5v5 Football Questions
Explore real 5v5 football questions, useful answers, Verified Coach perspectives and community discussion in The Coaches' Room.
Whether you're working on positioning, passing, confidence, defending or understanding the game, this section focuses on the challenges that commonly appear in 5v5 football.
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Latest 5v5 Football Questions
Do you ever use a player to demonstrate instead of the coach?
I like demonstrations but I do not want the same confident players becoming mini assistant coaches. How do people use player demos without embarrassing someone ...
How do I keep agile and supple atb59, for 5 a side
How do I keep agile and supple atb59, for 5 a side
How do we mark the opposition during kick ins in 5v5?
How do we mark the opposition during kick ins in 5v5?
Why do some U8 5v5 games turn into one long counterattack?
I watch games where both teams seem to sprint from one goal to the other and hardly anyone stays connected to the ball. Is that just normal at this age, or are ...
How strict should referees be about distance at U8 restarts?
In 5v5 the defending players often stand almost on top of the ball at restarts, usually because they are excited rather than trying to cheat. Do you manage that...
My U8 keeps asking why nobody passes to him
After games he gets fixated on how many times teammates passed to him. I don't want to start analysing other children with him in the car. What would you say in...
Our keeper rolls it out and then disappears from the attack
At U9 the goalkeeper makes a good first pass, but after that the outfield players treat them as if they are no longer available. I want them to see the keeper a...
Is it normal for an U8 to be furious every time they're subbed?
My daughter is happy before the match and loves football, but being taken off really gets to her. It can be tears one week and sitting with her arms folded the ...
My son asks me if he was good after every match
He is U9 and the first thing he says in the car is usually "was I good?" If I mention something he could improve he looks disappointed, but saying yes to everyt...
How long would you stay on one theme with U8s?
If we're working on receiving and turning, would you keep that as the main idea for a few weeks or change the focus every session to keep it fresh?
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One mistake and some kids seem to disappear from the game
I notice this a lot at U9. A player gives the ball away, gets upset with themselves and then seems to avoid it for the next few minutes. What can coaches do in ...
Our U9s keep receiving the ball completely square
The pass arrives and they're facing the player who gave it to them, so the next touch is usually straight back. I can tell them to open their body, but that bec...
My daughter hates taking her turn in goal
U9 5v5. They rotate the goalkeeper and she gets really upset when it's her week. She isn't scared of the ball, she just says she 'isn't a goalie'. Would you kee...
How much should an U8 care about winning?
My daughter definitely knows the score and wants to win. I have no issue with that, but some adults around the team seem to think mentioning the result at all i...
Should all U9s get at least half a game?
I know equal time is important, but in our team sometimes one player has difficult day and coach take them off more. I understand for safety or injury, but not ...
I feel like I coach too much during matches
First season coaching and I can hear myself constantly talking. Spread out, get back, turn, pass, shoot. I know I should let them make more decisions but when I...
My son thinks moving from 7v7 to 5v5 means they have gone backwards
He is U9 and had already got used to playing 7v7. Now he keeps saying 5v5 is for younger kids and feels like his team has been moved backwards. I understand why...
No heading at U9 – what do you do when the ball is in the air?
My son keeps asking what he is actually supposed to do when a high ball drops towards him. He has always been told not to head it, which is fine, but the altern...
Pass-ins or dribble-ins – do you let the player choose?
Our U9s nearly always dribble the sideline restart now because it feels quicker. I do not want to turn it into 'you must pass this one', but there are times a t...
How much goalkeeper coaching should a team coach actually do?
I am not a goalkeeper coach and I do not want to pretend to be one. At U9 I can help with starting position, being ready and simple distribution, but when it ge...
GOT A QUESTION OF YOUR OWN?
Best way to coach defending 2v1 without making it complicated?
We keep getting caught with one defender against two after we lose it. I want the defender to understand they do not have to win the ball straight away, but 'de...
U9 moving to 5v5 – what changes first?
Our group played 7v7 last season and the biggest adjustment so far is how quickly everything happens in the smaller game. Less time on the ball, more 1v1s and t...
Defending the middle in 5v5 without everyone collapsing back
When the other team attack, all four outfield players end up within about ten yards of our goal. We stop the first shot but then have nobody to play to if we wi...
The diamond looks fine until we lose the ball
In possession our 1-2-1 shape is starting to make sense. As soon as we lose it, the two wide players stay high and the back player ends up dealing with everythi...
Powerplay is creating some odd games
We had a match where one team went well ahead, the extra player came on, then the whole game changed and the original stronger team struggled to get out. I unde...
1-2-1 or 2-2 for U9 5v5?
I know the formation is not the main thing, but we need some sort of starting picture. A diamond gives us someone central and width but can leave the defender i...
Goalkeeper keeps carrying the ball right to the edge then panics
Our keeper is confident with the ball in hand but holds it until everyone is marked, walks right to the edge of the area and then ends up throwing it under pres...
How do you talk to an U9 after they have made the same mistake three times?
One of ours kept receiving square across our own goal and losing it. By the third time I could see the coach was desperate to tell him exactly what to do next. ...
Parent asking why their child is never goalkeeper
One family has asked why their U9 has not had a turn in goal yet. The child has never asked to play there and seems happy outfield. Should everyone still get a ...
Are we giving U9s too many positions?
We rotate everyone, but some players have now played keeper, back, both sides and up front in the space of two weekends. I am all for variety, but at what point...
No offside and one player just stands by our goal
Played a team where one child stayed right next to our goal for most of the game waiting for a pass. Our players got completely distracted by it and one wanted ...
One U9 refuses to use their weaker foot in games
In training they will try it if we set up an activity, but in a match everything goes back onto the stronger foot even when it makes the next action harder. I d...
How big a squad are people carrying for 5v5?
We have 10 registered and on a normal weekend 8 or 9 are available. Rolling subs helps, but it still feels like a lot for one 5v5 game if you want proper minute...
Are we pressing too much at U8?
Our group is very aggressive without the ball and the first player will chase the keeper or defender immediately. It wins us loads of goals, which is probably w...
Simple way to teach width without putting them in channels?
Our 5v5 games get incredibly narrow. I do not want to mark out three lanes and tell eight-year-olds they have to stay in them, but just saying 'make it bigger' ...
Is it normal for an U8 to avoid tackling?
My son will chase back and block space but he rarely actually tries to win the ball. He seems worried about getting it wrong or bumping into someone. Coach is n...
What are people saying at half-time in 5v5?
I keep finding myself talking for too long. They are eight, they want a drink and then they are looking at the pitch again. Are people literally giving one thin...
Rotating goalkeepers when one child clearly loves it
We have one U8 who would happily play in goal every week and is genuinely interested in it. We still rotate others through because I want everyone to experience...
How do you explain equal game time to parents who only see one match?
We rotate a lot over the month, but one parent was unhappy because their child played less in a particular game. They had played loads the week before. Do peopl...
Our goalkeeper is frightened of making a mistake playing short
One of ours is happy in goal until we ask her to roll it out. If it gets intercepted she immediately wants to kick everything as far as she can for the rest of ...
My daughter gets subbed whenever the game gets close
She gets plenty of minutes overall, but Ive noticed when the score is close near the end the coach tends to put the same stronger group back on. She is eight an...
Rolling subs every five minutes or let the game breathe?
I am probably over-managing our subs. With seven players I keep checking the watch because I want it fair, but it means someone is changing every few minutes. H...
Do you bother with corners at U8?
We basically just put it in and play. Am I overthinking not having any sort of corner idea?
One player keeps telling everyone else where to stand
We have a confident U8 who means well but spends half the game organising the other four. He tells the keeper where to roll it, tells teammates when to pass and...
How do you stop the first defender diving in every time?
Our players are brilliant at wanting to win it back, but the first one to the ball nearly always flies straight in and gets beaten. I have tried telling them to...
Can a training session have too many different practices?
Our U8 session last week had a warm-up game, a dribbling practice, a passing practice, a shooting practice and then 5v5. The kids enjoyed it but it felt like we...
When does dribbling become not passing?
One of the best things about our U8s is they will actually take players on. Now we have a couple who can beat one and then keep going until they lose it. I do n...
One child looks brilliant in training and disappears on matchday
Our U8 is confident in training, asks for the ball and takes people on. On Sunday he becomes really quiet and stays away from it. Nothing obvious has happened a...
Should U8s know who is starting before matchday?
Our team names the five starters when everyone arrives, then rotates quickly. One parent thinks the children should know beforehand so they are not anxious. Doe...
How strict should the retreat line be at U8?
Refereeing some U8 football and the retreat line is probably the rule that causes the most confusion. One team wants to play immediately, the other is still get...
Do U8s need a formation at all?
We have started with a very loose diamond just so they have a picture to come back to. I am not bothered if they move everywhere once the game starts, but witho...
Parents still want every goal kick launched forward
Our U8 coach is trying to let the keeper find a short option when it is on. A few parents behind the goal shout 'get it up there' almost every time. The childre...
How do you coach the player without stopping the whole game?
I am trying to reduce how often I freeze our U8 practices. The problem is sometimes one player needs a really clear bit of help and I end up stopping everyone t...
Should a grassroots coach write a player reference for an academy trial?
A parent has asked me to email a club and explain the child's strengths because they have been invited in. I know the player well, but I do not want to oversell...
How much warm-up do eight-year-olds actually need before a game?
Our team does nearly 20 minutes before kick-off and by the time the match starts some of them look like they have already done half a session. I understand gett...
Our best goalscorer now waits near goal for everything
He has worked out that if he stays high he scores loads. No offside obviously, but he is now barely involved unless the ball comes forward. I do not want to mak...
player never want shoot even when close goal
one girl always look pass. even 5 metre from goal she pass sideways. she can finish in training. how help her trust shot in match without shouting shoot every t...
young referee got shouted at all game and our players started copying it
ref was probably 14 or 15 and made a couple of mistakes. both touchlines were on at him constantly and by the second half some of the kids were appealing for ev...
What do you do when two kids argue over every restart?
Not talking about the rule itself. We have two who both want every corner, pass-in and free kick. Match stops while they negotiate. Do you have a rota or just t...
Would you practise penalties at U8 or just rotate whoever wants one?
Not trying to build a penalty shootout team. It came up at a festival and half the children had never taken one from a proper spot before. Is that worth five mi...
Do you pair the strongest player with the weakest in every practice?
We do this a lot because it balances teams, but I am starting to think both players get a strange experience. The stronger one is expected to carry things and t...
Should the same player take every free kick because they strike it best?
We have one player who is clearly the best striker of a dead ball and naturally runs over to take every free kick. It helps the team, but the others barely get ...
Parent coaching their own child during drinks breaks
One parent is actually quiet during the game, but every time their son comes off they take him to one side and give him a list of instructions. He then goes bac...
coach is harder on his own kid than everyone else
our manager is so worried about looking like he favours his son that he seems to do the opposite. first one subbed, gets corrected more, never captain. his lad ...
How do you manage an U8 who only wants to play with their best friend?
We have two who are joined at the hip. If they are split in training one of them sulks, and in games they look for each other even when someone else is free. Do...
Only six players turned up to training – would you still finish with 5v5?
We had six last week and I ended up doing 3v3 for most of the hour. Another coach said we should still build towards the match format somehow. Surely with six t...
academy coach says one thing, grassroots coach says another
we have a player doing both environments and the parent keeps saying 'his academy coach wants him to...' whenever we coach something differently. neither idea i...
Should players have to arrive a set time before U8 matches?
We have families arriving anywhere from 25 minutes early to two minutes before kick-off. I do not want grassroots football to become military, but it is hard to...
Are 12x6 goals too big for brand-new U8 goalkeepers?
First few 5v5 sessions with keepers and the goal suddenly looks enormous compared with what the kids are used to. We have had a couple basically standing on the...
How should a coach respond when an U8 says they want to quit after one bad game?
My daughter came off after a difficult match and said she was never playing football again. By tea time she was asking when training was. I know children say th...
My daughter gets really upset when the referee gives something against her
She is fine with mistakes in normal play, but if she thinks a decision is wrong she cannot let it go and is still talking about it five minutes later. I dont wa...
Are we praising goals so much that everything else looks less important?
The loudest reactions from adults are always goals. A player can recover 20 yards, win it back and start an attack and gets a quiet 'well done', then somebody t...
One player only shoots from miles out
Good striker of a ball and now every time he sees goal he hits it. Sometimes from ridiculous positions. The goals he scores reinforce it. How do you help an U9 ...
Five tournament games in one day – how do you keep development from disappearing?
At festivals we suddenly become obsessed with the next result because there is a table, semi-final or trophy. Same coaches, same kids, completely different beha...
Our U9s are brilliant until the pitch is really small
We train on a tight 3G section some weeks and the whole session turns into tackles and rebounds. I cannot make the area bigger. Would you change the numbers, us...
One child is getting very physical and every game ends in fouls
He is not trying to hurt anyone. He is strong, competitive and seems to think winning the ball means going through the player. Coaches keep saying 'be careful' ...
Players stop when they think foul happen
our U8 stop play and look referee every time player fall down. sometime no whistle and other team keep going. how teach keep playing without making them ignore ...
Is there still a place for unopposed technical work at U9?
Everything seems to be games-based now. I agree with most of that, but sometimes I just want players repeating a turn or first touch without someone immediately...
Academy player comes back to grassroots and everyone treats him differently
One of ours has signed at an academy but still plays with the group when he can. Teammates now give him the ball constantly and parents keep talking about him a...
My son apologises every time he loses the ball
He literally says sorry to teammates after a bad pass or if someone tackles him. Nobody is having a go at him and the coach is positive. It feels like he thinks...
Opposition coach keeps shouting instructions to our players
Had this twice now. Things like 'kick it out' or 'leave it' shouted to both teams because he is trying to run the whole game. Our kids start listening because h...
How do you teach players to move after they pass without shouting 'move' all game?
Ours pass and admire it. The ball goes somewhere else and they basically become a spectator. What game has actually helped people with the second movement after...
Our first touch always takes us backwards
A lot of our U9s receive and their first touch automatically goes back towards our own goal, even when they have space to turn. I do not want to coach 'turn for...
Is 4v4 sometimes a better match than forcing 5v5?
We had nine players total between two teams after late drop-outs. The adults spent ages trying to make 5v5 work with a rotating spare. Would people just play 4v...
Why do we still make the 'best' kid demonstrate everything?
One player is technically ahead, so every new practice starts with him doing the demo. I think it is quietly telling the rest of the group who the good football...
Do you practise free kicks or just play them?
Not routines. Just things like distance, quick one, shot or pass. Worth touching at U9 or leave it to the game?
Rondos at U9 – useful or just a coach thing?
I keep seeing 4v1 and 4v2 rondos at this age. Ours can keep the ball in them, but I am not convinced they know why they are doing it. What would make a rondo ge...
One player celebrates when the other team make a mistake
He is not being nasty on purpose, he is just very competitive and gets excited. But he has started cheering when an opponent miskicks or loses the ball. What is...
should training attendance affect who starts?
not talking about minutes overall. if one kid trains every week and another misses loads but both get same match time, parents ask what training is for. is star...
Would you deliberately use a smaller 5v5 pitch for a weaker group?
I know there is a range for pitch size. If you have a group that struggle to stay involved on a full 37x27, would you go nearer the minimum for a while, or does...
Our team starts every match half asleep
First five minutes are awful almost every week, then they settle and play fine. Warm-up looks energetic so I dont think it is physical. Has anyone found a good ...
My daughter hates being captain
Coach rotates it and most of the kids love the armband. She gets really anxious about leading the line-up and would rather not have it. Should the coach keep gi...
Should captaincy mean anything at U8?
We rotate the armband because the children enjoy it. One coach wants the captain to lead the warm-up and team talk as well. Is that a nice bit of responsibility...
One player passes as soon as anyone comes near them
We talk a lot about kids dribbling too much, but I have the opposite. She can dribble in training, then in a game she releases the ball almost instantly because...
We have 13 at training and one 5v5 goal at each end
This is becoming our normal number. I can split into two areas for lots of the session, but the moment we want directional games somebody is waiting or we end u...
Training attendance poor but they still expect match minutes
U8. Misses most training. Turns up every Sunday. What would you do?
Our players always ask 'when are we having a match?'
Even if the practice is basically a game, if it has a condition they think it is not the real match. Do you just finish with completely free 5v5 every session s...
How do you add a new player halfway through the season without changing the whole group?
We have an U8 joining now who is a lovely kid but clearly behind the others because he has not played organised football before. I do not want to make him feel ...
Do you need a post-match team talk at all?
At U8 mine mostly want snacks and to go home. Would people just say well done and leave any coaching until training?
When the team concedes twice quickly they completely disappear
One goal is fine. Two in a couple of minutes and heads go down, nobody asks for it and they start booting the ball away. What can you actually coach around the ...
Our assistant coach gives different instructions to me during matches
Nothing major, but I will ask the players to find their own solution and two minutes later my assistant is shouting exactly where to pass. We both mean well. Ho...
Should U8s ever watch clips of their own matches?
Our games are recorded sometimes and the coach mentioned showing the children one or two clips at training. I can see how it might help, but I also worry eight-...