Small Sided games for U11 to U14
By Carlos Menjivar, Director of Coaching-Competitive, California Youth Soccer Association-North
Field size: 20x15, 25x20, 30x20
Objective: Player Development: beat a defender(s), achieve penetration, score, etc.
Attack-1v1, 1v2, 2v3, 3v4, etc
1v1
- Shielding (if necessary)
- Individual possession
- Decision-making
- Turning right-left
- Higher confidence
- Fitness
- Competitiveness increases
- More individual productivity
- Player development
- Mental toughness increases
1v2
- More awareness
- Moving faster
- Thinking faster
- Changing speed
- Changing directions
- Learn to play numbers-down
- Employ fitness
- Score
2v3
- Combination plays: Wall passes, overlapping runs, takeover, double pass
- Extra effort
- Sacrificing
- Penetrating runs
- Penetrating passes
- Support: Angles, distance, timing
- Learn to play numbers-down
- Tactics employed
- Communication
- Score
3v4
- Combination plays: Wall passes, overlapping runs, takeover, double pass
- More mobility
- Timing of runs
- Penetrating runs
- Penetrating passes
- Develops competitive minds
- Decision making
- Introduces fitness
- Score
Defending: 1V1, 2V1, 2v2, 3v2, 4v3, etc.
Main objective: To win the ball, to avoid penetration, to avoid scoring
1v1
- Defending stance
- Upper body slightly inclined forward
- Moving feet quickly
- Try not to be flat-footed
- Body sideways (one leg in front of the other)
- Use arms to balance
- Eyes on the ball at all times
- Keep attacker in front of you
- Do not let attacker turn
- Prevent attacker from penetrating
- Extend leg to steal ball
- Use shoulders, and arms to push attacker away from the ball
- Slide tackle if necessary (last resource)
- Win possession
2v1
- Defender 1 will approach ball first
- Defender 1 will call out “I got ball”
- Defender 1 will pressure ball
- Defender 1 will try to steal ball quickly
- Defender 2 will provide coverage
- According to distance, angle and timing
- Defender 2 will communicate constantly with defender 1
- Defender 2 will let defender 1 decide what direction to shepherd attacker
- Win possession
2v2
- Defenders should avoid being flat-footed
- Defenders should avoid penetration, either individually or with combination plays
- Defenders must be verbally aggressive
- Defender 1 will pressure ball
- Defender 1 should avoid attacker one to penetrate individually, to pass the ball or to shoot
- Defender 1 should shepherd attacker one to the least dangerous area
- Defender 2 should avoid through passes
- Defender 2 should stay close to attacker 2 and move with him at all times
- Defender 2 should communicate constantly with defender 1
- Defender 2 should be ready to become defender 1 according to need of play
- Win possession
3v2
- Defender 1 and 2 must mark man-to-man
- Defender 3 must provide balance
- Defender 3 must communicate constantly with defender 1 and 2
- Defender 3 should be ready to become defender 1 or 2
- Win possession
4v3
- Defenders 1 and 2 should mark man-to-man, mixed and zonal
- Defender 3 must provide balance
- Defender 1, 2 and 3 must be ready to change roles at all times
- Defenders 1, 2 and 3 should be ready to react aggressively to win ball
- Win possession
