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Practice games

Down the Line

Also called Pattern of play

Keeper to full-back, full-back to winger, down the line, a cross along the ground and a first-time finish.

Practice 15 min 4 to 12 players Cage Half pitch 2016 to 2018

Shooting and Scoring Work hard

At a glance

  • Two goals, 6 a pitch: K in one goal with the balls, LB and RB in front, LW and RW wide at halfway, CF in the middle.
  • K rolls it to RB, who passes to RW. RW runs the line and crosses it along the ground.
  • CF attacks the near post and LW the back post: finish first time. Next go is down the left: K rolls to LB.
  • Back to your spot after each go, and change jobs every 4 goes. With 7 or 8: two pitches of 4 (K, RB, RW and CF).
  • Progress 1: The coach goes in goal at the far end.
  • Progress 2: Sprint to a new job when the ball's dead: K, RB and RW follow their pass, LB goes in goal, LW to LB and CF to LW.

If it's not working: Let CF and LW take a touch before they shoot.

Down the Line: set-upKLBRBLWRWCF1231 roll to RB, 2 pass to RW, 3 RW runs the line.20 m by 26 mKLBRBLWRWCF1231 cross along the ground, 2LW to back post, 3 CF shoots.
  • Kkeeper, starts it
  • LBleft back
  • RBright back
  • LWleft wing
  • RWright wing
  • CFcentre forward
  • run
  • dribble
  • pass
  • throw or roll
  • shot
  • 1in this order

One go down the right. K rolls it to RB, RB passes to RW, RW runs the line and crosses along the ground. CF attacks the near post, LW the back post, and they finish first time. Everyone goes back to their spot, and the next go is down the left.

Full details: set up, how to play, tips and age tweaks

Set up

  • A pitch about 20 m by 26 m with a goal at each end.
  • K stands in one goal with the balls.
  • Discs for LB and RB a few metres in front of K, for LW and RW wide at halfway, and for CF in the middle.

6 to a pitch about 20 m by 26 m with a goal at each end. With 5, leave out LB and go down the right every time. With 7 or 8, two pitches of 4: K, RB, RW and CF, attacking down one side, then the other after 4 goes. With 12, two pitches of 6.

How to play

  • K rolls the ball out to RB.
  • RB passes along the line to RW.
  • RW runs down the line and crosses it along the ground into the box.
  • CF attacks the near post and LW the back post. Whoever it reaches finishes first time.
  • Everyone goes back to their own spot. The next go is down the left, the mirror of the last: K rolls to LB, LB to LW, LW crosses, and CF and RW finish.
  • Keep alternating sides. The coach changes everyone's job every 4 goes.

Keeping everyone moving

Six jobs for six players, alternating sides every go.

Make it easier

  • Let CF and LW take a touch before they shoot.
  • The coach calls out each player's next job.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. The coach goes in goal at the far end.
  2. Sprint to a new job when the ball's dead: K, RB and RW follow their pass, LB goes in goal, LW to LB and CF to LW. On a go down the left it's the mirror: K, LB and LW follow their pass, RB goes in goal, RW to RB and CF to RW.

Three things to say

  • Pass, then move.
  • Cross it along the ground, across the goal.
  • Attack your post early.

Words that work: "Lovely pass down the line!", "Lovely cross along the ground!", "Great sprint to your new job!"

Colts habit

Work hard: sprint to your new job every time.

Both feet

Cross and finish with whichever foot the ball comes to.

Heads up

Winger: look up before you cross.

For your birth year

Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.

2018
Stay on the base game and the keeper until the pattern comes easily. The moving rotation is the last step.
2016 to 2017
Two touches at most for the full-back and the winger.

Safety: No heading: every cross stays along the ground. Keep a gap between pitches.