Small Sided Games Football (Soccer) Coaching Sessions | Coaches Colleague

Soccer Drills: Small Sided Games

In SSG based coaching sessions the number of players per team can vary from 6 v 6 to 9 v 9 (but the fundamental factors remain consistent). Small sided games provide both teams with a direction to play in and allows the realism to increase and also requires players to consider their positional responsibilities.

6 v 6: 4 Goals : Players must defend goals that are in wide areas, therefore they must force play inside. Orientation: Defending Objective: Dictating / Dispossess	View Soccer Drill
Build an Attack from the Back : This session looks to highlight the main principles and moves to accomplish playing out from the back. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Support Play	View Soccer Drill
Counter Attacking from the Defending 3rd : This session looks to highlight the main principles and moves to accomplish playing out from the back at speed. Orientation: Attacking Objectivee: Support Play / Passing	View Soccer Drill
Creating Space 6 v 6 : Crucial to a team’s attacking success is their ability to create and utilise space, therefore this session seeks to educate players how to generate as much space as possible. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Support Play	View Soccer Drill
Creating Space 9 v 9 : Similar to the above session but the number of players involved has increased. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Support Play	View Soccer Drill
Crossing and Finishing : This is a soccer drill to educate player's how to act when the ball is out wide and a crossing opportunity arises. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Finishing	View Soccer Drill
Defending Against Counter Attacks : Session to educate players' on their roles and responsibilities when possession is lost and the opposition attempt to break quickly. Orientation: Defending Objective: Delaying	View Soccer Drill
Defending Crosses 6 v 6 : This session looks to show players how to defend from crosses delivered into the area from a wide position. Orientation: Defending Objective: Clearance	View Soccer Drill
Defensive Zones : This soccer drill that can be used to focus the attention of the player's to the areas of the pitch they should pressurise and win back the ball. Orientation: Defending Objective: Dispossess	View Soccer Drill
Defending 6 v 6 : Session to educate players how to defend as a team. Orientation: Defending Objective: Dictate / Dispossess	View Soccer Drill
Defending 8 v 8 : This session looks to show players how they should defend in a match situation. Orientation: Defending Objective: Dictate / Dispossess / Delaying	View Soccer Drill
Dribble to Shoot : Session to educate players how to commit and beat defenders in order to get a strike at goal. Orientation: Attacking Objectives: Dribbling / Finishing	View Soccer Drill
Forward Passing : An essential attacking basic is being able to get the ball forward or else goal scoring opportunities will never arise. Orientation: Attacking Objectives: Support Play / Passing	View Soccer Drill
Improve Shallow Crossing : The technique of crossing from shallow positions is slightly different to deeper crosses, therefore each should be fully understood. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Crossing	View Soccer Drill
Longer Distance Passing : Session to focus on a teams ability to pass over longer distances. Support play is also integral to the sessions success. Orientation: Attacking Objectives: Passing / Support Play	View Soccer Drill
Longer Distance Finishing : This soccer drill looks to educate player's how to strike at goal from a longer distance. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Finishing	View Soccer Drill
Protecting the Ball Under Pressure : Players should learn how to protect the ball in highly pressurised situations. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Close Control	View Soccer Drill
Running with the Ball : Covering ground very quickly with the ball is a very good way to turn defence into attack. Therefore players should fully understand how to exploit any space that appears in front of them. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Running with the Ball	View Soccer Drill
Shooting 6 v 6 : Session to improve a player’s ability to finish when a shooting opportunity presents itself. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Finishing	View Soccer Drill
Shooting 9 v 9 : Similar to the above session but the number of players involved has increased. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Finishing	View Soccer Drill
Turning : Session to educate players how to receive the ball in order to turn and pass. Orientation: Attacking Objectives: Turning	View Soccer Drill
When to Press, When to Drop in an 8 v 8 : This soccer drill looks to educate players where their defensive position should be depending on where the ball is. Orientation: Defending Objectives: Delaying / Dictating / Dispossess	View Soccer Drill

A new concept to the way Small Sided Games are organised is the introduction of basic 4 v 4's and 4 v 4's plus a floating player. By reducing the number of players on the pitch results in those playing being more actively involved more often.

4 v 4 Creating Space : It is crucial to a team’s attacking success that they have the ability to create and utilise space, therefore this soccer drill seeks to educate players how to generate as much space as possible. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Support Play	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 Crossing : This game allows teams to create crossing opportunities so that they can practice finishing from such attacks. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Crossing	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 Defending : General defending session that looks to focus on a team’s ability to defend in a general nature. Orientation: Defending Objectives: Delay / Dictate / Dispossess	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 Defending with Floaters : This session places the defensive team with a numerical advantage so that the principles of defending can be focussed upon. Orientation: Defending Objective: Dictate / Dispossess	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 Defending Aerial Crosses with Floaters : This session looks to highlight the main principles of defending balls played into the area through the air. Orientation: Defending Objective: Clearance	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 Dribbling : Educating players how to dribble when the situation arises is the focus of this session. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Dribbling	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 Forcing play in One Direction : Defending topic to educate players how to force their attackers in the desired direction. Orientation: Defending Objective: Dictating	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 Prevent Opponent Turning : Defending topic to educate how to stop their opponents from turning and therefore being able to see the way they wish to attack. Orientation: Defending Objectives: Delay / Dictate	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 Shooting : Session to improve a players ability to finish when a shooting opportunity presents itself. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Finishing	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 + 1 Creating Space : Crucial to a team’s attacking success is the ability to create and utilise space, therefore this session seeks to educate players how to generate as much space as possible by providing the attacking team with a numerical advantage. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Support Play	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 + 1 Defending : General defending session that looks to focus on a team’s ability to defend in a general nature. Orientation: Defending Objectives: Delay / Dictate / Dispossess	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 + 1 Finish from Crosses : Attacking topic that is designed to allow players to create a number of crossing opportunities in order to generate potential scoring situations. Orientation: Attacking Objectives: Crossing / Finishing	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 + 1 Forcing play in One Direction : Defending soccer drill to educate players how to force their attackers in the desired direction. Orientation: Defending Objective: Dictating	View Soccer Drill
4 v 4 + 1 Support Play : This session looks how team mates should support each other when they are in possession. Orientation: Attacking Objective: Support Play	View Soccer Drill