Setup a 30×30 pitch, with small goals. The idea is to give the players more space than they need, and then reduce it.

Variations

• Gone in 60 Seconds – when every goal is scored it doesn’t count for 60 seconds and is wiped out if the other team scores within those 60 seconds. If the same team scores again inside 60 seconds then the first goal counts immediately and the second has the normal 60 seconds till it counts.

• Total Football – a goal doesn’t count unless each member of the team has touched the ball in the move leading up to the goal without an opposing player touching the ball.

• Five Pass Game – goals count as usual but you can also get a goal by stringing together more than 5 passes without the opposing team touching the ball. The only condition is that a pass doesn’t count if you pass straight back to the person who passed to you. You can vary the number of passes depending on your players.

• Passing Points – A goal is worth the number of passes in the move that created it. Every time the other team touches the ball the count has to restart.

• Two Touch – each player can only have a maximum of 2 touches before another player must touch the ball. If a player has more than 2 touches it is a free kick. Don’t allow players to shield the ball when they have used up their 2 touches this isn’t game realistic.

• Three versus Five – the team with three have no restrictions at all but the team of five are limited to 2 touches before another player must touch the ball. Progress to team of five with one touch and the team of three with two touch.

• Game of two halves – when a team is in its defensive half of the pitch each player is limited to 2 touches maximum before another player touches the ball but in the attacking half they have no restrictions. Encourage defenders to relax under pressure and to play the ball out of their own half and if necessary introduce a condition that the ball must stay on the ground.

• Two Touch One Touch – Normal game but two players on each team are restricted to two touches maximum and the other two players are restricted to one touch maximum before another player touches the ball.

• All Up – A normal 4v4 game but a goal doesn’t count unless everyone on your team is in the attacking half.

• Bounce – A normal 4v4 game but a goal only counts if it is scored by a 1 touch finish from a backwards pass. This encourages midfielders to support the player with the ball. You can progress this to the backwards pass must be either a header or a volley.

• Pressing Game – A normal 4v4 game but if the ball is won in the opposition’s half and a goal is scored without the ball leaving the half then that goal is worth double.

• Pass & Move – A normal 4v4 game but after every pass the player who made the pass must sprint 4m in a certain direction. It is up to you as the coach what you ask them to do i.e pass then run 4m backwards, to the right or forwards. You can give the whole team the same restrictions or each individual player their own direction.

• Switcheroo – A normal 4v4 game but as soon as a goal is scored the teams play in the opposite direction. The team that scored starts with a goal kick as quickly as possible.

• 5 second countdown – A normal 4v4 game but when a player loses the ball the team has 5 seconds to pressurise and win it back. They get a bonus goal for winning the ball back and retaining possession. If the team fails to regain possession after 5 seconds they have to drop back into a defensive shape.

• Corner (freekick) Game – A normal 4v4 game but every time the ball goes out for a throw in it is a corner. Place extra balls near the corners of the pitch so play can restart quickly.

• Opposites – A normal game of 4v4 but when a player passes the ball with their right foot then the 1^st touch of their team mate must be with their left foot and vice versa.

• Man to Man – Each player is paired with a player from the opposing team and they are the only ones allowed to tackle each other.

• Show Time – A normal game of 4v4 but the coach gives out bonus goals for players expressing their talent i.e. bonus goals for great 1 v 1 moves to beat a player, nutmegs, defence splitting passes, interceptions etc. It is important that bonus goals are given not just when the player is successful but also when the thought behind the attempt was right. This is my favorite.

• Color Match – A Normal game of 4v4 but all players on both teams wear the same colour bibs so players have to communicate with each other verbally. You can also play with no bibs on. It will have the same effect with the players having to communicate verbally.

• Head Height – A normal game of 4v4 but a free kick is given against the team who touched the ball last before it went above head height.

• The ‘No Sin’ Bin – Normal 4v4 game but the 2 teams alternate with having one player off the pitch at a time for 60 seconds so the games fluctuates between 4 v 3 in favour of one side or the other. It is best to number players from 1 to 4 to make it easier for the players to know when to go off.

• Forfeits – Normal 4v4 game but when a goal is scored one of the players from the team that conceded the goal has to run around entire pitch before they can join back in the game. The game continues while the player is running. You can vary it so the player has to do 30 juggles with a ball or a skill circuit instead of running. Again it is best to number the players from 1 to 4 so No. 1 goes for the first goal and so on.

• Big Goal, Little Goal – A normal 4v4 game but you make one goal twice the size of the other and so one team needs a goal keeper and one team doesn’t. You play the game in 2 halves so both teams get to defend the big goal.

• Splitters – A normal game of 4v4 but a bonus goal is awarded for a pass between 2 defenders if the player receiving the pass shoots with their first touch. You as the coach must make sure that the play stays realistic and that players are not shooting from anywhere to get a bonus goal.

• Pole Soccer – Normal 4v4 but replace the goal with a pole stuck in the ground [or cone]. A goal is scored by hitting the pole. We would suggest you put the pole inside a 2m square marked out by cones to stop players standing next to it to defend.

Coaching Points

See the key technical coaching points – they all apply here. Just be conscious that the playing area size will largely dictate the difficulty.