by Greg Bach
Middle of the field
With games involving kids who have a couple of years of soccer already behind them, the play in this area of the field is often the difference-maker, deciding which team generates more scoring opportunities. Basically, the team that best controls this area of the field wins the majority of the time.
If you have players who have a good grasp of their responsibilities, you can take a more aggressive approach when your team is in control of the ball in this area of the field. As long as everyone is aware that they need to be alert and on their toes, you can encourage aggressive passing. If your players happen to turn the ball over, they have to be able to react quickly and cover for one another, especially if the opponent is a counterattacking team (see the “Counterattacking” section, later in this chapter, for more on this subject).
Defensive third of the field
This is that area of the field where your players have you biting your nails and reaching for the antacids — especially if what you’ve been teaching them about field positioning hasn’t sunk in quite yet. Here, your team finds itself under the most pressure. A poorly executed pass or an ill-timed maneuver can create immediate problems for the team, particularly your goalie, who is suddenly staring at a booming shot by the opponent from close range.
You want your team to be fully aware that at this end of the field, players should send clearing passes toward the sidelines, not down the middle of the field. An opposing player who picks off a pass in the middle of the field is in great position to get off a shot on goal or create a pass to a teammate for a scoring opportunity. Clearing passes that are kept to the outside pose far less risk. If the other team happens to steal these passes, it puts far less pressure on your team, because the sidelines serve as an additional defender. Defenders who are pinned in along the sideline are more limited in which direction they can proceed. Dribbling 1-on-1 against a defender should also be more limited in this area, because the defender has nothing to lose by being ultra-aggressive down here. Sticking to safe passes that move the ball out of danger is the best plan.
Moving the Ball Downfield
As a coach, you’ll gain immense satisfaction when your team takes possession of the ball and moves it downfield. Being able to do so requires the ability to execute a number of passes, which we take a look at in this section. Check out Figure 11-1 to see these options.
Figure 11-1: Options for moving the ball upfield.
Outlet pass
An outlet pass is any pass that gets the offense started from deep in its own end. When your team is backed up and playing defense, and you create a turnover in the vicinity of your own goal, a defender’s pass up the sideline or through the middle is an outlet pass that pushes the play in the other direction. Goalies also deliver outlet passes when they have possession of the ball and deliver a pass to a teammate who gets the attack going (see Chapter 12 to provide your goalies with the proper skills to initiate the attack).
Through pass
Any time your player has the ball, you want his head to be up and his eyes scanning the field for an open teammate or a crack in the defense that can be exploited by either dribbling or passing. If an available teammate is open downfield, you want him to execute the play — often referred to as a penetration or through pass, because it penetrates the defense and moves your attack forward. It can be done anywhere on the field where the offense has taken advantage of an opening left by the defensive team.
Driving
A player uses this method when she has lots of open space, is running at full speed, and doesn’t want the ball to slow her down. It’s executed in the middle and attacking thirds of the field. Driving is sort of like making a pass to yourself, because the player pushes the ball several yards ahead of herself, and then when running toward the ball, she’s able to make decisions about what to do next with it. How far she pushes the ball ahead depends on how much space she has to work with and how close the nearest defender is.
Square pass
A square pass is a pass that’s played to a teammate who is beside or behind the player with the ball, as opposed to moving the ball up the field. This pass is also referred to as a possession pass. Although making square passes isn’t as glamorous to kids as threading a diagonal pass through a maze of defenders (see the following “Crossing pass” section), they can be instrumental in how successful your team’s attack is. Players who have the discipline to refrain from making a risky pass, and who are willing to send a square pass to a teammate, are assets to the team. Getting your players to understand that a teammate behind the play may actually be in a more advantageous spot and have a better angle to keep the attack progressing takes lots of practice. The square pass is one of those skills that should be introduced to players who have been around the sport for a couple of seasons.
Using drills where the offensive team is outnumbered can help your kids learn the value of a square pass. Coaches often devote a large amount of time to practicing 3-on-2 and 2-on-1, but sprinkling your practices with drills such as 2-on-3 and 3-on-4 is just as important, because it forces the offenses to utilize possession passes until they open up an opportunity to strike and can take a shot on goal. Although your team will have advantages in numbers throughout the game, you’re just as likely to encounter situations where you’re a man short. Practice both of these scenarios to prepare your team for all situations.
Crossing pass
A crossing pass, also known as a diagonal pass, is used to generate scoring opportunities. It’s a pass that’s usually played in the offensive third of the field. As its name suggests, it’s a ball that’s played forward from right to left or left to right. Crossing passes that are executed properly can quickly put a defensive team at a disadvantage. Because the ball is suddenly delivered to the other side of the field, defenders are forced to make adjustments in coverage to respond to a crossing pass.
Different Styles of Offense You Can Run
When your team gains that coveted possession of the soccer ball, your players are ready to proceed with the attack. But what type of offensive approach is best suited for your squad? Well, that depends on a number of factors, including the experience and ability levels of your players. You have several styles of attack to choose from — take a look.
Counterattacking
The counterattacking style of offense attempts to capitalize on an opponent who isn’t properly prepared to defend when possession changes hands to your team. This aggressive offense features the following:
Players pushing the ball quickly through the midfield by dribbling
Players moving the ball with long diagonal or through passes (see the “Crossing pass” and “Through pass” sections, earlier in the chapter)
A counterattack can be successful because long passes can chew up big chunks of the field and quickly get the team into prime scoring position, but it’s also a risky style of play. One long pass can be intercepted by the opposition, so as quickly as your team gained possession of the ball, it can turn the ball over and find itself right back on defense again.
Frontal attack
The frontal attack unfolds much more slowly than a counterattack. This style of play also brings more players into the picture, because the essence of this approach is encouraging safe, short passes that the players use to maneuver the ball down the field. It’s a reliable ball-control approach that can be great for young players, because it keeps everyone actively involved in the game. The biggest disadvantage is that by making so many passes (even relatively safe ones), you have a greater chance of turning the ball over.
Overlapping
Overlapping is one of the more advanced offensive approaches in youth soccer, and it puts a real premium on accurate passing and receiving. It’s the type of offense that should be used only with experienced players who can handle the requirements of this style of play. Still, even with younger or less-experienced players, you can introduce the concept to them so they’re at least somewhat fami
liar with it as they continue their soccer careers.
When overlapping, the player handling the ball gets help from a teammate who rushes up at the sides at top speed and receives the pass, which immediately creates new attacking possibilities for the team. The team can continue executing the overlap as it works its way downfield, or it can use the technique sparingly to catch the opponent off guard at different points during the game. Typically, overlapping is used to scoot by the opponents on the sidelines. The overlapping player can come from the player’s right and run down the sideline (see Figure 11-2a), or he can come from the player’s left and loop around (see Figure 11-2b). If the defenders commit to covering the overlapping player, the player with the ball can exploit that by dribbling into the open territory. Here are a few other tips to keep in mind:
Make the defender commit: In these situations, the defender has a real dilemma, because he doesn’t know whether the ball handler will distribute the ball to an onrushing teammate or keep it and look to create a play dribbling. If the defender chooses to rush the attacker, that opens the door for the overlap.
Play the ball ahead of the player: Because the overlapping player is running at full speed, the pass must be played well out in front of him. Passes that require him to slow down throw off the effects of the overlap and make it ineffective.
Figure 11-2: Overlapping pass options.
Because overlapping requires efficient passing skills, this offensive technique should be introduced after the team has a pretty good handle on the basics of passing. Teaching youngsters to pass a ball to a spot, instead of directly to a player, takes lots of practice to get down as kids learn to adjust their ball placement to the speed of their teammates. The Passing Fancy drill in Chapter 10 is ideal for helping youngsters begin learning to play the ball into space.
Kicking the Offensive Skills up a Notch
Before you can introduce any attacking philosophies, your players must have at least a sense of some of the other skills that are applicable for their age, experience, and level of ability. Having the knowledge to perform different types of passes that make running your offense more efficient is one of the keys to generating successful attacks. Players who have the basics of dribbling, passing, shooting, and receiving down are ready to progress to the next level — and you can help them get there.
Shielding
To be effective dribblers, players must be able to efficiently shield the ball. The shielding technique in soccer involves the attacking player keeping his body between the defender and the ball. Players who learn this art of controlling the ball are effective attackers because they have a lesser chance of surrendering possession of the ball and are better suited to operating in tight quarters. Shielding is a big asset to the team, because the players can distribute the ball to an open teammate and help their team generate good scoring opportunities that may not materialize without the ability to shield. Some points to keep in mind when teaching shielding:
Stay sideways: The proper position for shielding is for the player to turn sideways (see Figure 11-3). This technique puts more space between the ball and the defender. It also opens up the attacking player’s field of vision and enables him to make a play.
Don’t turn back: Although younger and more inexperienced players naturally want to turn their backs on a defender to protect the ball, it simply gives the defensive player unnecessary advantages: The defender can more easily poke the ball away, and the offensive player can’t see her teammates downfield, which brings the attack to a standstill. It also handcuffs her ability to beat the defender 1-on-1.
This Guard the Treasure drill is great to help young players become familiar with the concept of shielding. The entire team can participate in the drill at one time on one half of the field, which makes it easy for you to monitor everyone. The players gradually learn that by keeping their bodies sideways, they make it difficult for the defender to gain possession of the ball.
What you need: Half of the field. Entire team. One ball for every two players.
How it works: Pair players up, and give each twosome a ball. The object of the drill is for the designated offensive player to keep the defensive player from touching the ball — while not touching it himself. Because the offensive player isn’t allowed to touch the ball, he learns how his body can be used to protect it.
Figure 11-3: Shielding involves keeping your body between the ball and the opponent.
Chip pass
A chip pass is a lofted pass with backspin. It can be used throughout the field to get the ball over a defender. Here are the steps to follow in teaching it:
1. The player approaches the ball from the side and turns to strike the ball with the inside of his foot (see Figure 11-4a).
2. He snaps his knee while coming forward at the ball.
3. He keeps his ankle in a locked (firm) position at contact, which helps ensure that backspin is delivered on the ball.
4. The player makes contact with the side of his shoelaces below the center of the ball (see Figure 11-4b).
If he is directly behind the ball, he makes contact with the top of his shoelaces, using a downward jabbing motion with little follow-through (see Figure 11-4c).
Figure 11-4: This player uses a chip pass to get the ball over a defender.
Outside-of-foot pass
Often, throughout a game, when going against a defender, the only opportunity to advance the ball to a teammate is by using an outside-of-foot pass. It can be a little tricky to teach simply because delivering one doesn’t come naturally for kids and requires an awkward motion to complete. Here are the steps to help your youngsters use the outside-of-foot pass effectively:
1. The child’s passing foot (see Figure 11-5) should be pointed down and slightly inward.
2. Her nonpassing foot should be turned slightly away from the ball.
This gives the youngster ample room to make the pass.
3. The player’s ankle must be locked when she’s delivering a pass with the outside of the foot.
4. When the player follows through with the pass, she makes contact in the center of the ball with her little toe.
One-touch pass
Players call upon one-touch passes when they’re tightly marked by the opposition or when they’re pressured and in danger of losing the ball that’s headed their way if they don’t distribute it to a teammate quickly. The steps for executing a one-touch pass are similar to the push pass (see Chapter 9):
1. The player’s nonkicking foot is planted alongside the incoming ball.
2. His hips and shoulders are squared up to the teammate that he’s delivering the ball to, and his kicking foot is open to expose the inside of the foot to the oncoming ball.
3. The instep of the foot makes contact in the middle of the ball with an abbreviated follow-through.
Using a short, jabbing motion on the moving ball allows for better control and accuracy.
Figure 11-5: Using proper technique for an outside-of-foot pass can be awkward.
Wall pass
The wall pass is one of the most basic combination plays in soccer. Also referred to as the give-and-go, it’s a good tactic for a pair of attackers to take advantage of a single attacker in the area and create chaos with the defense.
The give-and-go has many combinations. Here’s how it generally works: The player with the ball beats the defender (see Figure 11-6) by utilizing a teammate to bounce the ball behind the defender, much like bouncing the ball against a wall. One of the best opportunities for utilizing a wall pass is when the attacking player is able to make the defensive player commit to guarding him. Use the following steps to teach your players the wall pass:
1. When the attacking player is able to make the defensive player commit to guarding him, the player with the ball (A) delivers a pass to the second attacker (B).
2. Player B executes a one-touch pass to the open area behind the defender and then runs forward to join the attack.
3. Player A runs around
the defender and meets the ball at the open spot on the field.
Some other points to keep in mind when teaching the wall pass:
Push it: The push pass, because of its accuracy, is the best method to deliver the ball to the wall player.
Targets: Defenders who are slow-footed, who have a tendency to guard players with the ball very closely, or who keep their eyes glued on the ball and aren’t paying close attention to what’s going on throughout the rest of the field are susceptible to the wall pass.
Practice: It works only when both offensive players recognize the opportunity. Although practice drills help with the timing of the one-touch passes into open space, this type of pass is best learned during games, as players learn to recognize when situations call for it. Besides that, you need sufficient space behind the defender to pull off this type of pass; otherwise, it likely results in a turnover.
Figure 11-6: A simple give-and-go.
Banana kick
After players develop sound fundamentals on kicking the ball straight and pretty accurately, you can introduce them to the banana kick, whose name may get a chuckle or two from younger players. It’s also referred to as a bending ball kick. This type of kick can be a great offensive weapon when players are able to curve the ball around defenders to get the ball to their teammates. Here are some helpful tips to use when teaching the banana kick:
