Gafferbook
Small-sided games ยท U9 to adult

Conditioned game: free wide zones

A match with a 5 m channel on each wing where wide players can't be tackled. Encourages teams to use width, and gives wingers and full-backs time to make good decisions.

U9 to adultAges
12 to 18Players
Your match pitch (7v7, 9v9 or half 11v11)Area
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

  • Your normal match pitch with a channel coned on each side.

Equipment: Cones, bibs, two goals

How it works

  1. Normal game, but only one player per team in each channel, and they can't be tackled there.
  2. Goals from a cross or cut-back from a channel count double.

Coaching points

  • Get the ball wide early, then attack the box.
  • Box runs: near post, far post, edge.
  • Wide player: decide quickly: cross, cut back or pass inside.

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

  • Channel players unlimited touches

Make it harder

  • Channel players three touches
  • Defenders allowed in the channel

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

Questions about this drill?

Free AI coaching help from Gafferbook. Ask anything about coaching your team.

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