Possession

Combination Rondo Ladder

Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area

Possession
Passing
Receiving
Premium

Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area. Set up the area, follow the steps and use the coaching points below.

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Possession
Passing
Receiving
Technical Practice
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Combination Play

Age

Under 8 to Adults

Duration

14 min

Players

5-12

Area / pitch size

16 x 16 yards

Difficulty

Intermediate / Advanced

Equipment

Balls, Cones, Bibs

Coaching focus

Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area

Objective

  • -Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area
  • -Find the pass through or around the press
  • -Improve body shape and support angles

Setup

  1. 1A rondo circle with defenders in the middle in a 16 x 16 yards area.
  2. 2Add a neutral bounce player on each side line inside a marked yard-wide channel.
  3. 3One ball, bibs for the middle players.

How to play

  1. 1Outside players keep the ball away from the middle defenders.
  2. 2Ten consecutive passes wins the round.
  3. 3The defender who wins the ball swaps with the player who lost it.
  4. 4The first pass must go into the bounce player before the practice opens up.
  5. 5A sequence only scores when three different players have touched the ball.

Coaching points

  • -Open the body to see both sides
  • -Split the defenders when the gap appears
  • -Support at an angle, not flat
  • -Third player movement — the pass is set up by the run before it

Progressions

  • +Demand a one-touch set from the bounce player
  • +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

  • -Allow the bounce player unlimited touches
  • -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

  • -Bounce players can join the attack once per round
  • -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

  • -Passing round the outside only
  • -Standing flat on the cone
  • -Two players combining over and over while the third stands still

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