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1V1

1v1 PRACTICE GAMES


1v1 PRACTICE GAMES

Produced by: Academy Soccer Coach Ltd

Written by Michael Beale


Edited and designed by Lee Johnson

Session Images Created by: ©academysoccercoach.com


Front Cover by Shutterstock®Images ©Andrey Yurlov

Published in 2013 by
Academy Soccer Coach Ltd
29 Gildredge Road
Eastbourne
East Sussex
BN21 4RU

ISBN-13: 978-1480209138

All contents of this book are © www.academysoccercoach.com

2
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 3
1v1 CHOICE 4
1v1 LOSE THE DEFENDER 5
1v1 PENALTY AREA 6
1v1 RECOVER TO DEFEND 7
1v1 LOSE YOUR MARKER 8
1v1 FINISHING CIRCUIT 9
1v1 RANDOM 10
1v1 CONTINUOUS – 4 GOALS 11
1v1 CONTINUOUS 12
1v1 CONTINUOUS – 2 GOALS 13
1v1 TEAMS 14
1v1 SHOOT, REACT & DEFEND 15
1v1 CONDITIONING & DEFEND 16
1v1 FORCE AWAY FROM GOAL 17
1v1 STOP THE TURN 18
1v1 ATTACK, DEFEND & RECACT 19
1v1 DEFENDING TECHNIQUE 20
1v1 DEFEND YOUR BOX 21
1v1 CLEAR & REACT 22
1v1 DRIBBLE WITH DANGER 23
1v1 PROTECT YOUR BALL 24
1v1 NO-ONE WILL PASS 25
1v1 FRONT & BACK 26
1v1 BATTLES 27
ULTIMATE 1v1 CIRCUIT 28
CONCLUSION 29 3
INTRODUCTION
It’s vitally important that players are able to attack and defend in 1v1 situations. Coaches often accelerate into small
games of 3v3, 4v4, 5v5 etc without spending adequate time on the basic attacking and defending principles.

1v1 practice games are vital to any coach as this situation occurs naturally in any game. players must feel comfortable
dealing with these situations and finding a solution whether they are in attack or defence. The practices in this Journal
are designed to be unpredictable, forcing the players to make quick choices / decisions in order to come out on top.

Insights that I would give my players are;

In attack -
• “Try to slow the defender down and then accelerate”
• “All you need is half a yard”
• “Take the defender away from where you want to go, this will give you the space to attack”
• (For example a right footed player would take a defender to the left, before accelerating quickly into the space
created on the right)

In defence -
• “Close the space”
• “Show away from danger or towards a team-mate”
• “Force the opponent to play backwards or sideways”
• “Be patient and stay on your feet”
• “If you delay the attacker for 3-5 seconds then you will have given your team mates enough time to recover
and support you” 4
1v1 CHOICE

SET UP / RULES

The defender passes to the attacker and runs


to defend.

The attacker receives the ball and can


choose to score in one of the goals.

If the defender wins the ball they must dribble


to the white line at the opposite end to score
a goal.

For the next attack, the players rotate


positions.

5
1v1 LOSE THE DEFENDER

SET UP / RULES

The defender passes to the attacker then


runs to defend.

The attacker receives the ball and attempts to


score in one of the goals.

For the next attack the players rotate


positions.

6
1v1 PENALTY AREA

SET UP / RULES

Two teams of players.

One player from each team goes into the


penalty box.

The other players surround the outside of the


box with one ball each.

The blue player starts by receiving a ball from


one of his team-mates and attempting to
score.

The red player must try to defend. The game


continues until all the balls have been played
into the area.

7
1v1 RECOVER TO DEFEND

SET UP / RULES

The blue player attacking starts in the gate.

The blue player must pass to the yellow


“defender”.

The yellow defender passes into space on the


right or left.

Immediately the blue player runs to collect the


ball and then attempts to score.

The yellow player must run through the gate


and then attempt to stop the blue player from
scoring.

Player rotation, after defending become the


attacker and then rest.

8
1v1 LOSE YOUR MARKER

SET UP / RULES

Players must be in pairs and rotate between


defending, attacking and serving.

The attacking player must attempt to lose the


defender and receive a pass.

The attacker must then attempt to score using


a maximum of two touches.

For the next attack, both players must take


the positions of the two servers/passers.

9
1v1 FINISHING CIRUIT

SET UP / RULES

Three station finishing circuit.

1 – the attacker has three touches to score in


a 1v1 against the keeper.

2 – the defender passes to the attacker who


must dribble away from the defender and
score.

3 – the defender passes to the attacker who


attempts to lose the defender and score in
one of the goals.

After each turn, the players move onto the


next station. On stations 2 and 3 you must
defend first and then attack.

10
1v1 RANDOM

SET UP / RULES

One player works as the attacker and starts in


the middle of the pitch.

The other players stand by a numbered cone


and get ready to react as defenders.

To start the practice, the coach calls out a


number.

Immediately, the attacker attempts to score


whilst the defender whose number has been
called must race back to defend.

For the next attack, the attacker replaces the


defender and the defender becomes the new
attacker.

11
1v1 CONTINUOUS – 4 GOALS

SET UP / RULES

Four mini-goals, five players and lots of


footballs.

One player starts in the middle, the other four


players start in front of the goals.

The player that starts in the middle must


collect a ball and then attack a goal of his
choice.

If the player scores, they race to retrieve a


new ball in order to attack a 2nd goal.

However, if the defender stops the attacker


scoring the roles are reversed and the
defender runs out to receive a ball and attack.

12
1v1 CONTINUOUS

SET UP / RULES

Two teams.

Each team takes it in turn to attack and then


defend in a 1v1 situation.

An example would be, blue player attacks


and then reacts to defend against the next
yellow player.

The game is played for a set time period or


until a certain amount of goals are scored.

13
1v1 CONTINUOUS – 2 GOALS

SET UP / RULES

The middle “attacking” player must dribble


into one of the end zones and attempt to
score in a 1v1 situation.

Once the attack is completed, the defending


player receives a ball from the coach and
attacks the opposite end.

The original attacker now takes a rest and a


new defender enters the pitch.

Therefore, all players must defend a 1v1,


attack in a 1v1 and then rest.

14
1v1 TEAMS

SET UP / RULES

Three teams, 4 goals and 16 balls.

One team as keepers, one team as defenders


and one team as attackers.

The players must wait for the coaches whistle


before attacking 1v1.

Once the attack is completed, the attacker


moves to the next goal on their right and
waits for the coach’s whistle.

All attackers have four 1v1’s to complete


against four different defenders.

The game can be scored by counting which


attacker scored the most goals or by adding
the total goals of the whole team together.

15
1v1 SHOOT, REACT & DEFEND

SET UP / RULES

The attacker plays a one-two with the target


player and then runs to shoot at goal.

Immediately the target player reacts and runs


to receive a pass from the coach.

The target player then dribbles to score whilst


the shooting player must react and defend
1v1.

For the next attack, the shooting player


becomes the target player.

16
1v1 CONDITIONING & DEFEND

SET UP / RULES

The players work on the coaches whistle.

Whistle 1 – the defender must sprint and


jockey the 1st mannequin.

Whistle 2 – the defender must sprint and


show the 2nd mannequin inside.

Whistle 3 – the attacker dribbles onto the


pitch and the defender must defend a 1v1
situation.

For the next attack, the attacker and defender


must switch positions.

17
1v1 FORCE AWAY FROM GOAL

SET UP / RULES

The three attackers must stand by one cone


each.

The defending player starts in the middle of


the pitch.

To start, the coach calls a number 1,2,or 3

The attackers must react, they can only score


in the goal they are facing.

The defender must now defend by forcing the


attacker away from the goal.

Each team will attack and defend three times


before rotating positions.

18
1v1 STOP THE TURN

SET UP / RULES

Two teams

The 1st goalkeeper starts the practice by


rolling the ball to a team of their choice.

Immediately the receiving player must


attempt to turn and score.

The player who does not receive the pass


must now react and become the defender.

The next attack is started by the 2nd


goalkeeper.

19
1V1 ATTACK, DEFEND & REACT

SET UP / RULES

The players are spread out across the three


cones.

One player is nominated as the first defender.

The keeper controls the practice by calling


out a number (the attacker).

The player called must dribble onto the pitch


and attempt to score a goal.

The defender must react to defend a


1v1situation.

If the attacker scores then the defender must


defend for the next attack, but if the defender
stops the attacker scoring the roles are
quickly reversed.

20
1v1 DEFENDING TECHNIQUE

SET UP / RULES

The players react to the coach’s call of


“jockey”, show left, show right” and quickly
run to put the mannequin under the correct
pressure.

Once the players are comfortable with this


exercise, the coach can now introduce the
balls and “real” 1v1 situations.

The layout of the pitch has three goals/gates.


Firstly, play the ball diagonally to the right,
then diagonally to the left and finally have the
defender defend straight forward.

This will allow the defenders to experience


forcing the attacking player both sides and
work on jockeying.

21
1v1 DEFEND YOUR BOX

SET UP / RULES

Four stations A, B, C, D.

Station A is the defender.

To start, the player at station B throws a ball


for the defender to make a headed clearance.

Immediately, player D dribbles and crosses


for player B, player A “defender” must
recover and attempt to stop him from scoring.

Once this ball has been played, player C


dribbles into the box and attempts to score,
now player A must react and defend 1v1.

For the next attack, the players move to the


next station (example A to B, B to C , etc).

22
1v1 CLEAR & REACT

SET UP / RULES

One blue player goes out to defend.

The next blue player throws a ball into the air


for the defender to jump and make a headed
clearance.

Immediately after the coach calls “left” or


“right”.

The attacker called, quickly dribbles to score.


The defender must react and try to stop him.

For the next attack, the defender and attacker


rotate positions.

23
1v1 DRIBBLE WITH DANGER

SET UP / RULES

The defender starts in the middle.

The first attacker attempts to get past the


defender and across to the opposite side.

The defender must attempt to force him out of


the area or win possession of the ball.

If the attacker is successful in getting across


the area then the defender must continue to
defend.

However, if the attacker is forced out or


tackled, the roles are reversed.

The game is played for a set time period.

24
1v1 PROTECT YOUR BALL

SET UP / RULES

Pairs of players.

One player starts with the ball.

On the coaches whistle, the players compete


1v1 for 10 seconds.

The player in possession of the ball is the


winner.

The player not in possession is now


eliminated.

The winning players must now find a new


opponent for the next game.

This game continues until only one player is


left.

25
1v1 NO-ONE WILL PASS

SET UP / RULES

The blue player must defend each line and stop the
attackers one by one.

To start, player 3 serves player 1 for a header. The


defender must stop the ball from going past the line.

Immediately, player 2 passes a ball towards the


opposite line, the defender must react and run to
slide and stop the ball crossing the line.

Now player 3 dribbles onto the pitch and attempts to


get to the line opposite.

Finally, player 4 throws the ball over the defenders


head and attempts to get it to the other side, the
defender must shield the ball.

The defender gets 1 point for each ball successfully


defended. The player rotate positions for the next
game 1 to 2, 3 to 4 etc.

26
1v1 FRONT AND BACK

SET UP / RULES

The keeper passes to player 1.

Player 1 now attacks 1v1 against player 3.

Immediately after this attack the coach


passes to player 3.

Player 2 must now run out and stop player 3


from turning to shoot.

For the next attack, player 1 becomes player


2 and player 2 becomes player 3.

27
1v1 BATTLES

SET UP / RULES

Pitch 1
The players stand to the side of the coach
and away from the goal.

The players must react to the coaches throw


and race to the ball.

Pitch 2
The players stand side by side (away from or
facing the goal).

The players must react to the coaches throw


and race to the ball.

Both games continue until the ball leaves


play.

28
ULTIMATE 1v1 CIRCUIT

SET UP / RULES

Pitch 1
The defender passes to the attacker and the
runs back to recover. The attacker attempts to
race away and score.

Pitch 2
The attacker dribbles to score in a 1v1
against the defender.

Pitch 3
The serving player passes into the attacker
who must attempt to hold off the defender
and turn to score.

Player rotation
After defending on pitch 1, become the
attacker. Then move on to attack on Pitch 2
and then defend. Finally, be the server,
attacker and then defender on Pitch 3.

29
CONCLUSION

1v1 practice games are vital to any coach as this situation occurs naturally in any game. Players must feel comfortable dealing with
these situations and finding a solution whether they are in attack or defence. The practices in this journal are designed to be
unpredictable, forcing the players to make quick choices / decisions in order to come out on top.

I hope this games journal will help you to develop sessions that motivate and inspire your players to improve. I was once asked what
session I would work on if I was coaching a group of players for the very first time. I replied with 1v1’s. The simple reasoning is that even
the best forward in the world is tackled sometimes and likewise even the best defender in the world is taken on, therefore footballers at
all levels constantly need to work and develop their 1v1 skills.

Michael Beale

Co-Founder & Technical Director

academysoccercoach.co.uk

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