PENETRATING

PASSES & ATTACKS

AFTER REGAINS
AG E P H AS E : U 8 - U 1 1
SESSION PLAN
SESSION OVERVIEW PENETRATING PASSES & ATTACKS AFTER REGAINS

LEVEL PART 2: 3v3 +1 MINI-GAME KEY

• U8-U11
SESSION OBJECTIVES
To develop foundation-phase players’ understanding of
regaining the ball and launching attacks, including:
• Technical detail: passing and receiving
• Creating support angles to present forward
passing opportunities
• Forward runs to support and receive
PART 1: PASSING PAIRS BINGO
• This practice is played in a square that features
four mini-goals and four gates that can be made with
mannequins, poles or cones.
• One team is made up of eight players, who work in pairs
to keep possession.
• There are six defenders, who can work alone or in
groups to try to win the balls back. When they do, they
should look to score in one of the mini-goals or dribble
through one of the gates.
• A bingo-style scorecard can also be introduced to offer
bonus points for certain skills or actions.
• This themed mini-game is played on a small pitch with Ball movement
a goal and goalkeeper at each end.
• It is set up as a 3v3, plus one neutral player who plays Player movement
for whichever team has the ball. without the ball
• When the out-of-possession team wins possession, they
should look to play forward or to the neutral player with Player movement
their first pass. If they don’t do this, they can only score with the ball
after recycling possession through the goalkeeper.
PART 3: CONSTRAINT-BASED 7v7
Players
• This is a small-sided game with constraints that
encourage passing forward after a regain.
• It is a 7v7 (plus goalkeepers) played on a pitch split into Cones
thirds. When either team regains possession, they must
pass the ball forward into the next third; if they don’t,
Flat marker
the ball reverts to the opposition.
• If a team wins the ball in the attacking third, they must
get a shot off within two passes. If they score in this
way, the goal is worth double points. Cones with
flat marker
Goal
Mini-goal

Mannequin Pole

Football

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

PASSING PAIRS BINGO PENETRATING PASSES & ATTACKS AFTER REGAINS

FUNCTION
• This practice is designed to give players a chance to
develop a variety of techniques with the ball, while
B
allowing opportunities to understand how to launch a B
counter-attack.
• Eight possession players – here, Team B – work in pairs B
A
to keep possession in a playing area of 30m x 30m. A
Each pair earns a point for every 10 passes they make to B

each other. A
• Six defenders (Team A) are tasked with winning any of A

30 metres
the balls back; they can work individually or in groups B
to do so.
B
• If Team A win any of the balls, they can score points A
in two ways. Dribbling through one of four gates
positioned on each side of the box, here denoted by B
mannequins, is worth one point. Scoring into any of the A
four mini-goals placed around the edge as shown in the B
diagram is worth two points.
• The focus for this defending team is to learn the core
skills of launching a counter-attack through passes or
dribbles.
• The coach can introduce a bingo-style scorecard to
get the players to work together and engage with the 30 metres
practice. This can be shown on a whiteboard by the
pitch, for example, and list five actions for each team.
• Examples of actions that could appear on the bingo
card are: one point for a pass that goes over the head
of a Team A player; two points for any Team B player
who nutmegs a Team A player; two points for any
Team A player who volleys a finish into a mini-goal.
• If a player manages to achieve all the actions on the
card associated with their team, they shout ‘Bingo!’
and get an extra 10 points.
• Play for five blocks of two minutes.

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

PASSING PAIRS BINGO
COACHING DETAIL:
IN POSSESSION
PASSING DETAIL
• This game gives a good opportunity for players to get
repetitions at both short and long passes. The pressure
will alter their decision-making and add realism.
FIRST TOUCH
• The type and direction of first touch is key to the
possession players. This will help them set up the right
pass to quickly find their partner, or hold on to the ball
while they try to get free.
PROTECTING & SHIELDING
• There will be moments when it is hard to find a pass to
a partner right away. In this case, the ball-carrier should
look to protect and shield the ball using their body.
SUPPORTING ANGLES
• Once a player has found their partner with a pass, they
should move quickly, to find an angle to support the ball
and be ready to receive the next pass.
PENETRATING PASSES & ATTACKS AFTER REGAINS
COACHING DETAIL:
OUT OF POSSESSION
PRESSING TRIGGERS
• Defenders should recognise good moments to try to
steal the ball, such as a heavy touch or stray pass.
HUNTING IN PACKS
• The defenders can decide whether they wish to work
together. This may help them outnumber a pair of
attackers.
FORCING THE PLAY
• Can defenders position their bodies to block off
opponents and force the play into difficult areas?
This will give them a chance to regain the ball.
THE FOUR Ss
• By remembering the four Ss – shut down, slow down,
sit down, show down – players can try to get good
pressure on the ball and create a 1v1 duel by eliminate
their opponents’ partners.
COACHING DETAIL:
ATTACKING TRANSITION
THINK FORWARD
• As soon as the defenders regain the ball, they must
focus on a quick clean pass into one of the goals. If
this isn’t on, they can focus instead on a positive touch
towards the nearest gate.
AGE PHASE: U8-U11
3v3 +1 MINI-GAME PENETRATING PASSES & ATTACKS AFTER REGAINS

FUNCTION
• This is a mini-game that is great for young players
because it gives them plenty of touches on the ball
while building pictures from which they can begin to A
A
build reference points.
• It is set up as a 3v3 on a pitch measuring 20m x 20m,
with a neutral player (N) who plays for whichever team
has the ball. There is a goal and goalkeeper at each end,
B
as shown in the diagram.

20 metres
• Both teams are allowed to score normally from restarts B2
– as shown with Team A in the diagram.
• However, if one team wins the ball from the other, their N
next pass must be either forward or to the neutral
player. If they do this, they can then go and score.
• If the team in attacking transition fails to do this, they
must recycle the ball back through their goalkeeper A
B
before being allowed to score.
• The practice should give players a chance to learn how
to attack quickly on regaining possession. The visual of
the neutral player will give them a clearly defined target
to help support this.
• Play for nine blocks of 90 seconds, with appropriate
rest in between. 20 metres

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

3v3 +1 MINI-GAME
COACHING DETAIL:
ATTACKING TRANSITION
PASSING DETAIL
• When the defending team wins and secures possession,
it is important that the players focus on their passing
detail to launch counter-attacks successfully.
FORWARD RUNS
• When a player has regained possession, their
teammates should look to break forward quickly to
enable a forward pass and a chance to score.
NEUTRAL PLAYER
• The neutral player must focus on getting themselves
free as soon as the ball is regained. This means they
must be extra alert to transitions and ready to find
a space to help the counter-attack.
PENETRATING PASSES & ATTACKS AFTER REGAINS
COACHING DETAIL:
DEFENSIVE TRANSITION
COUNTER-PRESSING
• In order to deny a counter-attack, the team losing
possession should counter-press immediately.
• Players should react quickly by putting aggressive
pressure on the ball and finding an opponent to mark.
FORCING THE PLAY BACK
• As well as trying to win the ball, blocking forward
passes to limit goalscoring opportunities will also help
limit the opponent’s threat.
AGE PHASE: U8-U11
CONSTRAINT-BASED 7v7 PENETRATING PASSES & ATTACKS AFTER REGAINS

FUNCTION
• This a 7v7 (plus goalkeepers) small-sided game played A
B
on a pitch measuring 40m x 30m and split into thirds,
as shown in the diagram. A
B
• Normal rules apply from restarts, when teams can build
possession and score as usual, for one point.
An example of this can be seen in the diagram.
• When the out-of-possession team wins the ball back, B
A
they must pass the ball into the next third with the

30 metres
B
next pass. If they don’t, possession reverts to their A
opponents and play continues. B

• If the defending teams wins possession in their A

attacking third, they must get a shot off within two
passes for the goal to count. If they manage this, the
goal is worth double. A
• The practice should be very quick, with lots of B B
A
transitions and plenty of opportunities to launch
counter-attacks.
• Play for six blocks of two minutes, with appropriate rest
periods in between.

40 metres

AGE PHASE: U8-U11

CONSTRAINT-BASED 7v7 PENETRATING PASSES & ATTACKS AFTER REGAINS

COACHING DETAIL: COACHING DETAIL:

ATTACKING TRANSITION DEFENSIVE TRANSITION
QUICK FORWARD PASS COUNTER-PRESS
• On regaining the ball, players must look for a quick • Having lost the ball, players should counter-press
forward pass in order to launch a counter-attack. quickly to avoid a counter-attack against them.

DETAIL OF PASS DROP & DELAY

• The pass detail must allow for a teammate to receive it • If they are unable to win the ball back immediately,
or take it into space. dropping and delaying will help to deny space and slow
• Players should be aware of decision-making to ensure down any counter-attacks.
this – should it be a driven pass or aerial pass?

SUPPORTING THE COUNTER

• On regain, teammates ought to look for forward
runs as quickly as possible to maintain the direction
of the counter-attack.

SETS & SPINS

• Although this may be new for young players of this age
category, they could be made aware that a set from the
first pass forward can bring teammates into play.

AGE PHASE: U8-U11