My group are U8's.  We play 7-a-side here until they reach U11 where they go to 11-a-side on a full field.  Our fields for U8 are typically 60X40 yards - sometimes bigger.

I'm hearing different things from coaches... some like 2-2-2.  Others like 3-2-1.  And some play 2-3-1.  At U8, I feel we're just trying to get them to learn the basics of positioning and so forth and it's not wise in my opinion to complicate it too much. 

However, as I look at my team, I see a very very very fast team and I wonder if that factor should play into how I set them up?  They can recover and get back very quickly and also move up to attack quickly.  The trick for me is to work hard on getting them doing that *with* the ball at their feet and not lose control.

Any thoughts, experiences to share, suggestions?

Gav

Coach - U8 Boys (Toronto, Canada)

This gives you two central defenders, two wing backs / wide midfielders, a central midfielder and a forward so i believe this shape gives you the nearest representation to a full 11 a side formation as the sahpe and postions are practically the same and the development this shape gives helps the players adapt easier to 11 a side especially if the players can be rotated to different positions to get used to operating in certain areas of the field e.g as a wing back they get used to pushing forward and dropping while being in a wide position so when they do go up to full sided the principles of their play will be the same whetehr they are full backs or wide fielders.

The same principal works for the centre halves and the central midfielder. I coached an under 10 side for a few weeks and this shape worked really well but as with anything else in football there isnt generally a right and wrong its opinion and whatever works for your particular players. 

I've been trying different combos on paper and seeing who may fit best and where.  I was wavering between 2-2-2 and 2-3-1.  I try to give them experience at different positions but generally, most of them play the majority of their time in one spot.  I tend to give them a run of games at one position so they adapt to it.  I have some kids that are quite adaptable and others not so much.  I have a squad of 13 (incl. the keeper) so that's basically 2 units of 6 players.  My mandate is to play everyone equally.  Our games are 2X30 so they more or less play half the game if everyone turns up.

Things certainly operate differently here as opposed to when I grew up in the UK!  This U8 team is about to compete in their first year of *real* or competitive league play as opposed to rec level (or house as it's called in Canada).  We now have well planned training sessions and everything is more focussed whereas in house league, there really are no practices and it's a mix of good skilled players and daisy-pickers.  Last season, I basically took the better players from our clubs' 12 U7 house league teams and entered them in tournaments through the season and ran some sessions too.  I still have most of those kids with me and it's now training 2 to 3 times a week and is going very very well.  So far!

On that 2-3-1 formation... when I was drawing it up and making 2 units from my squad trying to balance out the good and weak aspects of each player, I had in mind playing my most skilled player as that central midfielder and he was to play in behind the lone striker.  So he'd be a goalscorer too.  Thoughts on that?  Secondly, I noticed that oddly enough my real speedsters are my defenders (on many teams I notice they are the slower less fit types) so I had been debating giving one out of each defender pairing the free license to bomb up the wing *as long as* they can get back.  I haven't really tried this yet and I guess it's failing could be leaving you well exposed at the back.  Opinion on that?

Obviously, they are 8 yrs old and I can't muddle their heads with complex systems and sit them in a classroom so I have to keep it simple.  I have a great group of kids and an excellent (all-Brit!!!) coaching staff who have all played at a high level.  I want the kids to be the best they can be and love the game enough that they can't wait to come to the next training session.  And the next.  If they 'get that' then they'll have some success on the pitch - and that's as much as I'm aiming for this year.  It's a building process and at U8 we're still on the ground floor!

Gav

Coach - U8 Boys (Toronto, Canada)

What i would do is if i push the central midfielder up to support the forward then i would push one defender in to the midfielders vacated space then just have one holding and maybe push the goalkeeper forward slightly to almost act as a sweeper beyond the last defender, not actually to defend as such but just to minimise the space beween the last defender and the goal incase anything is launched long over the last defenders head.

Alternatively what you could do is for instance if you are attacking wide for example down the right then you could push the far side wide player (left) inside level with the forward to cover the far post area then your centre mid can either sit in the space beyond the attackers or be a possible option for a pass inside from the wide player if a cross isnt possible, then the two defenders if they hold halfway one could sit centrally then the other level with him but in a wide position on the side the attack is, then if the wide player needs to he could always have his support down the line if the cross isnt possible then although you are playing backwards you are keeping possession.

I wrote this out much clearer before Gav and i accidentaly deleted it so apologies if this is a bit rushed or confusing to follow.

Some of that may be too complex for them right now though.  I get the idea though and will start working on all this soon.  We're still in the gym.  Outside this Sunday.  Some friendlies arranged for late April and May and then league play starts last week of May.

I know this much;  it's a different world playing now at 8 than when I was in Essex in the early 70s!  It was big muddy pitches, heavy sodden leather ball and you played one position forever.  I've said in other posts, I regret in some ways being pigeon-holed a left-winger (#11) because it's all I ever knew.  I would like to have learned midfield and even defence and even today I struggle to explain clearly as coach what to do in those roles.

Thanks for your comments... it would be good if more people responded to threads here!  I have a few where I just chat with myslef it seems!

Gav

Coach - U8 Boys (Toronto, Canada)

seriously tho, great reading you guys.my wee danny boy is now 7 -8 in october,and for past 1yr and half ,played 7 a side at under 9`s.

hence why this year im stepping in and taking him and 4 of his team mates (all 8 yrs) adding another 5 from their school and bingo we have the foundation of a gr8 team.

amazingly as ive watched up till now ,the present coaches seem heel bent on each kid being a certain positional player,im so glad to read your comments and experience.all our kids should learn all positions but more importantly learn the art of control movement and passing.

i now take our 5 boys to a street soccer coaching where my pals boy(24 year old) semi pro loves passing on his experience to not only my guys but kids of all ages,they are improving so fast.this is on top of their normal training nights.      my point here is getting the young ones to respect some one they recognise as still playing at high level,and listening to good advice.                                                                                                               

my dad died when i was 7 and mum had to work hard for me and 3 brothers 2 sisters,

my own story is the norm for our area in central scotland,schoolboy sensation then girls,drink,smoke all before 16..........you know the area.....sad.  but hey at least ive turned life round and by grace of god have 2 cracking boys, the wee one a special talent.so as i said earlier gr8 reading and ill definately be back 4 more .cheers guys.

justice4all

I believe your choice of formations should be based on the strengths and weaknesses of your players.

For example, one of my teams has lightning fast defenders, quick midfielders, and mostly slower forwards. I go with a 2-3-2 formation because my defenders can cover ground, my midfielders can get back to help the defenders out when needed, and I need the two forwards to 1) stay at the other end of the field to be able to quickly get in position to take passes from the midfielder and 2) not have to cover much ground before being ready to execute a scoring threat.

Whereas, a team with slower defenders might need a 3-2-2 formation to make up for a lack of overall speed on defense, and not rely on quick midfielders to help the defense out.

Hope that helps!

Mark

Free resources for youth soccer coaches at http://www.coachmarksoccerclub.com/

I absolutely agree that basing it on your group's strengths and weaknesses is the way to go.  I have a very very fast team.  I knew that from the day I had selected them.  In fact 5 of the 13 in the squad have all won awards in city run track competitions (I found this out a few months ago).  They're like little 8 yr old whippets!

So after several training sessions and many SSG's, we've gone with a 2-3-1 which is really 2-2-2.  That central MF is really a second striker and the 2 players I play there both have the best shot (hard and high) on the team and are in the top 5 skill wise.  I have 2 kids who are not as skilled as the others but have a lot of heart and dig dig dig a la Gatusso.  I play them on the wings. 

The other revealtion I had after looking at them was I've moved one of my best players back to defence... I tend to have a very skilled defence for all 4 I would play there but it's not by design!  I have given my new star defender licence to attack and bomb down the wing - his partner is good at seeng this and stays back.  We've worked up some set plays and corners where he arrives late on the edge of the box and lets fly.  It's working quite well but at 8 they need to be better at disguising these plays!

We have our first friendly next week - we'll see how all this works out!

Gav

Coach - U8 Boys (Toronto, Canada)