This passing drill is designed to improve each players understanding of how to create space and receive a ball off team players in a small area. Watching Barcelona it is evident that all the players are able to utilise the small space around each opposition player effectively. Not only do they pass accurately but as soon as they have passed the ball, they make themselves available to receive it again; this requires a large amount of technical and physical ability from all the players involved.
When analysing a standard football pitch most of the game is played in the middle third of the pitch, this is due to both teams pushing the offside line up. Admittedly, the defenders for the team in possession will drop off towards their goal to create space to pass in. However if you want to improve your attacking play, you will be spending most of your time (hopefully) in the oppositions middle and final third. In these areas space is much tighter and you are closed down much quicker; so teaching players to pass around in tight spaces will inevitably lead to improved game play during matches.
Another point to note about Barcelona; is that they play with a high amount of pressure and energy when they lose possession, so not only are they good at passing the ball, they are also good at getting it back, In addition they tend to win possession in the oppositions middle or final third, This makes it much more risky for the opposition as there are less lines of defence between the goal (assuming a typical 4:4:2 formation).
To instil this mentality into players requires practise drills that utilise small spaces. The problem with expanding the space around the ball too much is that, statistically you improve the oppositions chance of receiving the ball, as the distance between the player and the ball becomes greater. In addition you are more likely to pass the ball in the air rather than on the ground. This makes it much harder for your players to control the ball, and again increase the chances of losing possession.
Implementation
For this drill you will need at least 10 players, 2 Neutral players, 4 players per team. The pitch is set up so that there are 4 Midfield zones each 10 by 10 yards and 2 neutral zones at the end see figure 1.
Figure 1
Players must successfully pass the ball from one neutral player on one side to the other side and back again to score a goal. Neutral players can pass forward to the players in the furthest zone but cannot pass directly to another neutral player. The ball must always be below head height.
The 4 midfield players can move from zone to zone with or without the ball. The zones are set out as a guide to players to learn to understand that equal spacing and positioning around the pitch will improve their chances of maintaining possession. The pitches are purposely small to force players to move and think quicker.
Coaching Points
The main principle of the drill is to teach players to create space, but not by dropping off and expanding the pitch but by creating an angle for the pass and getting out of the shadow of the defender.
When a neutral player has the ball forward players (those furthest from the neutral player) must learn to shield and hold the ball up. They must learn not to turn into the defender if he/she is touch tight. Instead they should look to pass the ball off to the left or right of the way there facing. This means supporting players must make runs to and from the ball.
When coaching passing and moving between the zones. You can enforce players to stay in zones to begin with until they understand the positioning. However relax this rule to make the drill more natural as the drill progresses. Reason being this in not realistic and means player are not moving in a natural way.
As part of the passing and moving, have players apply techniques like, one two passes, overlapping runs, and split runs. Ensure the centre forwards are changing channels to create passes.
Progressions
The drill can be progressed to one or two touch passing. However make sure the players have plenty of breaks to refresh as the intensity of the drill is very demanding
In part 2 I will be discussing how to apply this drill in penetrating the final third of the defence.
