Team Shape

Line Breaking Shape Game: Restart Realism

Break lines with passes and carries

Team Shape
Possession
Passing
Premium

Line Breaking Shape Game: Restart Realism is a 20-minute team shape drill for 10-20 players, suitable for Under 12 to Adults at intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs, full 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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Team Shape
Possession
Passing
Small-Sided Game
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Goals Needed
Set Pieces
Game Realistic
Organisation

Duration

20 min

Players

10-20

Pitch size

50 x 40 yards

Ability levels

Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Line Breaking Shape Game: Restart Realism12350 x 40 yards

Line Breaking Shape Game: Restart Realism — Marked area · 50 x 40 yards

Step 1 of 4A point for every pass or carry that beats an opponent's line.

  1. 1. A point for every pass or carry that beats an opponent's line.
  2. 2. Goals count double if preceded by two line breaks.
  3. 3. Six minute games.
  4. 4. All restarts are played as in a match — throw-ins, goal kicks and corners rather than a coach ball.
  • Cones mark the area
  • Dashed lines = zones / thirds
  • Ball
  • Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

  • -Break lines with passes and carries
  • -Maintain shape while progressing
  • -Recognise when the line is beatable

Setup

  1. 1Pitch marked into three horizontal zones.
  2. 2Two teams in a set formation with keepers.
  3. 3Balls behind both goals.

Coaching instructions

  1. 1A point for every pass or carry that beats an opponent's line.
  2. 2Goals count double if preceded by two line breaks.
  3. 3Six minute games.
  4. 4All restarts are played as in a match — throw-ins, goal kicks and corners rather than a coach ball.

Coaching points

  • -Receive on the back foot of the opponent
  • -Break lines with pace on the pass
  • -Support ahead and behind the receiver
  • -Shape up quickly on every restart
  • -Talk to organise before the ball is live

Common mistakes

  • -Passing sideways in front of the block
  • -Receiver marked before the pass
  • -No support after the line break

Where this drill fits

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