Gafferbook
Patterns of play ยท U11 to U13

9v9 3-2-3: overload one side, attack the other

Get four players to one side to draw the opponent across, then switch to the winger who stayed wide on the far side. Teaches overload-to-isolate in a 9v9 shape.

U11 to U13Ages
7 to 9 plus a keeperPlayers
Two thirds of a 9v9 pitchArea
15 minsTime

Your assistant coach: turn this drill into a full session, plan the weeks around it and tell me how it went.

โž• Put it in tonight's session๐Ÿ—“ Build my season around itโœ๏ธ Make my own version

Set-up

  • Back three, two midfielders, front three.
  • Four defenders and a keeper, then a live phase.

Equipment: Goal, cones, balls

How it works

  1. Ball goes to the right centre-back; right winger, midfielder and striker all move towards the ball.
  2. Combine quickly, then switch to the far winger.
  3. Far winger takes on their defender 1v1 and finishes or crosses.

Coaching points

  • Pull them in with short passes.
  • Far winger: stay wide and patient.
  • Switch with one pass if you can.

Formations this drill suits

3-2-3 (9v9) drills

Add this drill to a session plan โ†’

Make it easier

  • Unopposed

Make it harder

  • Must switch within 5 passes

AttackersDefendersKeeper / neutral- - โ†’ Passโ†’ Runใ€ฐโ†’ Dribble

Questions about this drill?

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4-3-3 third-man run to the striker

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4-4-2 strike partnership: one short, one long

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4-4-2 wide 2v1: full-back and wide midfielder

Full-back and wide midfielder take on one defender down the flank, choosing between the overlap, the underlap and the give-and-go. Builds the wide partnership a 4-4-2 relies on.

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3-5-2 wing-back switch of play

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4-2-3-1: finding the number 10 between the lines

A three-zone game where the ball must go from the back zone into the number 10 in the middle zone before it can go into the front. Teaches the double pivot to find the 10 and the 10 to turn.

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