Practice: progressive passing

WHY USE IT

This three-part session is used to help introduce and develop the concepts of progressive passing: body shape, far-foot receiving, inviting pressure and breaking lines.

Set-up

Mark out a playing area relative to the number, age and ability of your players. Set up with 4v2 +1. This is a positional-play game, which is directional and position-specific. 

Set up the players so that a centre-back or goalkeeper is at one end, with wide forwards or full-backs on the sides and a centre-forward at the top. Here we are introducing the central midfielder as the joker.

HOW TO play

The aim is to move the ball from the centre-back/goalkeeper to the centre-forward using the wide players and the joker. 

Once completed, the players combine again to move the ball back to the centre-back/goalkeeper. 

If a defender wins the ball, they get a point for each pass completed before losing possession, and can use the joker.

ADAPTATIONS

The rondo can be modified by changing the size of the area, the number of attackers or the number of defenders.

COACHING POINTS

• The four attackers on the outside should maintain a diamond shape. The joker in the middle should focus on completing the triangle shape, within the diamond, with the player that is on the ball and another attacker.
• Keep an open body shape; receive on far foot; invite pressure before you pass; break lines.