Getting the team to move the ball wide and spread the play

[Mark Rendle]

Hi Guy's

I coach a U16 travel team who have been reasonably sucessfully over the last few season.

The strenght of the team during the last few seasons has been that we have strong fast forward, which has resulted in the team playing to those strength and playing the ball mainly over the top or through the middle of the field.

However, as the standard of teams have improved and the defenders we play against are also strong and fast the advantage we had in previous seasons is now becoming less of an advantage.

What I've been trying to do during the pre-season practices and games is to get the boys to play the ball wide and open the space up.

After playing 5/6 seasons playing a more direct route to goal I'm finding it hard getting over to the boys that we need to play the ball wide.

Has anyone got any drills or suggestions on how I can get them to change of style they have played for many seasons.

Thanks,

Mark

Thanks,

Mark

[Jerzy]

Try practicing with a shorter, wider field, maybe full width but only half the length to encourage movement of the ball wider. One drill that a guy tells me he uses frequently, though I have never tried it, is to have a channel maybe 8-10 yards wide along the sides of the field, and your two or three wide players only can go into the channels. It becomes easier to possess the ball if your players can find areas of the field no one else can enter.

And lastly, at age 16, try the socratic approach: ask the kids themselves to diagnose what they think is going on when they bash the ball forward over the top. Ask them: is there a good chance of success playing the ball forward at this time? Is there a better chance of success by maintaining some possession and changing fields/playing wide? The kids have to take ownership of their game anyway.

[eacorletto]

I use a short field and channels marked with cones 5-10 yards this has helped a lot my team is using the whole field now.....

[po_MP_ey]

Use two floaters who throw the ball in from the sidelines, this will encourage:

-Getting the ball wide
-Improvement in throws
-SR Bond in results from getting it wide
-Movement from inside players when ball is wide
-Defending from crosses

The ball should start in the middle so midfielder has to get the ball to the wide player. The wide man should move so an easy pass can be made for him to control (realistic to a real match kind of thing).