Play build-up

A good drill for build-up play. Block off a central zone (indicated by the dotted triangle) that neither players nor passes may cross. This forces the play out to the wide zones during the build-up phase. The defending team (red) consists of eight players, with four positioned in each half. These players may move freely when the ball is inside the penalty area; otherwise, they must stay within their respective "halves." The attacking team (blue) consists of six players plus a goalkeeper. Two players act as "defenders" and receive the ball from the goalkeeper. The other attacking players must stay within their "half." The two defenders are free to move and should enter the same zone when building up play. Phase 1: Play begins with the goalkeeper distributing the ball to a defender. The first pass must always be between the two defenders. If the red team blocks the pass to one flank, the defender in possession must play the ball back to the goalkeeper, who then switches play to the other side. Phase 2: The attacking team builds up play on one flank and scores by passing the ball into the mini-goal. Phase 3: If the red team wins the ball, they immediately transition to a counter-attack. All blue players drop back to defend. Focus on width and depth; utilize the goalkeeper in the build-up play to beat the opposition's pressing.