Football | Football Drills

This drill encourages players to work together in a Defensive unit and is especially relevant for midfield players. Set up 3 areas in a line: 5 x 5 yards, 20 x 5 yards and another 5 x 5 yards Opposite this, within shooting distance (about 15 yards), set up 4 goal areas in a line, marked by cones. The 2 inside goals will be used for the first game and then just the 2 outside goals will be used for the second game. Have 1 player restricted to each of the 5 x 5 areas, and 2 players in the 20 x 5 area. The goal of these players is to pass amongst themselves to score (firstly in the goals marked "1" and then in the goals marked "2"). Against them will be 4 defenders who will need to work together to shut down these shooting opportunities, starting midway between the boxes and the goals. The coach plays the ball to the Attackers, and at this time the Defenders will approach the Attackers. They cannot travel into the boxes but will use angles to try to stop a quick pass and shoot option.  

Set up two lines of players as show in the image, about 30m from the goals. The first player dribbles with the ball at pace and then puts their foot on top of the ball, to leave it dead in front of the other player. The first player continues their run around the cone in front of them and then runs back inside the area. The receiver uses a positive first touch to move into space and then try to finish through one of the wide goals. The first player should have continued their run and now tries to put pressure on the receiver's shot.

Player takes 2 footed calf springs along the ladder. He jumps forward two rungs, and then back one, all the way to the end

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Goalkeeper steps away from cone comes through the gate receives a ball into hands Returns to server then gets a low shot into dive close to body Get into set position initially then step forward into low dive to save before cones in advance of initial gate Notes: Get the step in if required If serve close too the body collapse legs and get hands to the ball in front of the body Dive forward this called 'Attacking the dive'  

*AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON* Mark out 3 gates in a line with coloured cones.  Two goalkeepers working together about 10 yards away from the cones. First goalkeeper plays the ball through the cones and shouts a colour GK 2 then has to take a touch and play the ball through the coloured gate that has been called.   Switch which goalkeeper calls and which plays the ball. 

Great for warm ups. Players dribble through the cones, pass to the waiting player at the end of the cones and then run back to touch the first red cone. They then turn and sprint back inside the red square where they play a quick one-two. After this they run back towards the start line, looking to run onto the weighted pass from the blue player. The next player then goes.

Players start on the baseline and run one at a time. The next player starts once the player in front of them has run around the first cone. Players sprint around the outside of the 18 yard box and then run around the cone near the D. Players then slow down to a 50% jog and use quick feet to place both feet in each rung of the ladder. After running through the ladder players run around the next cone and slalom in and out of the cones/poles, facing forward at all times and using quick shuffle feet. Finally players jog back around the cones back to the start point.

Two teams line up side by side behind their cones. When the player with the ball sets off to run around the cone the drill is live. The player with the ball must run around the cone and then try to score a goal in the defender's side goal by dribbling the ball across the line. This will score them a point. The defenders have to try and force the player to run across their own goal line or tackle them and run the ball over the line themselves. The winner is the first team to 3 goals. After this you can swap the roles around, with the attackers now defending and vice versa.

Scatter 7 cones across the area. Groups of 12 consist of 2 catchers and 10 runners. The object of the game is for the runners to run around the area to avoid being tagged by either catcher. Runners may run to safety by placing 1 foot on one of the 7 discs in the area. When a runner runs to a disc that is occupied, the player occupying the disc must move off the disc and look for another disc to occupy. If a player is tagged by a catcher, the 2 players exchange roles. You can choose to introduce a ball so that players must dribble around the area.

Diamond formation midfield in an 11 a side game. Reds vs blue. Set up in the formation: 2 strikers, diamond midfield, 4 defenders and a GK. The midfield players are attempting to channel the attackers to one side of play, to keep pushing them out towards the side and limit their options. Encourage individuals to channel the ball and contain players in certain areas and to be aware of covering other Defenders.

The object of this game is for the players in possesion of the ball to clear the ball into the area on the opposite side. The opposing players have to try and prevent the players from making the clearances. When the coach calls out freeze the team with the least amount of balls in their area are the winners.

Initial pulse raiser to prepare players both physically and mentally for the session. Mark out a 30 x 20 area. Part 1: Players are spilt into 2 groups and begin by jogging in pairs to the far corner of each area and back down the sides to rejoin the group. Introduce dynamic flexibility movements such as (calf swings, straight leg jogging, hamstring volleys, thigh volleys, heel to buttocks, groin abductors / adductos, lunges. Part 2: Sprint to top corner Sprint to middle cone Diagonal to top cone Return to back of queue 

Set up your team in a small sided game on a pitch running from the edge of the penalty area to the half-way line. Play normal rules except for the fact that during the drill, players are not allowed to talk during the game. Players cannot call for the ball, tell a player where to go or where they want the ball passed to. This really emphasises the importance of communication. If a player does speak, then a free-kick is given to the opposite team.

Set out a triangle with 3 cones all 1 meter apart. Player 1 passes the ball to player 2 through the area of the triangle. Player 2 has to control the ball and touch it to the side before playing a return pass. Players must make sure that when they make a return pass that it is never played through the same side of the triangle that they have just received the ball through.

Set up with 3 gates spread out as shown. 1 ball in front of each gate. They race through the area (zig-zagging) passing their balls in between the cones (1 point for every successful pass). Upon completing the passes they take 1 of the balls at the end and dribble it back through the starting area, 1 player back gets the bonus point.

A Christmas themed fun football drill for players. Set up as shown in diagram with cones in the shape of a Christmas tree. Players line up in 2 lines. On the whistle, players must run in the direction show on the diagram. First one to the ball, earns the right to shoot at the keeper. Split into 2 teams and keep score. Try to match players with similar agility.