Risky Business

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Introduction:

This game allows the players plenty of decision making, whilst also being great fun. It involves 1v1 skills, team play, passing, overloads, defending (matched up and outnumbered), counter-attacking, shooting, goalkeeping... pretty much everything in fact! It's also a really competitive game, which the players tend to enjoy.

Setup:

• A small area (size dependent on age), with a goal at each end. Think of it as a mini-pitch. Goalkeeper in each goal.
• Coach at the side on the "half way" line with 10 footballs.
• Two teams of 6 players. One team (attackers) next to the coach, one team (defenders) split in half, with 3 players next to each goal.
• Coach has a tactics board or sheet of paper with a menu of options for the attacking team to pick from, with each option worth a different number of points. See graphic, below for an example of the menu.

Basic Rules:

• Attacking team decide which of the menu options they would like to choose.
• Coach calls out the menu option (e.g "2v1") and the direction the players will attack (e.g "left").
• Coach plays a ball into the middle.
• The number of attacking players selected (in our example, two) run to the ball and attack the relevant goal.
• The number of defending players selected (in our example, one) sprint out from next to the goal and try to defend.
• If the attacking team score, they get the number of points that menu option was worth.
• If the defender(s) win the ball, they can counter attack in the opposite goal to the one they are defending. If they score, they get the points instead.
• If the attacking team score, the same players go again with a new ball played in by the coach, but this time they attack the other goal and the defender(s) come from behind that goal instead.
• Defending players who come out to defend from each goal should rotate so everyone gets a fair turn.
• Goalkeepers score 5 points for every save. They make up a team between them.
• Once all 10 footballs are used up, the points are added up and the teams then switch roles.
• After both teams have had a turn at each role, the game is finished and a winner is announced (either team or the goalkeeper team). Play further rounds if necessary.
• Rotate goalkeepers in future rounds.

Coaching Points (FA's 4 Corners):

Technical	Psychological
1v1 attacking skills - use changes of direction and pace to beat your opponent. Ball control / first touch. Weight and direction of first touch. Encourage using left and right foot. Tricks, feints, fakes and skills to beat opponent. Shooting - technique and direction of shot. Can you get an early shot away? Defensive - body shape, when to try and win the ball and when to stand off and block the route to goal, trying to force opponent to make a mistake. Passing - direction, weight and type of pass. Which runs to make to support your team mates or drag defenders away. Counter attack when you win the ball - quickly.	Deciding which option to choose from the menu - what does the team need to do to win. Play safe or take risks - the other team will score points if they win the ball of you and score. Communication (players at the side can help their team mates) Decision making - when to dribble, when to pass, when to try and score. Confidence to try again if a mistake is made and to try different things - different types of skill or shot. Competitive element - how does this affect the different players? Winning / losing affects confidence.
Physical	Social
Strength to hold off opposition players. Agility and balance - to beat a player and to defend. Speed - can we play quickly to get our opponent off balance	Encouraging others and not being negative Communication Have fun!

 

 Download a printable version of this session here...