Possession
Two-Touch Four Zone Keep Ball
Keep possession while moving the ball between zones
Possession
Team Shape
Passing
Two-Touch Four Zone Keep Ball is a 18-minute possession drill for 8-18 players, suitable for Under 10 to Adults at 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 libraryPossession
Team Shape
Passing
Skill Practice
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Two Touch
Duration
18 min
Players
8-18
Pitch size
32 x 28 yards
Ability levels
Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Two-Touch Four Zone Keep Ball — Four-corner square · 32 x 28 yards
Step 1 of 5The team in possession must complete three passes before changing zone.
- 1. The team in possession must complete three passes before changing zone.
- 2. A zone change scores one point.
- 3. Defenders press with limited numbers per zone.
- 4. Ball enters from the coach and the first receiver is on two touches from that moment.
- 5. Count completed sequences under the touch limit — best of three 3-minute rounds.
- Cones mark the area
- Dashed lines = zones / thirds
- Ball
- Cones mark each station in the shape
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Keep possession while moving the ball between zones
- -Create numerical advantages in each zone
- -Coach when to keep and when to progress
Setup
- 1A square split into four equal zones in a 32 x 28 yards area.
- 2Place a marker at every receiving position so players know where to set the ball before it arrives.
- 3Balls with the coach, two sets of bibs.
Coaching instructions
- 1The team in possession must complete three passes before changing zone.
- 2A zone change scores one point.
- 3Defenders press with limited numbers per zone.
- 4Ball enters from the coach and the first receiver is on two touches from that moment.
- 5Count completed sequences under the touch limit — best of three 3-minute rounds.
Coaching points
- -Move the ball to move the defence
- -Occupy all four zones
- -Change zone when the press arrives
- -First touch out of the feet and into the direction of the next pass
Common mistakes
- -Everybody in the ball zone
- -Forcing the zone change too early
- -Taking a settling touch that kills the tempo
Where this drill fits
- More football possession drills
- More football team shape drills
- More football passing drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme