If your players run into traffic on one side of the pitch the simple solution is switch play and pass to the other side.
Simple, right? But stopping and switching play is rarely on the mind of a young player.
Often a young player will try to get through the melee of players rather than look up and spot the space on the other side of the pitch.
The thinking – if there is any – probably goes:
“I’m here. The goal’s there. This is the shortest route”
Because it doesn’t come naturally to many players you need to teach them to get their head up.
I like to use this small-sided game where there is a choice of goals to aim for, which makes players more aware of their options. It makes it more obvious to them that if one goal is blocked they should find a way to the other goal.
Hopefully that translates to match day and gets them thinking about finding the easiest – rather than the most direct – route to goal.
I’ve had some emails recently from coaches who cannot see the point of coaching set-piece plays such as corners.
“They just happen, it isn’t something you can coach!” they say. But I think young players need to be given some ideas they can take away and build on so when they win a corner in a match they are not just kicking the ball in the general direction of the group of players in the penalty area.
Young players can be creative with set plays. Here’s a tactic you can explain to your players and see if they can use it to their advantage when they get a corner in a match. You’ll be surprised how they can take your idea and make it work for them, especially if they have to spring a surprise on their opponents.
Making set plays fun is a sure way to create success for your team. You can be sure they will all want to be the “drifter” in this corner routine.
