Why rondos are more than just a bit of fun

This is a basic rondo which we see quite a lot. But I want to use this as our starting point to show you the pros and cons – and then offer some alternatives.

Practice aim: The red team keep the ball as long as possible, the blue defender tries to regain the ball. If you’ve got 20 players, you can set this practice up five times – and the players should get on with the task without lots of coach intervention.

Pros: Reds get lots of opportunities to work on technical skills – passing, receiving, scanning, body shape - because the number of players should allow them to keep the ball for long periods.  

Cons: The defender may end up running around with little purpose, particularly if the area is quite big. Defending isn’t only about winning the ball, it’s about defending the goal; and this practice doesn’t encourage the defender to consider when or how to press and when to protect. Additionally, the attackers are quite static and aren’t working on movement to receive.

In improvement 1 (left) all players start inside the square rather than outside – this will encourage them to move more on and off the ball. The extra defender means they both have to work together and consider pressing and covering.

In improvement 2 (right) the out-of-possession team (blues) can score after winning the ball, by breaking out of the square, scoring in a mini goal, dribbling through a gate or around a mannequin. Progress by placing a ball on top of a cone in the middle of the area. Reds can score by knocking it off with a pass. To encourage blues not to just block the cone, if they win the ball they can score and swap with reds.

rondos 2 - exploring different shapes & pitch geography

Create a diamond area with two small-sided teams. Outside of the diamond, start with two or four neutral players (blues). This may start as a possession game or with a focus on switching play. Teams score by playing from one neutral player/pair of players to the other.

Then progress to a break-out game. The red team can score by breaking out of the diamond e.g. with a through ball or by playing into a blue. The yellow team can recover and defend once the ball has left the diamond. The blue team have to consider type of cross e.g. deep, cutback etc, for in-possession team to finish into the goal.

rondos 3 - increasing the complexity

Set up with a 3v3 + 3. The team in possession (reds) need to receive from one neutral player (blues) and play into the other - or break out and play into the furthest neutral player. The middle neutral player works on combination play like a central midfielder or striker with their back to goal - they cannot turn and play into the furthest neutral player. They could pass back to the same player (one-two) or play to someone else (third-man run).

Once the ball is switched to the furthest neutral player, the 3v3 then continues in the adjacent box and the in-possession team (reds) get a point. If the defending team (yellows) win the ball back, they need to play into the closest end player as quickly as possible. They then remain in possession.

The diagram shows one box divided into quarters, which can help give players visual positional cues. Players can consider their positioning to support or defend the ball. In possession, we may want to be expansive. Out of possession, how can we press, screen and mark?

rondos 4 - the game

Set up with a 7v6 or similar. This helps develop players’ technical capabilities (overloaded team gets more chance of success) while playing with game realism (passing patterns, angles of support, space, timing). Start with the red team keeping the ball for as long as possible – when the blues win the ball, they can break out of the area to score. Progress by adding goals and allowing both teams to score. Then, maybe balance the teams out at the end. 

The underloaded team can still have success if they work smart and dictate the play, then press or drop and screen. They should consider if they want to show opponents inside or outside, and what positions to take up e.g. protect dangerous areas centrally/close to the goal. If they win the ball, you may encourage them to attack quickly in transition before the overloaded team recover their shape.

You could also add other conditions, such as dividing the pitch into thirds. You may confine certain units/players into certain segments e.g. two defenders versus one striker. In possession, players can dribble into the next third or pass into it.