Passing
Finishing Switch Play Grid
Practise switching the point of attack
Passing
Possession
Team Shape
Finishing Switch Play Grid is a 20-minute passing drill for 8-18 players, suitable for Under 10 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryPassing
Possession
Team Shape
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Finishing
Duration
20 min
Players
8-18
Pitch size
40 x 30 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Finishing Switch Play Grid — Goalkeeping set-up — serve, save, reset · 40 x 30 yards
Step 1 of 5Team keeps the ball in one wide zone until the switch is on.
- 1. Team keeps the ball in one wide zone until the switch is on.
- 2. A switch across the middle zone scores one point.
- 3. The receiving zone must take a controlled first touch forwards.
- 4. Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
- 5. Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.
- Cones mark the area
- Full goal
- GK = goalkeeper
- C = coach serving, S = second server
- Ball
- Cones mark the keeper's starting positions
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Keeper distributes back to the server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Practise switching the point of attack
- -Improve the long, driven pass and its control
- -Coach the shape that makes the switch available
Setup
- 1A wide grid split into three vertical zones in a 40 x 30 yards area.
- 2Set a goal at the end of the area with a keeper or a target zone if no keeper is available.
- 3Balls in each wide zone, two sets of bibs.
Coaching instructions
- 1Team keeps the ball in one wide zone until the switch is on.
- 2A switch across the middle zone scores one point.
- 3The receiving zone must take a controlled first touch forwards.
- 4Every sequence starts with a pass out and ends with a strike on goal.
- 5Goals score one, first-time finishes score two, and rebounds must be followed in.
Coaching points
- -Head up to spot the far-side space early
- -Switch with a driven pass, not a loop
- -Far-side player stays wide and high
- -Head up before the strike — pick the side, then commit
Common mistakes
- -Switching straight into pressure
- -Far side drifting inside too early
- -Rushing the shot and leaning back over the ball
Where this drill fits
- More football passing drills
- More football possession drills
- More football team shape drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme