As soccer players develop, they need to become truly confident with the ball, and the best way to achieve mastery is by maximising their touches on the ball. So, how can we offer lots of interactions with the ball and learn the key principles of the sport? Through triangles – a shape at the heart of football, in both attack and defence, and which is comprised of three players.
In this book, coaches of all levels, working with players across all age groups and abilities, will learn to utilise the 3v3 method to develop skilful individuals and effective teams. The book builds up from 1v1 to 3v3 through technical exercises that improve individual skills. Then, it moves beyond 3v3, adding in more players (including goalkeepers), as situations demand it.
With a core 3v3 training foundation, players will be able to explore and cement numerous key parts to their games, with depth and width, unlocking the various combinations – such as overlaps, one-twos, third-man runs, and more – which are used at all levels of the sport. At the same time, players will have ample opportunities to develop and perfect creative dribbling moves.
Developing Skill: A Guide to 3v3 Soccer Coaching outlines how you can use and incorporate the 3v3 method in your training and provides more than 90 ready-to-use, illustrated practices. It also details how best to run warm-ups, how to work with different pitch sizes and shapes, and much more.
About the author. Peter Prickett is an FA affiliate tutor with a decade of experience coaching with various organisations. He was one of the first coaches in England to obtain the UEFA B Futsal qualification. Peter is currently studying for a Masters in Performance Football Coaching.
Chapter 1 – A Starting Point
Chapter 2 – Warming Up
Square 1 – Criss Cross | Square 2 – Lofted Passes | Square 3 – Over Under | Square 4 – Dribbling | Square 5 – Synchronisation | Square 6 – Face Off | Square 7 – Knock It Down | Square 8 – Combinations 1 | Square 9 – Combinations 2 | Square 10 – Rotation | Square 11 – Long Passes | Square 12 – Mini Rondo
Chapter 3 – 1v1
1 – Columns | 2 – Quick Turns | 3 – Beating an Opponent | – Face to Face | 4 – Beating an Opponent – Diagonal | 5 – Facing Multiple Opponents | 6 – Angled Goals | 7 – Reversed Goals | 8 – Transition 1 | 9 – Through The Gate | 10 – When to Shoot? | 11 – Man Marked 1 | 12 – Man Marked 2 | 13 – Combining | 14 – Running on to the Ball | 15 – Transition 2 | 16 – One vs the Goalkeeper | 17 – Gauntlet | 18 – Give and Go | 19 – Space to Shoot | 20 – Dribbling Cores | 21 – Loose Ball Battle | 22 – Cutting In | 23 – Transition 3 | 24 – Side to Side | 25 – Multiplayer 1v1 | 26 – Knock It Over | 27 – Goal to Goal
Chapter 4 – Why 3v3?
1 – Small-Sided Free Play | 2 – Four Goal Game | 3 – Target Players | 4 – Two vs Two plus Two | 5 – Four vs Two Possession | 6 – Support Players | 7 – In Zones – Vertical | 8 – Midfielder Game | 9 – Midfielder Game 2 | 10 – One Touch Finish | 11 – One Touch Finish 2 | 12 – Three Player Transition | 13 – End Zones | 14 – Diamond Shooting | 15 – Ice Hockey | 16 – Reversed Goals | 17 – Attacking Wave 1 | 18 – Attacking Wave 2 | 19 – Attacking Wave 3 | 20 – Attacking Wave 4 | 21 – Attacking Wave 5 | 22 – Counter-Punch | 23 – Recovery Runs | 24 – Forward Passes, Forward Movement | 25 – Press | 26 – Press and Cover | 27 – Bounce Passers | 28 – Wide Rotation | 29 – Splitting Passes | 30 – Killer Moment | 31 – First to Four | 32 – Magic Square | 33 – Defend The Middle | 34 – Through The Gates 3v3 | 35 – Quick Transitions
Chapter 5 – Breaking The Rules
1 – 3v3 Waves + Goalkeepers | 2 – Forward Runs | 3 – Overloaded Attacks | 4 – Overloaded Attacks 2 | 5 – Spatial Awareness | 6 – One vs One in the Middle | 7 – Link with Wide Players | 8 – Back to back + 3 |
Chapter 6 – Pitch Types
1 – Regulation Football Pitch | 2 – Offset Goals | 3 – Four-Goal Game | 4 – Six-Goal Game | 5 – Goals on All Sides | 6 – Back to Back Goals | 7 – End Zones | 8 – Reversed Goals with End | Zones | 9 – Horizontal Thirds | 10 – Magic Box | 11 – Vertical Thirds | 12 – Corners | 13 – Central Area | 14 – Diamond Pitch | 15 – Quartered Pitch | 16 – Horizontal Quarters with Four Goals | 17 – Circular Pitch | 18 – Wide Channels
Chapter 7 – A Practical Conclusion
Author: Peter Prickett