Gafferbook
Possession ยท U12 to adult

Team keep-ball in shape

Teams keep the ball in their match formation in half a pitch. Players learn their positional distances and how to rotate while keeping possession.

U12 to adultAges
14 to 20Players
Half pitchArea
15 to 20 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

  • Half pitch; both teams in their match shapes (e.g. 7v7 or 8v8).
  • Coach with spare balls.

Equipment: Cones, bibs, balls

How it works

  1. Keep possession; 10 passes = point.
  2. Players must keep their positional roles (rotations allowed if someone covers).
  3. Coach freezes play to check shape.

Coaching points

  • Width and depth: stretch the pitch.
  • Triangles everywhere.
  • Rotate positions but keep the shape.

Formations this drill suits

2-3-1 (7v7) drills3-2-1 (7v7) drills2-1-2-1 (7v7) drills3-1-2 (7v7) drills3-3-2 (9v9) drills3-2-3 (9v9) drills2-4-2 (9v9) drills3-4-1 (9v9) drills4-3-3 (11v11) drills3-5-2 (11v11) drills4-4-2 (11v11) drills4-2-3-1 (11v11) drills3-4-3 (11v11) drills

Add this drill to a session plan โ†’

Make it easier

  • Overload with two neutrals

Make it harder

  • Two-touch
  • Score only by switching flanks

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

Questions about this drill?

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More possession drills

Possession with neutrals (4v4+2)

Two teams of four play keep-ball with two neutral players who always help the team in possession, so it's always 6v4.

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End-to-end possession (target players)

Two teams keep the ball and try to play it from a target player at one end to the target at the other. Possession with a purpose: keep it, then go forward when it's on.

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Three-team possession

Two teams keep the ball together against the third. The team that loses it becomes the defenders. Intense, constant transitions and lots of overloads.

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Keep-ball with overloads (5v2 to 5v5)

Start with a big overload so players taste success, then add defenders every few minutes until it's even. A simple progression that builds possession under growing pressure.

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Possession to score through gates

Teams score by passing through a gate to a teammate on the other side. With gates everywhere, players learn to switch play and find the free option.

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Possession with wall (bounce) players

A 3v3 or 4v4 in the middle with bounce players on each side who play for whoever has the ball. Teaches using support players, quick combinations and switching.

See the drill โ†’