Shielding the ball under pressure
This soccer drill initially focuses on individual skills such as dribbling, shooting and 1v1 attack and defend. You want to see good technique throughout this soccer coaching session and you should point out any technical errors to your players as you proceed.
Soccer coaching skills checklist
- Do players have the ball under control?
- Are they shooting low and hard, placing the ball, or just blasting it at the goalkeeper.
Develop the soccer drill
You can progress the soccer drill to a team game where these skills are to be applied to a team environment if the team is to be successful.
- Can your players exploit the spaces?
- Is their movement good?
Soccer drill set up
- In a 30-yard square arrange your players into groups of three with one nominated goalkeeper per team.
- The goalkeeper can be rotated so everyone has a turn at attacking.
What your players have to do
- Let the players set out the pitch as in the diagrams.
- The soccer drill starts with one player from each team attacking the goal to their left.
- They must dribble and shoot to score past the goalkeeper.
- Ensure that players use good technique and they play at match intensity.
How to advance the soccer drill skills
- Now each team introduces a defender.
- The players again take it in turn to attack the goal to their left, but this time they must beat a defender on the way.
- Look at their decision-making. What skills do they use to beat the defender?
How to put the drill skills into a game
Now all the outfield players play simultaneously with one ball – a 2v2v2 game! Each team starts with 10 lives and they lose a life each time they concede a goal. Again, look for good decision-making skills. How do the outfield players organise themselves and how do they respond to winning or losing possession?
To get enough information to run a full coaching session, click here to find out about Smart Sessions soccer coaching plans - they come in advanced and core versions.
Click here for a dribbling skills drill.
Soccer coaching tips
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