Looping to create an extra man

U13–U16 | HANDLING 3

Get players following behind the receiver after the pass to create an extra man outside

1. Mark out a 10m square area with a 3m channel down one side and a 2m channel down the other (leaving a 5m channel in the middle). Put an attacker with a ball on one side of the 2m channel and another attacker alongside him on the 5m channel then put two defenders on the opposite side facing them.
2. When you say “go”, all players move forward. The first attacker must run up the 2m channel until he goes past 3m (use a cone to mark this), at which point he can pass to the attacker in the 5m channel.
3. Meanwhile, the first defender cannot move outside the 2m channel, and the second stays in the 5m channel. They aim to touch tackle the ball carrier.
4. The second attacker cannot leave the 5m channel, but he can pass into the 3m channel, so the first attacker runs round behind his team mate into the 3m channel to take the pass.

5. Develop by allowing the second defender to move between the 5m and 3m channels. Develop further by allowing the first defender to move between the 2m and 5m channels as well.

You will need

• A 10m square area split into 2m, 5m and 3m channels
• 1 ball
• Cones
• Bibs

Got more players?

Players get through this drill quickly, so have other players waiting or set up another area.

What to tell your players

“The looping player does not change his running angle until he has passed the ball”
“Pass for the receiver, not to the receiver”