Dave Barrett's Coaching Soccer 2-Pack

Prevent your opponent from advancing into your defensive half with effective transition defending. Illinois Wesleyan coach Dave Barrett shows how to not only stop your opponent, but how to distribute the ball up field quickly to create a counter-attack.

He demonstrates three fast-paced exercises that create many game-like scoring opportunities. These exercises will help train your players to recognize visual cues so they can gain possession. The exercises will also help your players recognize the importance of communication when they are out-numbered.

Speed and Perception Warm-ups
Provide your team with meaningful touches on the ball and help them understand how to react to the ball in a variety of game situations.

Phase Play
The purpose of phase play is to get your defenders to pressure and retreat at the right moments to force turnovers. Your players will learn to communicate so they are aware of their positioning on the field and ensure that their teammates are covered.

In addition, these exercises will help to:

• Mentally train your players to create a quick counter-attack
• Organize your defense to funnel the ball into your best defenders
• Conditioning players to find the deepest possible attacker

Modern defenders need to do more than just win the ball. It is very important that they relate the ability to win the ball back with the importance of starting the counterattack. Having your defenders pass to the targets will force players to focus on not just tackling the attacker, but understanding where they will pass once they win it.

This season, keep your defenders organized to win the ball and to make the most of their counter-attack. Limiting your opponent's ability to get behind your defense will reduce their scoring opportunities and help you to win more games.

48 minutes. 2013.

Good coaches must be able to create realistic game conditions during their practices to prepare players for game day. Dave Barrett uses live practices to demonstrate three small-sided games, where limited space forces players to make quick decisions and enhances their first touch as they go to goal.

The main goal in this presentation is to use competition in practice to re-create the pressure your players will face in a game.

Barrett presents three small-sided activities that can be used in either a defensive or offensive training session. All drills are played in a small area that will promote shooting on goal. Using on-field demonstrations, you will gain an understanding of how to execute the exercises with your team, see key coaching points and the objectives for each.

Transition Progression
This series starts at 1v1 and eventually leads up to 3v3, and involves a lot of shots on goal. Learn how to work in a numbers up situation to create good chances to score on goal and to use quick, short touches to avoid losing the ball in the small space. Players are coached in tactical awareness depending on the numbers and ball possession.

2 v 1 to Goal
2v1 to Goal is an effective exercise for developing serving and receiving skills. Once the ball is served to the attacker, your players will learn to settle the ball quickly so they can push forward with control toward goal. They will also learn to make creative runs on and off the ball to make it difficult for their defender to contain or predict the attack. Trap aerial balls, attack with numbers and transition from attack to defend!

4 v 4 with Bumpers
Your players will almost always be within shooting range in this exercise. The bumpers in this exercise relieve pressure and provide an opportunity to make good runs off the ball. This is an excellent game for training players to frame the goal when attacking.

Put your team in position to take more quality shots and score more goals with these excellent finishing drills from Dave Barrett!

50 minutes. 2013.