Effective attacking and defending depends simultaneously on individual and team actions. These actions consist of  corresponding attacking and defending actions known as the “Principles of Play.” Continue Reading

My coach is always telling us to jockey and not stab at the ball. What does he mean? Continue Reading

3v3v3 is a small-sided game, that forces players to think about both attacking and defending at the same time. Continue Reading

I play defender, and I have tryouts next week. Can you give me some drills/tips for my position that I can do without a lot of help or equipment?

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We’re playing a good team on Saturday. They have a really good player who scores most of their goals. If we lose to this team, the season will be over. What are some tips for stopping someone from shooting and stealing the ball? Continue Reading

A forward attempts to get past a defender

Unfortunately, there is no one, simple answer to this question. There are no moves or plays that will always work any better than others – otherwise everyone would do it.

Jukes and fakes will often not work at all on defenders because a good defender should be focused on the ball and not your fakes. Passing can also be an option, but even that is not always possible nor always the best choice.

That being said, there are a few options.

If they give you space – say by jockeying you down the line – take that space and try to create an opportunity for them to make a mistake or for you to pass. A lot of defenders will become impatient if you stay patient yourself. Many times, they will give up their positioning and try to poke the ball away (the younger you are, the more common this will be). Wait for that. If the defender overplays in any direction even for a moment, capitalize on that and use that opportunity to try to get past him.

If you want to be more aggressive, you can still use jukes and fakes. The key is to keep the offender off-balance – both mentally and physically. You want to use the moves you are strong at, but if you always use one or two moves, a good defender will be expecting those. Switch it up from time to time. Also, try to figure out the defenders’ weaknesses. If you know a defender isn’t good with their left, attack that side; if you know you are faster, use your speed; if you know you are stronger, use your strength.

The 3-sided Goal Game trains passing, spacing, movement off the ball, shooting for corners, attacking skills, defending skills, aggressiveness, conditioning, and it is also great practice for goal keepers. Continue Reading