This will also practice shooting with both feet.
Play 4v4 in an area approx 35x20m with goalkeepers. Set up two end zones, approx 10m in from each goal-line. Each team keeps a “target player” in the attacking end zone.
The players in the middle zone must pass to their target player and receive a lay-off pass in order to shoot firsttime at goal. After the shot, the shooting player swaps position with the target player.
What to call out
- “Take a touch to control the ball if you have to”
- “Now try laying it off-first time”
- “Get the ‘weight’ right – not too hard or too soft”