Common Mistakes in Scanning at U13
In U13, several patterns come up consistently. The most common is scanning after receiving the ball rather than before: the player controls, looks up, then decides. By that point, the opponent has often already closed the space. Useful scanning always happens before the reception, while the ball is travelling toward the player.
The most frequent errors:
- Scanning only forward: the player looks only at the attacking zone without seeing lateral or backward options
- Scanning only once: a single glance before receiving is not enough in high-intensity situations where positions change rapidly
- Not using the information collected: the player looks but does not change their decision based on what they saw
- Head down during dribbling: common in U13, a player who carries without ever looking up loses all the benefits of their speed
The U13 fun game drills offer competitive formats that make these errors immediately visible and costly, forcing players to scan correctly to perform.
Combining Scanning and Technical Quality in U13
In U13, scanning cannot be trained in isolation from technique. Scanning without knowing what to do with the information is useless. The real competency to build is the link between the two: see, decide, act, in that order and at the right timing. A directional first touch toward the space seen before receiving, a pass delivered to the partner identified before the control, a carry in the direction spotted before touching: these sequences occur naturally in well-designed drills.
The U13 technique drills integrate this cognitive dimension into passing, directional control, and dribbling activities, imposing constraints that force players to scan before every action.
Scanning and Fast Ball Circulation in U13
In U13, scanning is the essential condition for fast ball circulation. A player who does not know where to play before receiving will always be slow to pass, regardless of their first-touch quality. Teams that circulate the ball quickly are those whose players have all scanned before receiving. This logic, at the heart of tiki-taka and all fast possession games, is perfectly accessible in U13. The article tiki-taka in soccer: definition, principles, and drills illustrates very concretely why scanning is the foundation of all fast play, directly applicable for enriching your approach in U13.