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The gate
Encourage your players to attack the spaces between opponents with neat footwork and then offload the ball to team mates who are in close support.
CHALLENGE
By using footwork, the ball carrier can get to the edge of the defender then maintain continuity after contact - and pass.
SET UP
Cones, one ball per pair of attackers.
HOW TO DO IT
- In a 5m square put two defenders a stretched arm’s length apart. The ball carrier runs at the defenders looking to step through the gap late. The defenders use their inside arm to grab the shorts of the ball carrier. They cannot move forward, sideways or backwards.
- If the ball carrier is grabbed, they offload the ball to their supporting player. If they aren’t grabbed they pass after they have gone through the gap (see picture 1). They turn and repeat.
- Develop by playing 3v3 in an 8m square with the middle defender allowed to move from side to side only and the other two tackling from their standing position. Attackers can pass before and during contact. They have six goes, with the middle defender rotating each time (see picture 2).
- Finish by playing normal 3v3 with the same passing conditions as above (see picture 3).
technique
- Run forward with the ball tightly in two hands.
- Look for space, keeping the ball away from contact.
- A ball carrier runs at the gap between two static defenders
- The defenders use their inside arm to grab the ball carrier
- The ball carrier passes or offloads the ball after contact to their supporting player
- Once through, the attacking players turn and repeat back through the box
Related Files
- Develop by playing in a wider area
- The defender In the middle is allowed to move from side to side
- The two defenders on the edge are not allowed to move, but can grab
- Three attackers move forward
- The ball carrier is not allowed to pass until he has made contact with the tackler
- Play through three times, with a new ball carrier each time and then swap attack and defence
Dan Cottrell
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