U14 Possession Session Plan (90 Minutes, Free)

The full session plan

Six timed phases totalling 90 minutes. Run them in order — each phase feeds the next.

1. 1

   Arrival activity

   8 min

   Passing patterns in fours

   Set up: Four players around a 10 yard square, two balls, one-touch and two-touch patterns with movement after every pass.

   Coaching points

   • -Scan before the ball arrives
   • -Weight the pass to the receiver's stronger side

   Progression: Reverse the direction on the coach's call.

2. 2

   Warm up

   12 min

   5v2 pressure rondo

   Set up: 10 x 10 square, five outside, two defenders. Two-touch, split passes score a point, defenders swap on a win.

   Coaching points

   • -Body open, back foot receive
   • -Move the defenders with the ball before you split
   • -Bounce pass to change the angle

   Progression: One-touch only for the last three minutes.

3. 3

   Technical practice

   18 min

   Playing out from the back

   Set up: Keeper plus a back four against three pressing forwards in the defensive third. Score by playing into a target player on the halfway line.

   Coaching points

   • -Split the centre backs and give the keeper an angle
   • -Full backs high and wide to stretch the press
   • -Pivot player checks into the gap between the pressers

   Progression: Add a fourth presser so the back line must play through midfield.

4. 4

   Skill practice

   20 min

   Positional game 6v6+3

   Set up: 40 x 30 area split into three zones with three neutral players. Ten passes or a pass into the far zone scores.

   Coaching points

   • -Occupy all three zones — never two players in the same space
   • -Third-man runs to break lines
   • -Switch play when the ball can't go forward

   Progression: Limit the neutrals to one touch.

5. 5

   Small-sided game

   22 min

   8v8 through-the-thirds game

   Set up: Full 60 x 40 pitch. Goals count double when the team has played through all three thirds in the attack.

   Coaching points

   • -Patience in build-up, speed in the final third
   • -Counter-press within five seconds of losing it
   • -Recognise when the long pass is on

   Progression: Remove the conditions for the last eight minutes.

6. 6

   Cool down & review

   10 min

   Recovery and reflection

   Set up: Jog, stretch, hydrate and review two moments from the game.

   Coaching points

   • -Ask: when should we play backwards?
   • -Agree one build-up rule for the next match

   Progression: Ask a player to lead the review next week.

Drills used in this theme

Swap any practice above for another on the same theme.

FAQs

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