by Roland Loy, German A-License
(Courtesy of Success in Soccer)
This is Part 3 in a four-part series that will focus on training central midfield players. Part 1 dealt with defensive exercises, while Part 2 focused on building the attack. Part 3 will address passing to the front runners, while the fourth and final installment will concentrate on shooting.
1. LONG PASS TO THE FRONT
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Set Up
• Two attackers play against two man-markers in front of the goal.
• The midfielder stands at the centerline with a number of balls.
• A goalkeeper stands in the goal.
Sequence
• The midfielder dribbles forward a short distance and tries to get one of the two forwards (who show for the pass) into position to score with a long pass.
• The forwards get away from of their opponents (who are only half-active at first) as follows: They approach their opponents at a moderate pace, then run into open space. They should score directly on the through pass if possible.
Objectives
• Accurate long passes to the front
• Developing an overview of the game
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2. SHORT PASS TO THE FRONT
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Set Up
• Two attackers play two 1 v. 1s against two man-markers in front of the goal.
• The midfielder stands at the centerline with a number of balls.
• A goalkeeper stands in the goal.
Sequence
• The midfielder dribbles a relatively long distance toward the goal and tries once again to get one of the two forwards into shooting position with a short pass.
• The forwards get away from of their opponents (who are only half-active at first) as follows: At the right moment, they cross paths at top speed, creating an opening for a well-aimed through pass.
• They should score directly on the pass if possible.
Objectives
• Accurate long passes to the front
• Developing an overview of the game
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3. CROSS FROM THE OUTSIDE IN FRONT OF THE GOAL
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Set up
• Two attackers play against two man-markers just beyond one corner of the penalty box.
• Two midfielders stand in the backfield.
• A goalkeeper stands in the goal.
Sequence
• The rear midfielder (A) passes to the forward in front of the penalty box, who drops the ball directly back to the second midfielder (B).
• B controls the ball briefly, then passes to the other forward, who passes back to A again (A has made a high-speed run up the wing in the meantime).
• A dribbles a short distance and crosses to the two forwards in front of the goal.
Objectives
• Accurate crosses from the midfielder
• Initiating wing attacks
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