Soccer drills Seniors

Complete Seniors soccer sessions that you can apply to help your players progress during your sessions. Sign up to access all Seniors drills.

Access more drills

Possession play and switching against a low block

Used by Jurgen Klopp during a training session at Liverpool, this exercise is ideal for working on attacking combinations against a low block to effectively exploit off-the-ball runs behind the defense.

On a half-field, create a space of about 20x30m on the left side, as well as an adjacent 5x30m area, as indicated in the diagram. Then place 2 mini-goals and 4 mannequins (or constri-foot) with a cone about 35m from the goal on the right side. Then set up a 5vs4 in the large area, place 1 player in the small area, and then a final player on the opposite side at the cone level.

The exercise will proceed as follows:

The offensive players (here in blue) start with a possession game against the 4 defenders in the large area.
After making at least 3 passes, they play to their teammate in the small area. No defender can press this player.
The player will then make a through ball behind the defense to their teammate on the opposite side.
This player finishes their action on the large goal.
If the defenders regain possession, they must score as quickly as possible on one of the 2 mini-goals.
Change the 2 offensive players every 3 minutes or so.

Progression

After a few rounds, you can propose these different progressions:

A defender can press the player in the small area (only one).
Players are limited to 2 touches of the ball.
The player in the small area can participate in the possession game (which then creates a 6vs4).
Players must make at least 5 passes before playing to the player in the small area.
The game is played in the same way, but on the opposite side (remember to set up the cones before the start of the exercise).

U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Scanning Using width Overload Shooting Possession

Discover our Seniors drills

High-intensity box-to-box runs with active recovery

High-intensity shuttle runs across the width of the field, followed by structured active recovery....

M. Bielsa: Build-up play on the strong side with a switch of play to draw a defender and release

Ball circulation sequence working on build-up play under pressure on the strong side, followed by a quick switch of play to the weak side to finish in a mini-goal, inspired by a session proposed by Marcelo Bielsa....

Progress with our drills

Join our community of amateur coaches and access 500+ premium drills with diagrams inspired by pro coaches. Get new drills every week.

Access drills

What constitutes the Senior category in soccer?

The Senior category includes all players over the age of 20. It encompasses players with a wide range of personal and athletic differences. As a senior coach, you must take this into account when preparing your senior training sessions. The Senior category marks a turning point in each player's soccer career. At this level, soccer is played with the utmost seriousness, commitment, and ambition, whether at the District level, regional competitions, or even at professional levels.

For Senior players, soccer is often a passion that requires great discipline, optimal physical condition, and an advanced tactical understanding of the game. Each training session and match thus becomes crucial and far more important than in previous categories.

Here are the objectives and some tips on the best ways to train a senior team.

The objectives of the Senior category

For the Senior category, the objectives go well beyond the simple enjoyment of the game and the passion for soccer. Physical, tactical, and technical conditions are a major focus in the development of each player, as well as other crucial elements of the sport such as positioning, strategies for set pieces, formation, the type of play executed, management of individualities, locker room relationships, etc.

Coaching a Senior team involves much more responsibility as a coach and requires constant focus and structure to optimize the development of each player as well as sporting results and to reach high-level competitions.

Some tips for coaching a Senior team

Here are some essential tips for successfully coaching a Senior team:

Personalization of training: Take into account the strengths, weaknesses, and individual goals of the players to customize each training session. This can include specific physical conditioning programs, technical workshops, or targeted tactical sessions.
Balancing intensity and variety: Sessions should be both intense and varied to maintain player engagement and simulate upcoming or past match conditions, especially after defeats!
Focus on tactics: Senior players must understand and execute complex game plans set by the coach. Use video analysis, classroom sessions, and on-field exercises to teach and refine the game strategies you desire.
Management of physical condition and recovery: Prevent injuries and ensure the athletic longevity of players by emphasizing good physical preparation, learning recovery practices after matches and training, muscle care, nutrition…
Strengthening team cohesion and mental health: Organize team-building activities and provide psychological support to each player to strengthen team spirit and help players manage pressure, especially if you reach high-level competitions.

What training exercises for a Senior team?

To succeed in your senior training session, we advise you to focus on 2 aspects: the phases of play and the pace of your sessions. There are many senior exercises available that highlight these 2 aspects, so it will be up to you to carefully select your specific senior exercises to add more dynamism to your training session.

Here is a series of exercises for a Senior team, inspired by modern soccer training practices:

Advanced technical workshops: Organize sessions focused on perfecting individual technical skills, such as ball control under pressure, long-distance passing accuracy, shooting on goal, or other set pieces...
Interactive tactical training: Set up games and simulations that encourage players to apply specific strategies and tactics, promoting quick thinking and decision-making under pressure.
Targeted physical sessions: Include specific training to improve endurance, speed, agility, and strength of each player, according to the time of year and upcoming sporting events.
Training matches and analysis: Regularly organize training matches to evaluate your Senior team's performance in real game conditions. Use post-match video analysis to discuss improvements and adjust strategies.
Dynamic warm-ups: One-touch play combinations with support, inspired by a Liverpool training session. The objective? Improve communication and quick play.
Possession and transition play: Possession exercise with attacking and defensive transitions, known and used notably by Pep Guardiola. This exercise emphasizes developing the ability to quickly switch phases of play (attack to defense…)
Physical conditioning: Aerobic endurance circuit, adapted for physical preparation at the start of the season.

Our other Seniors drills

Small-sided game in 3v3 with neutral side supports and quick shooting

3v3 game with goalkeepers and two wide supports to create link-ups on the wide areas and find a situation for a give-and-go or a cross before shooting....

Soccer drills Seniors

Possession play and switching against a low block

Progression

Discover our Seniors drills

High-intensity box-to-box runs with active recovery

M. Bielsa: Build-up play on the strong side with a switch of play to draw a defender and release

Aerobic Power Circuit (15–15–30) in Skill-Based Groups

High-Intensity Pair Running Repetitions

3v3 (+1) Build-up with mini-goals and first line pressing

Progress with our drills

What constitutes the Senior category in soccer?

The objectives of the Senior category

Some tips for coaching a Senior team

What training exercises for a Senior team?

Our other Seniors drills

Small-sided game in 3v3 with neutral side supports and quick shooting

Possession game in 4 zones with mandatory switch of play

Offensive "Y" Combination with Support Play and Shooting

6v6 with central no-go zone – switches of play and attacks using width

6v3 Positional Play with Mini Goals

Speed training: long and repeated sprints over 3 distances

Defending and Delaying in the Final Third in 6v6

2(+1) vs 2 with goalkeeper – quick attack from wide area

3v3 Opposition with Goalkeepers and Neutral Support Players

Short possession with switch of play and support sprints

Speed work with varied movements over 25 meters

Speed training: interval sprints on various courses

3-Team Transition Game: Intense 2v4 Pressing in Zones

9v9: midfield pressing and maintaining a compact block across 3 zones

3v3: shooting with outside support and delayed runs

5v2 possession game with dribbling exit

Rondo in 3 zones to find the 9 and exploit the numerical advantage

Fast-paced 3v1 play with speed and agility work

Possession game in 3 zones with transitions and numerical disadvantage on the weak side

Possession game with quick transitions upon losing the ball

Possession game in 2 zones with role change

Defensive transitions after loss in rondo games

Possession game in double zone with coordinated press

Alternating small-sided games and intermittent training

Finishing Exercise from 4 Different Angles

Bayern Munich: agility and quickness on a 4-cone run

Circuit with offensive combinations in groups of 4

Passing Circuit by J. Klopp with Support and One-touch Play

Interval training in a pyramid on 5, 10, 15, and 20 seconds

Pep Guardiola: Small-sided high-intensity play from 1v1 to 5v5

Layoff in one-touch play and timing of the final pass in the Spanish national team

J. Klopp: Shooting drills with a give and go around the penalty area

Build-up play from the goalkeeper and alternating between short passing game and direct play

Offensive combination work between the lines of Pep Guardiola

Possession play and switching against a low block

Mr. Bielsa: working on lateral-winger automatisms with a passing circuit

Curved interval training with footwork on a 20-20

Defensive transition of Pep Guardiola in an 8vs7 with 4 supports

Aerobic Training for Early Season in 6 Phases

Finishing drill in front of the goal by J. Klopp with a three-player play

Tactical drill by Diego Simeone with defensive transition to attacking Transition work

J. Klopp: agility and reaction time training with the ball

Attacking-defensive transition of Mikel Arteta in a 4v2

Pep Guardiola's Transition Work in a 5v5 Across 3 Zones

Working on build-up play with Marcelo Bielsa against 2 forwards

Xavi: using width in a 6v6 with 4 support players

Duel Training by V. Del Bosque in 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3

Attacking transition of J. Klopp with quick attacks in 6v6

Pep Guardiola's triple one-two pass with give-and-go and directional control

Luis Enrique: possession play in 10v10 across 6 zones

Aerobic Endurance Circuit by Massimiliano Allegri

Shooting with diamond play from the German national team

Attacking transition of José Mourinho with quick attacks in 5v3

Jurgen Klopp's possession play with use of the weak side

11v11 opposition with 2v1 scenarios on the wide areas

Anaerobic with interval work in 10/20/30

Luis Enrique: Switch of play in a dynamic 3v3 with a neutral player

Active endurance work in 4 phases

Possession Game by Claudio Ranieri on 4 Mini-Pitches

Breaking the lines: warm-up with passing circuit

Combinations with a one-touch play circuit and supporting player

Possession play and defensive-attacking transition with players providing support

Mr. Bielsa: Creating and Exploiting Space Along the Touchline

Pep Guardiola's Quick Attacks: Working on Transitions in 6v6

Playing between the lines and quick transitions by Luis Enrique in 6v6