Small-Sided Games

Counter Halfway Line Game

Coach the whole team moving up and down together

Small-Sided Games
Team Shape
Transition

Counter Halfway Line Game is a 20-minute small-sided games drill for 8-18 players, suitable for Under 9 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs, mini goals. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.

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Small-Sided Games
Team Shape
Transition
Small-Sided Game
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Counter Attack

Duration

20 min

Players

8-18

Pitch size

42 x 32 yards

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Objectives

  • -Coach the whole team moving up and down together
  • -Keep the shape compact between the lines
  • -Reward organised, connected play

Setup

  1. 1A pitch with a clearly marked halfway line in a 42 x 32 yards area.
  2. 2Place two mini goals on the halfway line for the counter-attacking side to aim at.
  3. 3Balls with the coach, two sets of bibs.

Coaching instructions

  1. 1Goals only count when every attacking player has crossed halfway.
  2. 2Defending teams must have everyone behind the ball to earn a clean-sheet point.
  3. 3Play four-minute games with short breaks.
  4. 4The team in possession starts each rep in their own half and must build forwards.
  5. 5Turnovers earn a direct counter at the mini goals worth two points.

Coaching points

  • -Push up together when the ball goes forward
  • -Recover together when it is lost
  • -Stay compact between the lines
  • -Counter in a straight line — the first pass forward beats the recovery run

Common mistakes

  • -Strikers not tracking back
  • -Defenders staying deep when the team attacks
  • -Dribbling into traffic when the counter is on

Where this drill fits

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