Possession Box 3-on-1

EXPLANATION:

• X’s pass the ball to maintain possession inside the box.
• O tries to win possession by tackling or intercepting.
• When O wins the ball, he changes position with the person who he dispossessed.
• Set a limit either of a number of passes (eg 10 passes) or a period of time (30 seconds) and then change defender. 

VARIATION

• At beginner levels, you can only allow X’s to pass along the perimeter of the box. This will teach off-ball X’s to move quickly to the corners adjacent to the ball.

COACHING POINTS:

• X in possession of the ball should focus on keeping ball in Option Position, where he can pass to either of his 2 teammates. If O closes down one option, pass to the other. This usually means X should keep the ball towards the inside of the box, instead of protecting the ball in a closed position by the edge of the box.
• Off-ball movement: 2 off-ball X’s must quickly stretch to the side edges of the box to give clear passing options. If the off-ball X’s are in good wide position, the defender cannot cover both options.
• Lifted passes: If defender is pressuring and has the ball carrier closed in, a slightly lifted pass is effective to go over O’s flat stick. 

EVALUATION:

• The skills involved in this drill should be very simple:
•    -forehand passing from option position
•    -forehand receiving
•    -quick and efficient off-ball movement
• If these skills are executed effectively, X’s should have success quickly in this basic drill.
• An area that often causes trouble in a simple drill like this is players being lazy with footwork. This can lead to poor touches and low quality passes.
• Once players become comfortable with their individual skills, they should be able to start to control the tempo of the play. For example, if the defender is not pressuring, hold the ball and move slightly, and then pass when pressure comes. If defender is pressuring right away, keep the ball moving and make an early pass.