Changing the elements
The great thing about small-sided games is that you can change the size of the pitch to solve problems.
I often get asked by coaches "how can I force my players to change the way they play?" One of the best ways is to change the shape of the pitch so they have to change how they play.
At the weekend, when we won the ball, instead of playing it quickly down the middle to counter-attack at speed, my players were holding onto it and passing it back into defence for a slow build-up allowing the opposition to get back in numbers behind the ball.
I like slow build-ups, but if you win the ball in midfield sometimes fast, direct attacking through the middle is the best way to exploit the situation. What I will do is work on this in training.
Tomorrow night I will set up a pitch for a small-sided game and cut the wings off, so it is long in length but short in width. This forces the teams to build up through the middle of the pitch using quick skills and passing combinations.
Make your pitch around 30 yards long but only 10 yards wide - cone off the sides of your usual pitch.
Play with two teams of 4 plus a goalkeeper for each team.
Have a couple of helpers around the pitch with balls so they can roll another one in when the ball goes out. This keeps the game fast - throw-ins can be the focus of a different session.
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