Soccer Session For Breaking Lines To Go Forward

This soccer session for breaking lines to go forward will help your team find the ‘killer pass’ that can split teams wide open to go forward. Coaches often assume that the player on the ball has all the responsibility when playing these passes and to a certain extent that is true.

However, teammates’ movement off the ball is just as important as the player’s pass who is on the ball, without the players’ movement the player on the ball cannot play the pass.

The drills in this session will focus on the players playing the pass but it will also allow players to understand how their movement off the ball contributes to passes that breakthrough defensive lines.

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Breaking lines to go forward session plan

Warm up – 4v2 soccer rondo

Time: 15 minutes

Set up:

• 7×7 yard area
• 6 players (4 attackers, 2 defenders)
• 1 soccer ball per group of 6 players

Instructions:

Create your area and place 4 attackers (players keeping possession of the ball) on the outside, with each player having their own side of the area.

The remaining two players will go into the middle of the square and they will become the defenders.

The aim of the attackers is to try and retain possession of the ball and gain points by successfully passing the soccer ball between the defenders to a teammate.

If the possession team is able to do this they will receive 1 point.

Rotate the defenders every 5 minutes so everyone will be the defenders at least once.

Coaching points:

• Be patient with the build-up, do not force the ball through the defenders if the space is not there
• Work the ball around as a team to get the defenders further away from each other to allow a great space to pass the ball through
• Support your teammates by constantly looking for angles to receive the ball

Questions that can lead to more coaching points:

• Should you try to force the ball through the space if it is not there? Why?
• What should you try to do instead? How can you do it?
• How can you help support your teammates on the ball?

Click here for more rondo soccer drills and variations

Activity 1 – 6v3 Soccer possession

Time: 20 minutes

Set up:

• 30 x 15-yard area divided into thirds (10×15 yards)
• 1 soccer ball
• 3 teams of 3

Instructions:

Set up your area into 10 x 15-yard thirds with a team of 3 in each of the thirds.

The team in the middle section will be the defending team with the other 2 teams trying to keep possession of the ball.

When the ball is in the possessing team’s area 1 defender can move into their section to try to win the ball back with the other 2 defenders staying in the middle.

The possessing team must keep the ball and try to find gaps to pass the ball to the team also keeping possession on the opposite side.

For every time the 2 possession teams are able to successfully do this they will get 1 point.

However, if the defending team is able to win the ball back the team that gave away the possession will go into the middle to become the defenders.

Coaching points:

• Work the ball around as a team to create an opportunity to switch the play to the team on the opposite side
• If you are looking to receive the ball try to find gaps between the defenders in the middle to do so
• Be patient in the build-up

Questions that can lead to coaching points:

• When should you look to switch the play?
• If you are waiting to receive the ball where should you be looking to receive it?

Activity 2 – 6v3 soccer possession progression

Time: 20 minutes

Set up:

• 30 x 15-yard area divided into thirds (10×15 yards)
• 1 soccer ball
• 3 teams of 3
• 2 goals

Instructions:

For this soccer drill, you want to keep the setup the same however introduce 2 goals.

Instead of trying to retain possession the drill now focuses on creating chances going towards the goal.

There will still be 3 players in each area but it will become a 5v4 in the attacking team’s favor instead of 3 teams of 3.

For the attacking team, there will be 3 players in the first section and 2 players in the final section who will be trying to score a goal in the final section.

The defending team will have 3 players in the middle section and a player in the final section, they’ll be trying to score the goal in the first section.

The attackers in the first section must try to break the defensive lines by playing a pass to the attackers in the final section to score a goal.

When the attackers have the ball in the first section only 1 defender can come into the area, the other 2 defenders must stay in the middle section.

If the defending team is able to win the ball the defenders can enter the first section and try to score the goal.

Coaching points:

• If you are an attacker move to find gaps between defenders to receive the ball
• When retaining possession try to drag defenders out of position to create larger gaps that allow more space for passes to break the defensive line
• Change the tempo of the passing when you are looking to go forward, this will catch the defenders off guard.

Questions that can lead to coaching points:

• If you are looking to receive the ball what should you be trying to find?
• How can you drag defenders out of position when keeping possession of the ball?
• How can catch the defenders off guard?

Conditioned soccer game

Time: 25 minutes

Set up:

• 30 x 15-yard area
• 2 goals
• 2 teams 3
• 1 soccer ball

Instructions:

This will be a regular game of soccer, however, if a player is able to make a successful pass to a teammate that goes between two players the goal will be worth 3 goals instead of 1.

Coaching points:

• Reinforce previous coaching points from throughout the session
• Allow players to play with minimal impact from the coach.
• Give individual coaching points where necessary

A regular game of soccer: 15 minutes

Soccer Session for Breaking through lines to go forward conclusion

In this soccer session for breaking through lines to go forward, it should give your players the opportunity to get lots of repetition of passing and receiving through defensive lines in a game-like environment.

It is important to allow players to make mistakes so do not worry if players do get it straightway, take a step and take a moment to assess what is working and what needs to be improved.

Remember that your focus should also be on the players off the ball making movements as well as the players on the ball making the pass.

Sometimes the player on the ball cannot make the pass because the movement from other players is not there.

If you have any other soccer session ideas for breaking through lines to go forward then let me know in the comments.

Also if you know a coach who may find this soccer session for breaking through lines helpful then please share it with them using our social media buttons.

Thank you,

Toby.

Related Posts:

• 15 Soccer Drills for Passing and Moving
• 10 Rondo Variations
• 10 Drills for Crossing and Finishing

The Youth Soccer Coaching Handbook

Take the stress out of coaching youth soccer with 250+ pre-made soccer sessions and drills, just turn up and coach!

Here’s the breakdown of what you’ll find inside:

• 35 Defending Drills
• 35 Dribbling and 1v1 Drills
• 21 SAQ Drills
• 47 Passing, Control, and Possession drills
• 31 Goalkeeper drills
• 36 Shooting and Finishing drills
• 30 Soccer Games U4 – U8
• 20 Pre-made soccer sessions (90 minutes in length each)

Soccer session for breaking through lines to go forward PDF