SSG Ladder

◆Why this drill works

By week 4 of pre-season, players have their fitness back and their basic technique reactivated. The block is now about match-realistic intensity. The SSG Ladder layers three 4v4 games with progressive constraints — the first builds possession habits, the second adds transition demand, the third introduces full-pressure 1v1 within a team context. Each game runs 6 minutes with 2-minute resets. By the end, players are doing genuine match-pace work without realising it. The 2-minute resets matter as much as the games themselves — they give the coach a chance to make one sharp observation while it's still fresh, rather than saving every point for a post-session debrief when the moment has passed. Ending on a constraint-free free game also lets players finish the session feeling like footballers rather than participants in a series of exercises, which matters for how eagerly they return to training the following week.

◇Variations and progressions

• 4v4+2 neutrals — add two floating neutral players who always play for the team in possession, raising the technical demand of Game 1.
• Shortened transition window — reduce Game 2's scoring window from 8 seconds to 5 for a sharper, more advanced group.
• Rotating marking pairs — in Game 3, swap the marking pairs at the halfway point so every player experiences marking more than one opponent.
• Extended ladder — for a longer session, add a fourth 6-minute game combining the possession and transition constraints together.

▦The drill in three phases

▶How to run it

1. Mark out a 25×16 yard pitch with mini-goals at each end. Split the squad into two teams of 4 (use bibs). Extra players queue at halfway line — rotation every 6-minute game.
2. GAME 1 — Possession-led (6 min). 4v4. To score, a team must complete 5 consecutive passes before shooting. Builds the habit of building attacks rather than going long. No constraint on the defence.
3. Reset 2 minutes. Drink, swap players in, refresh ideas. Coach calls out one observation from Game 1 — what worked, what didn't.
4. GAME 2 — Transition demand (6 min). 4v4 with one rule: any team winning the ball must score within 8 seconds or possession turns over. Forces fast transitions and direct attacks. Defenders work to delay.
5. Reset 2 minutes. Then GAME 3 — 1v1 within team (6 min). 4v4 but each player is paired with a specific opposition player they must mark whenever the ball is in their area. Brings genuine 1v1 demand into a team context.
6. End on a 'free game' — last 1 minute, no constraints, just play. Always end on a positive note. Players leave wanting to come back.

✓Equipment checklist

• Balls8Buy →
• Cones12Buy →
• Bibs8

✦Coaching points