Small-Sided Games
Counter Three Team Rotation Game
Keep intensity high with short, sharp games
Small-Sided Games
Transition
Possession
Counter Three Team Rotation Game is a 22-minute small-sided games drill for 9-18 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.
Back to drill librarySmall-Sided Games
Transition
Possession
Small-Sided Game
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Counter Attack
Duration
22 min
Players
9-18
Pitch size
38 x 32 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Counter Three Team Rotation Game — Marked area · 38 x 32 yards
Step 1 of 5Two teams play a three-minute game while the third rests.
- 1. Two teams play a three-minute game while the third rests.
- 2. The winner stays on and the resting team comes in.
- 3. Play a full round-robin and keep a running score.
- 4. The team in possession starts each rep in their own half and must build forwards.
- 5. Turnovers earn a direct counter at the mini goals worth two points.
- Cones mark the area
- Dashed lines = zones / thirds
- Ball
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Keep intensity high with short, sharp games
- -Give every team regular rest and reflection
- -Reward teams that keep winning
Setup
- 1One pitch with a resting team waiting on the side line in a 38 x 32 yards area.
- 2Place two mini goals on the halfway line for the counter-attacking side to aim at.
- 3Balls beside the resting team, three sets of bibs.
Coaching instructions
- 1Two teams play a three-minute game while the third rests.
- 2The winner stays on and the resting team comes in.
- 3Play a full round-robin and keep a running score.
- 4The team in possession starts each rep in their own half and must build forwards.
- 5Turnovers earn a direct counter at the mini goals worth two points.
Coaching points
- -Start fast — the games are short
- -Use the rest to talk tactics
- -Fresh legs press hardest
- -Counter in a straight line — the first pass forward beats the recovery run
Common mistakes
- -Slow changeovers
- -Resting team switching off completely
- -Dribbling into traffic when the counter is on
Where this drill fits
- More football small-sided games drills
- More football transition drills
- More football possession drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme