cognitive U20 soccer drills
cognitive U20 drills that you can apply to help your players progress on the cognitive aspect. Sign up to receive our latest drills.
Access more drills1v1s on small goals with a defender chasing
On the agenda: 1v1 duels followed by 2v1 with a defender in pursuit. Quick decision-making will be crucial!
Mark out a zone of about 20x15m and place 2 small goals on one of the widths. Form 2 teams of 6 players and place a cone in the middle of each length of the field (see animation).
The exercise will proceed as follows:
- Player A at the source of the ball starts with a pass to the lateral player B.
- B will then perform a directional control and play to the forward C.
- At this moment, D will start chasing to try to recover the ball. This leads to a duel on the small goal.
- If D recovers the ball, he can then attempt to score.
- After each turn, A moves to B, then B takes the place of D, who in turn takes the place of C. The forward C, meanwhile, takes the place of A at the starting point.
- The exercise takes place simultaneously on the 2 mini goals.
Having the 2 teams play simultaneously will force your players to keep their heads up and be attentive to the movements around them. It is both a 1v1 duel exercise and a concentration exercise.
Variation: to evolve the exercise, you can move the defender back a few meters and ask the first player A to come and defend once his pass is made. This will result in a 2v1 with an attacker who will find himself at a numerical disadvantage. He will then have to make a very quick decision if he does not want to see the chasing defender catch up to him.
Variation: 2v1 with chasing defender
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Other sub-theme U20 soccer drills
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- 3v3 with 4 supports and a central player
- Pep Guardiola's off-the-ball agility with speed and coordination work
- The 4 Colors of Unai Emery: Quickness and Reaction Time
U20 Attacking transition soccer drills
- Defending and Delaying in the Final Third in 6v6
- 7v7 Possession Game with 3 Neutral Players and Gate Passes
- 9v9: midfield pressing and maintaining a compact block across 3 zones
U20 Build-up play soccer drills
- Build-up play from the goalkeeper and alternating between short passing game and direct play
- Mr. Bielsa: working on lateral-winger automatisms with a passing circuit
- Rondo in 3 zones to find the 9 and exploit the numerical advantage
U20 Circuit soccer drills
- Passing Circuit by J. Klopp with Support and One-touch Play
- Offensive "Y" Combination with Support Play and Shooting
- Aerobic Training for Early Season in 6 Phases
U20 Counterattack soccer drills
- Pressing and Counterattack Work in 8v8
- 2(+1) vs 2 with goalkeeper – quick attack from wide area
- Possession game in 3 zones with transitions and numerical disadvantage on the weak side
U20 Counter-pressing soccer drills
- 3v3: shooting with outside support and delayed runs
- Possession game in 3 zones with transitions and numerical disadvantage on the weak side
- Recovery and Switch of Play in an 8v8 on 2 Zones
U20 Defensive recovery / Tracking back soccer drills
- Technical work in 2v2, cross and shooting
- Attacking transition of J. Klopp with quick attacks in 6v6
- Attacking-defensive transition of Mikel Arteta in a 4v2
U20 Defensive transition soccer drills
- Ralf Rangnick's Possession Game to Work on Transitions
- Luis Enrique: dynamic situation in 3 zones with support for the ball carrier
- 1v1 Duels then Defensive Transition in 2v1
U20 Dribbling soccer drills
- Circuit with offensive combinations in groups of 4
- Warm-up with Bayern Munich Relay
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U20 Duels soccer drills
- Duel Training by V. Del Bosque in 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3
- 11v11 opposition with 2v1 scenarios on the wide areas
- Pep Guardiola: Small-sided high-intensity play from 1v1 to 5v5
U20 Endurance soccer drills
- Speed work with varied movements over 25 meters
- Small-sided game in 3v3 with neutral side supports and quick shooting
- 6v6 with central no-go zone – switches of play and attacks using width
U20 Explosive strength soccer drills
- Athletic and conditioning circuit in 4 sets
- Agility and information gathering by color and by team
- Dribbling and Shooting in a Speed and Precision Circuit
U20 Fun Game soccer drills
- Luis Enrique: Switch of play in a dynamic 3v3 with a neutral player
- Double 2v2 and Shooting on Full-Size Goal
- Duel Training by V. Del Bosque in 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3
U20 Gaps soccer drills
- Luis Enrique: dynamic situation in 3 zones with support for the ball carrier
- Possession play and progressive switches of play
- Zonal marking: defensive positioning and team block
U20 Offensive combinations soccer drills
- Build-up play: finding space between the lines
- Getting Open and Combinations in Front of Goal
- Attacker Technique: Combination, Cross, and Shooting
U20 Overload soccer drills
- Xavi: using width in a 6v6 with 4 support players
- Tactical drill by Diego Simeone with defensive transition to attacking Transition work
- Rondo in 3 zones to find the 9 and exploit the numerical advantage
U20 Passes soccer drills
- Passing Circuit by J. Klopp with Support and One-touch Play
- Warm-up: defensive block and group positioning
- Athletic work in groups of 3 with the ball
U20 Positional play soccer drills
- Possession with 3 teams and quick transition play
- Playing between the lines and quick transitions by Luis Enrique in 6v6
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U20 Possession soccer drills
- Possession game in 4 zones with mandatory switch of play
- Luis Enrique: possession play in 10v10 across 6 zones
- Possession play and progressive switches of play
U20 Pressing soccer drills
- Small group possession in 4 zones
- Possession game with quick transitions upon losing the ball
- Warm-up: pressing, constrained play and counter
U20 Rondos soccer drills
- Possession play and defensive-attacking transition with players providing support
- Rondo in 3 zones to find the 9 and exploit the numerical advantage
- Possession game in 4 zones with mandatory switch of play
U20 Scanning soccer drills
- Attacking transition and game awareness
- Speed work, one-two pass, dribble, and shooting
- Attacking-defensive transition of Mikel Arteta in a 4v2
U20 Shooting soccer drills
- 3v1 Exchange, Layoff and Shooting on Full-Size Goal (Variation)
- Finishing drill in front of the goal by J. Klopp with a three-player play
- Circuit with offensive combinations in groups of 4
U20 Support soccer drills
- 3v3 Opposition with Goalkeepers and Neutral Support Players
- 3v3 with 4 supports and a central player
- Transition from one zone to another with positional play in 5v5 (+ 2 central supports)