Win It Back

Hunt the ball as a unit, then punish the turnover before the other team can breathe.

Soccer
U14
60 min
12–18 players
1 coach
Effort 4/5
40x30m area
u14
pressing
transition
counter-attack
defending

The PitchPlans coaching teamGAA Award 1 & 2 coaches

Kit: 10 footballs, 24 cones, bibs in two colours, 4 mini-goals or two goals

Warm-up8 min

React and Chase

Setup: A 20×20m square, players in pairs, one ball between two, spread out and moving.

How it works: Two-touch passing to warm the feet. On a whistle, the player who last passed becomes the presser for five seconds and closes down their partner, who must protect the ball and keep it. Whistle again and they go back to calm passing. It wires them to switch instantly from relaxed to full effort, which is exactly what pressing needs.

What to say

“Tell them: 'the first two steps are the quickest — explode the moment the whistle goes.'”
“Say: 'close the space fast, then get balanced so you are not beaten.'”
“Look for a genuine sprint to press, not a jog.”

Easier

Three seconds of pressing and a bigger space to protect the ball.

Harder

Two pressers at once, so the player in possession has to move it early.

Activity14 min

Press the Trap

Setup: A 20×20m box split into two halves by a line of cones. Three attackers keep the ball in one half against two defenders; two more defenders wait on the halfway line. You feed balls in.

How it works: The three keep possession in their half against two. The moment the ball is played backwards or a loose touch appears — the pressing trigger — the two waiting defenders join in to make it three against three and the whole group hunts to win it inside six seconds. Win it and the defenders dribble it over the halfway line to score the turnover. Reset and rotate roles every couple of minutes.

What to say

“Say: 'the trigger is the backward pass or the heavy touch — go on it together.'”
“Tell them: 'first man presses the ball, the others shut the nearest passes.'”
“Count out the six seconds so they feel the urgency of winning it back quickly.”

Easier

Give the pressing side an extra player and eight seconds to win it.

Harder

Even up the numbers and shrink the box so the press must be perfectly timed.

Activity14 min

Win It and Counter

Setup: A 30×25m pitch, a goal at each end. Four against four, plus you feeding balls from the side. Spare balls in both goals.

How it works: The team that wins possession has eight seconds to attack the far goal before the whistle resets it. This rewards the fast, direct counter the instant the ball is turned over, and punishes the team that switches off after losing it. If a team scores within four seconds of winning the ball it counts double. Encourage the first pass forward, not sideways, the moment they win it.

What to say

“Tell them: 'the second we win it, look forward first — is the goal on.'”
“Say: 'the first pass after the turnover breaks their shape — make it a positive one.'”
“For the team that lost it: 'react instantly, either win it straight back or sprint to cover.'”

Easier

Ten seconds to counter and no double-goal rule, so they have time to pick the pass.

Harder

Six seconds to counter, and the first pass after winning it must go forward.

The rest of this session is free — along with 3 more this week.

PitchPlans coaching team

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