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U11 · Receive and turn block · Week 4 of 6 · Revisit

Receive under press

Win It Back to start, receive under press, a first-touch tally, a keep-away game and a rotating match.

Block weeks123456

The session in five lines

  1. ArriveWin It Back while you set up (8 min)
  2. Receive pressTechnical · a good first touch under pressure (12 min)
  3. Touch tallyChallenge · tally the good touches (8 min)
  4. Keep awayOpposed · four keep it from three (12 min)
  5. Rotate turnMatch · rotate positions (15 min)

Minutes per stage. The last block is the conditioned game or the closing game. The dashed block is for changeovers and water.

Kit

4 conesPlus 2 goals. Use small goals, or two cones for each goal.
5 ballsOne per group, plus a spare.
BibsThree colours, for two teams and goalkeepers.
Different numbers?
PlayersGroupsWho plays
61One group of six: 3v3
724 and 3
824 and 4
925 and 4
1025 and 5
1126 and 5
1226 and 6

No more than eight players per adult. With nine or more, make a third group rather than leaving players waiting.

Arrive

Win It Back while you set up

8 min

Kit2 goalsA ballBibs

As children arrive, they join a quick game. A team that loses the ball must win it back within five seconds.

While the children play, set up the area for the next game.

Ask: Who turned?

Receive under pressure

Technical · a good first touch under pressure

12 min

Kit4 cones for the corners of the areaA ball per pairBibs, two colours

The defender closes you down. Take the ball away from them with the first touch, then pass or dribble.

Keep calling the same three points: check first; open your body; turn and go.

Ask: Which way did you touch it?

First-touch tally

Challenge · tally the good touches

8 min

Kit4 cones for the corners of the areaA ball per group

Tally each first touch that takes the ball into space, ready to pass. There is no timer.

Keep calling the same three points: check first; open your body; turn and go.

Ask: How many good touches?

Keep-away game

Opposed · four keep it from three

12 min

KitA space about 20 by 16 mA ball per groupBibs, two colours

4v3. Receive and turn away from the nearest defender. Defenders swap when they win it.

Keep calling the same three points: check first; open your body; turn and go.

Ask: Who turned away?

Rotate and turn

Match · rotate positions

15 min

Kit2 goalsBibs, three coloursA ball

7v7, with goalkeepers. Every four minutes call rotate. Look to turn when there is space.

SafetyBalls only go toward the goal. Keep the area behind and beside it clear, and ask children to wait while others fetch.

Keep calling the same three points: check first; open your body; turn and go.

Ask: Who turned?

Go deeper

Optional. The detail behind the three coaching points, for when you want more. Draft 1: starting points for a coach to adjust, not rules.

Check, open, turn

Check before the ball arrives, open the body, and play forward.

What good looks like

  • Check away or towards the ball, so you arrive free.
  • Open the body to the pitch before the ball arrives.
  • Turn with the first touch when there is space, and play forward.

If you see this, try this

  • Receives with the back to the pitch and cannot turnCheck your shoulder, open your body, and use the far foot.
  • Turns when a defender is right behindShield, play a safe pass, and go again.

More detail

  • Scan teammates and opponents before the ball arrives. Then you know whether to turn, shield or pass.
  • Approach at an angle to set up on a half-turn.

Ask the players

  • How many opponents did you see before you received?

Change it

Easier: No defender, or a passive one.

Harder: The defender presses from behind as the pass is played.

Turning with the ball

Turn away from the defender, then take a touch and go.

Most useful in stages 4, 5.

What good looks like

  • Inside, outside and drag-back turns all keep the ball close.
  • Turn away from the defender and use the body to shield the ball.
  • Accelerate out of the turn with a bigger touch.

If you see this, try this

  • Turns into the defenderCheck where the defender is first, and turn the other way.
  • Turns slowly and gets caughtThe turn is quick, and the touch after it is the big one.

More detail

  • Look before you receive. The best turn is the one you decided on before the ball arrived.
  • Sometimes the best turn is no turn: pass back or shield and wait.

Ask the players

  • Why did you turn that way?

Change it

Easier: No defender, then a defender who only stands.

Harder: A defender who closes from behind as the pass arrives.

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Draft 1. The positions in the diagrams are estimates.