Managing ball possession in 1 v 1 situations
Goal
Equipment
- Markers
- 8 vests (6 of one color, 2 of another one)
- Balls
Preparation
- Playing Area: 30x18 meters / 33x19 yds
- Players: 14
- Duration: 16 minutes
- Series: 6 of 2 minutes each with 45 seconds of recovery between sets
| Summary | Secondary Objectives |
|---|---|
|
Ball possession that trains various offensive and defensive objectives in 1 v 1 situations |
Anticipation, Visual perception, Peripheral vision, Feint, Counter move, Pass, Oriented control, Opening up oriented control, Closing oriented control, Feints and tricks, Losing your marker, Receiving and shielding of the ball, Marking, Intercepting, Tackling, 1 versus 1, 2 versus 1, 1 versus 2, Pressure, Marking up in anticipation |
Organization
Create a 30x18-meter/33x19-yard playing area and divide it with markers into six mini rectangles measuring 15x6 meters/16x6.5 yards. Place one white player against one red player inside each mini rectangle. Place two jokers that can move freely within the playing area. Outside the playing area, near the perimeter, keep a good supply of balls to ensure continuity of possession.
Description
- A 6 v 6 game is played, consisting of individual 1v1 challenges with the help of two jokers during the ball retention phase
- Each pair of opponents is “confined” within a mini rectangle, from which neither player can exit
- The objective is to maintain possession of the ball through continuous narrow runs and acting quickly to pass the ball to teammates. It is very important to anticipate the defender, have the ability to read the space for the run, be skilled at dribbling past the direct opponent, and protect the ball while waiting for support from a teammate or the joker
- At the end of each series, change the composition of the pairs in each mini rectangle (white player against red player); as there are six series of play, at the end of the exercise, each player from both teams will have challenged all the players from the opposing team in a 1v1 duel
Rules
- Players from both teams have unlimited touches available for play
- Jokers have a maximum of two or three touches available for play
- Jokers always play with the team in possession of the ball, thus creating situations of numerical superiority
- Jokers can never be in the same playing space (in the same mini rectangle) at the same time
Variations
- Add a defensive joker who can only mark offensive jokers or intercept balls directed at them
- Require each player to dribble before passing the ball to a teammate in another sector
- Allow players to exchange between rectangles (playing areas). This can be done in a subsequent step to help the player understand the usefulness of movement without the ball and the consequent creation of space, which must be attacked by another teammate
- Use of support players who act as jokers and only move outside the large rectangle
Coaching Points
- Assess the striker's ability to lose their marker without the ball, moving to receive it in space, the orientation of their body to try to receive it “open” and to develop a quick pass, or they can receive it “closed,” but in this case, they must be good at defending the ball from the opponent's pressure
- In this exercise, it is very important to assess the courage, initiative, and dribbling ability of the ball carrier
- Assess the quality and speed of the pass, especially where the ball is passed to facilitate the teammate's next play
- Pay attention to the defender's ability to always control the ball and the opponent (both references in the individual duel), to anticipate the opponent and to apply the right amount of pressure to put the opponent in difficulty
- Know how to correctly manage the 2v1 situation that inevitably arises when an attacking player receives the ball
- Know how to quickly change the direction of play by moving the ball with speed, precision, and intensity
