📋 Session Plan
11v11 Passing Patterns
A 60-minute session building passing combinations and decision-making across the full pitch for adult or U16+ squads.
A 60-minute session building passing combinations and decision-making across the full pitch for adult or U16+ squads.
4 rondos of 5v2. Two-touch maximum. Teams swap roles on winning possession. Coach circulates — prompt: 'Find the free player before the ball arrives.'
Set up four zones across the pitch. 11 players in positional shape pass through zones — GK, two centre-backs, two full-backs, two CMs, two wide players, one 10, one striker. Four passes per zone minimum before switching. Passive resistance from 2 defenders.
9v9 plus two neutral players who always play with the team in possession. Rule: 8 passes before a goal counts. Bonus: goal scored from a switch of play = 2 points. Coach counts passes aloud first 3 minutes to calibrate.
Open game. Coach observes how much of the passing work has embedded. No interventions.
Clear demonstrations and high energy. Keep the session moving with minimal queuing, and reinforce one or two key coaching points rather than overloading players with information.
Players standing in queues (set up enough stations to keep everyone active) and the session running too long on one activity (keep blocks tight and move on while engagement is high).
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Coaches tip: Post-session recovery nutrition matters as much as the drills themselves — MaxiNutrition's recovery range is built for exactly this.
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Building conditioning between sessions at home? DeerRun UK's home treadmills make it easy to keep up cardio work off the pitch.