7v7 Football Questions
Explore real 7v7 football questions, useful answers, Verified Coach perspectives and community discussion in The Coaches' Room.
The 7v7 format brings new challenges around positions, formations, decision-making and team shape. This section brings together advice to help people support players as the game becomes more tactical.
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Latest 7v7 Football Questions
Does offside apply in U10 7v7 football, and how would you start teaching the players to understand when they are offside?
Does offside apply in U10 7v7 football, and how would you start teaching the players to understand when they are offside?
Does offside apply in U10 7v7 football in England this season?
Does offside apply in U10 7v7 football in England this season?
Training with 11 players is doing my head in
U10 7v7. Most weeks I have nine, ten or eleven at training and every practice I plan seems to need an even number. What are your go-to ways of dealing with an o...
Receiving from the keeper with your back to play
Our U10s are happy to show for the goalkeeper, but the nearest player often receives square with their back to most of the pitch and then gets trapped. What sim...
When does encouragement from the touchline become too much?
At U9 games there can be constant shouting from adults even when it's all positive. Is there a point where 'well done', 'keep going' and reminders are still dis...
What is the best way for a club to handle teams sharing the same pitch setup?
We sometimes have one 7v7 game finishing as the next U11 group is arriving, with coaches moving goals, parents coming through and everyone wanting warm-up space...
How hard should the first session after a weekend match be at U11?
We train early in the week and some players arrive bouncing while others are clearly still tired from the weekend. I don't want to run two completely separate s...
Should I keep the same teams in training or mix them constantly?
With our U10s I usually change teams every game because I want everyone playing with everyone. The downside is they never seem to build any understanding before...
Our wide players press well but don't recover once it's played past them
U11 7v7. They are keen to jump out and press, which I like, but if the opponent beats that first pressure they often stay high and watch the next phase. Would y...
I keep stopping training every 30 seconds
I'm noticing that with our U10s I interrupt the practice constantly because I can see three or four things at once. The detail might be right, but the session l...
CAN'T FIND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?
We're relying on one quick defender to rescue everything
Our U10 team has one player who is much quicker than the rest and keeps recovering when our shape breaks down. It helps us in matches, but I worry the group is ...
Do you tell the current team before your child goes to a trial?
My U11 has been offered a trial with another club. I'm also involved with his current team, which makes it feel a bit awkward. I don't want it to look secretive...
Our possession practice looks good until someone has to go forward
We can keep the ball nicely in a 4v2 or a directional possession practice, but once I add an end product the players rush the first forward pass they see. Is th...
Our keeper and centre-back keep ending up on top of each other
When we play out in 7v7 the keeper steps forward, the central defender drops towards the ball and suddenly they're only a few yards apart. It makes the first pa...
Do you deliberately pair stronger and weaker players in training?
I help with an U11 group and we keep going back and forth on this. Mixed pairs can help the less confident player, but sometimes the stronger one does everythin...
Who should deal with the opposition full-back when they overlap?
Our U10 winger will track the opposition winger, but when their full-back goes past him we get confused about who follows. Sometimes our full-back gets dragged ...
Coach says my son needs to communicate more
He's U10 and quite a quiet kid generally. The coach keeps encouraging him to talk more in matches, which I understand, but he now thinks being quiet means he's ...
Do positions need to be fixed in 7v7?
My child is U10 and seems to play somewhere different most weeks. One week full-back, then midfield, then up front. Is that normal for development at this age o...
Should U10s rotate the goalkeeper position?
From the club side we're getting mixed views. Some coaches want one regular keeper because the team looks more settled; others rotate because they don't want to...
Any good session ideas when 11 players turn up?
I keep planning for 12 and ending up with 11 😅. I can make the numbers work, but somebody always seems to be a floater or waiting. How do you keep an odd-numbe...
GOT A QUESTION OF YOUR OWN?
I ask what they are seeing at half-time and get silence
I am trying to make the players talk more, but open questions often get blank faces and then I end up answering my own question. How do you build a useful U11 h...
How long should an U10 team talk be?
Mine keeps getting longer. What is actually enough before kick-off?
Our players celebrate opposition mistakes too much
They are not abusive, but a miskick or missed chance from the other team can get a bigger reaction than our own good defending. I like that they are competitive...
Do you let U10s choose teams in training?
Mine always pick the same mates, the same arguments start and somehow I end up refereeing playground politics before the football begins. Is there any developme...
Far-side wide player never arrives when the ball is crossed
We create decent attacks down one side, but the player on the opposite side watches from a long way away. With no heading the final ball is often low, so there ...
How do U11s know when the press is over?
We have worked on getting pressure to the ball, but once the first press is beaten some players keep chasing while others drop off. The team stretches badly. Wh...
One-touch football gets praised even when it is the wrong choice
Sometimes a player has time to take a touch, turn and attack, but everyone loves the clever one-touch lay-off. Do coaches accidentally make quick-looking footba...
Both midfielders keep going beyond the ball together
When we attack, our two central players often both make forward runs. It looks positive until possession turns over and there is a huge space in front of the de...
My son stops showing for the ball after being ignored twice
If he makes a couple of good movements and teammates do not pass to him, he gradually stops asking for it. He says there is no point because they will not find ...
Our striker comes short every single time
They are very good at linking play, but now nobody threatens the space behind because the striker always wants it to feet. How do you keep the link-up strength ...
Quick restarts catch us asleep
ball goes out and half team switch off. opponent dribble in straight away and we are chasing. how do you train the reaction without coach shouting every restart...
Released from a development centre and now thinks grassroots means failure
My daughter was released from a development centre and has gone back to her grassroots team, where she used to be very happy. She now talks as if she has gone b...
Do U11s need to practise disguise and deception?
We coach scanning and first touch a lot, but very little on shaping to pass one way and playing another, disguising a dribble or moving a defender with the body...
Defenders clear every second ball even when they have time
The first danger gets dealt with, then the loose ball drops and our defender immediately smashes it away. Sometimes they are under no pressure. How do you help ...
My daughter hates being corrected in front of the group
She takes feedback well one-to-one, but if the coach stops a practice and uses her as the example she goes quiet for the rest of the session. The coach is never...
player keeps turning towards our own goal under pressure
they receive with defender close and first move is back towards our goal because it feels safe. how do you help them protect ball without every turn taking them...
Should parents send match clips to the coach?
A few parents film individual moments and send them to the coach afterwards with comments about what their child did well or should improve. It can be useful, b...
Players keep asking the score and how long is left
Even when the game is good, some of ours are constantly checking the score and time. Do you answer them, hide it, or use it as part of learning to understand th...
Do you let U11s swap positions themselves during the game?
Two players occasionally notice a problem and switch roles without asking. Sometimes it genuinely helps, sometimes it leaves us with nobody where they should be...
Left-footed player gets put on the left every week
My son is left-footed and almost every coach immediately places him on the left side. He is comfortable there, but I wonder if the label is narrowing what he le...
How do you coach runs across a defender rather than away from them?
Our attackers often move into space that is technically free but makes the pass harder because the defender can see both ball and runner. I want them to recogni...
Teammates start blaming each other after we concede
It is normally small comments rather than arguments, but you can hear players saying whose fault the goal was. The mood changes quickly. What can a coach do in ...
keeper catches it then always kicks from hands
they are good kick but never look for throw or roll even when teammate free. do you coach different distribution or just let keeper choose?
What does tempo actually mean to an U11?
Coaches say we need more tempo, but that can mean move the ball faster, move yourself sooner, press quicker or simply bring more energy. Is the word useful for ...
One player tries skills in the areas adults hate most
He is brave on the ball and will use a turn or feint near our own goal if he sees the chance. Parents panic and want him to keep it simple. I can see both sides...
What if the referee applies the retreat line differently from us?
We have had matches where the official allows pressure earlier than our players are used to. The coach can spend the game arguing, or the players can adapt. How...
Should teammates be encouraged to coach each other?
Some of our players are starting to give each other useful information, but it can quickly turn into telling teammates what they should have done. Do you active...
Defending cut-backs — who protects the middle?
We stop the wide player getting to goal reasonably well, but the pass back into the middle keeps hurting us. What simple responsibilities would you give U11s wh...
Is repetition boring or exactly what they need?
sometimes I change practice because I am bored before players are. how do you know when repeating same football problem is useful and when group genuinely needs...
Parents coaching the goalkeeper from behind the goal
We have started getting adults standing behind our goalkeeper and giving constant instructions about where to stand, when to come out and who to pass to. Some m...
Keeper catches it and everybody runs away
Whenever our keeper catches the ball, the outfield players sprint up the pitch as if the only option is a long kick. Then the keeper either launches it or waits...
My son only wants to play on the right
He is happy at right midfield or right defender but gets annoyed if he is put on the left, even though the role is basically similar. I do not want to make posi...
We keep saying play quicker but I am not sure what we mean
I hear myself telling the group to play quicker when the game slows down. Sometimes what I really mean is take fewer touches, other times it is scan earlier or ...
Players pass and then become spectators
We can get a decent first pass, but the player who made it often stands and watches. What simple way are people using to help U10s understand that their next mo...
My daughter only hears about the goals afterwards
She might have defended well, made good passes and worked hard, but the first thing relatives ask is whether she scored. She is starting to measure her own game...
How do you get training moving quickly from the first minute?
Ours can lose the first ten minutes to drinks, chatting, late arrivals and me explaining the session. I do not want a military start, but I also hate wasting a ...
One child seems left out even though the football is fine
There is a player in the team who trains well and gets normal game time, but socially they are always the one without a partner and rarely included in the littl...
Do toe-pokes actually need coaching out of U10s?
A few of ours finish with a toe-poke and it works quite often. I keep hearing that they should strike the ball properly, but if the toe-poke is quick and useful...
We are calm when ahead and frantic when behind
Same players, same formation, completely different decisions. As soon as we go a goal down they start forcing passes and shooting from everywhere. Do you talk a...
Would you sub a tired player who insists they are fine?
Sometimes my son is clearly fading but still says he wants to stay on. I know rolling subs make it easy to give him a break and bring him back. At U10, should t...
Our defenders keep backing off until they reach the goalkeeper
They are so worried about getting beaten that they keep retreating and retreating. By the time they engage, the attacker is almost in shooting range. What are y...
What does useful communication actually sound like at U10?
We tell the players to talk more and they respond by shouting names, 'man on' and 'time' constantly, sometimes when the information is wrong. I am starting to t...
My child always takes one touch too many before shooting
She gets into good areas but almost always wants one extra touch to set herself perfectly. By then the defender is back or the angle has gone. Is that something...
Free kicks at U10 — shoot or play?
Ours want to shoot from everywhere. Do you let them, or use free kicks to create a quick pass and another decision?
Coming back after a month away looks harder than I expected
One of ours missed several weeks of football and has returned looking a step behind the speed of the game. Their fitness looks fine, but their timing and confid...
My training teams always end up unbalanced
No matter how I split them, one side seems to have all the confident ball-players and the other game becomes a struggle. Do you rebalance teams during the sessi...
Should every training game have a score?
I use scores because the players care more, but sometimes the score becomes the only thing they care about and the session point disappears. Is it better to kee...
Our goalkeeper restarts before anyone is ready
They love playing quickly, which I do not want to remove, but sometimes the ball is rolled out while teammates still have their backs turned. How do you coach q...
One child answers every coaching question
Whenever the coach asks the group what they noticed, the same confident player answers before anyone else has time to think. They are not doing anything wrong, ...
Should U10s actually practise shielding the ball?
We talk a lot about receiving, turning and passing, but not much about simply protecting the ball when there is nowhere to go. Is shielding worth teaching direc...
my son slide tackles alot
my son does more slide tackles than anyone else and i am worried he will hurt himself or someone else
Has the size 3 ball changed what you coach technically?
We have gone from a size 4 in a lot of our old practices to the size 3 used in the new U10/U11 7v7 format. The players obviously find some things easier, especi...
Would you let an U10 miss their team game for an academy experience?
My son has been invited into an academy development session on the same day as his grassroots match. It is not a trial as such and there is no guarantee it lead...
Our best dribbler now passes too early
We spent months encouraging one player to look up and combine rather than trying to beat everyone. It worked, but I think we may have gone too far because now t...
Should every U10 take a turn in goal?
We have one child who likes being goalkeeper and is clearly ahead of the others there. A couple of parents still think every player should take a turn because t...
How do you tell if a child is getting enough challenge?
My daughter is doing well in her current U10 team and is one of the stronger players most weeks. She is happy and has good friends there, so I do not want to cr...
Training with nine players — what do you prioritise?
We are supposed to have 11 in the squad but winter attendance means I am regularly getting eight or nine at training. I keep trying to build a 7v7 problem and t...
Are we asking too much from volunteer referees in 7v7?
Now U10 games have match officials, I am seeing young or inexperienced referees getting questioned over almost every restart, foul and retreat-line decision. It...
My son has started comparing himself to academy players
Two boys from his school have recently joined academy programmes and now every conversation is about who is 'academy level'. My son enjoys his football but has ...
Is it wrong to split training by ability sometimes?
We have a really mixed U10 group. When I keep everyone together, the stronger players can dominate and some of the newer players barely get success. I am thinki...
One player cries after almost every mistake
He loves football and is fine before the game, but a bad touch or missed chance can bring tears straight away. He normally wants to carry on after a minute. Wou...
Would you change clubs for a better coach but weaker team?
My son has the option of joining a team with a coach we rate very highly, but the playing level is probably a bit lower than his current side. At U11, how much ...
How do you teach players to recognise a 2v1 before it exists?
Our players can use an overload once it is obvious, but they rarely move early enough to create one. Is the next step at U11 teaching them to recognise where th...
My daughter is one of the smallest and has started avoiding tackles
She is technically comfortable but the physical gap has grown over the last year and she now moves the ball quickly whenever a bigger player comes close. I do n...
How much unopposed technical work at U11?
we still use 10 mins sometimes. some coaches say every practice should have pressure. is unopposed still useful?
Should an U11 know why the team is changing shape?
If we move from 2-3-1 into a different shape for a specific opponent or game problem, do you explain the tactical reason to the players or just give them their ...
How do you stop one bad game becoming a big issue?
Our team had a really poor performance at the weekend and suddenly parents are talking about changing formation, extra training and whether the group is good en...
Should U11s be taught how to manage a lead?
If we are one goal up late on, I hear coaches telling players to keep it in the corner or stop taking risks. Is learning to manage game state useful at U11, or ...
Do you discuss selection decisions with U11 parents?
We have a squad where everyone gets plenty of football, but parents still ask why their child started in one position or why another player got the captaincy. H...
Can U11s understand playing on the blind side?
We talk about moving where the defender cannot see both player and ball. Is that a useful idea at this age or better coached simply as 'find space'?
What do you stop coaching at U11?
There are endless things we could work on now. How do you decide what to leave alone so the players are not getting a new coaching point every week?
Players keep asking what formation we are playing
We change the starting shape occasionally and the first question is always 'what formation are we today?'. I am starting to think they are using the numbers as ...
Our warm-up has become another coaching session
We now have passing patterns, activation work, finishing and three coaching points before kick-off. The children look organised but not especially relaxed. How ...
Do children need individual targets at U10?
Our coach wants every player to have one personal target for a block of games. I like the idea, but I do not want my son thinking every match is an assessment. ...
The weaker foot has become a rule rather than an option
I asked the group to try using their weaker foot more in training. A few weeks later some of them are forcing it even when the stronger foot is obviously the be...
What should an assistant coach actually do on matchday?
I have recently started helping an U10 team and I am not sure how much I should be saying during games. The manager is already coaching, parents are talking and...
My child is scared of making mistakes near our goal
She is comfortable on the ball higher up the pitch but becomes completely different near our own goal. She clears things she would normally control and says she...
Do you ever coach tackling technique on its own?
Ours are either diving in or pulling out. Would you isolate tackling for ten minutes or keep it in 1v1 games?
Would you move a dominant U10 up an age group?
One player in our team is physically and technically ahead of most of the group. They can carry the ball through several players and score a lot, but I am not s...
How do you coach players who all run towards a loose ball?
Whenever there is a ricochet or a 50/50, three or four of ours sprint towards it. If we win it, we have nobody to pass to; if we lose it, half the team is on th...
Do you praise the assist as much as the goal?
Our U10s are at the stage where everyone remembers who scored and almost nobody remembers the pass before it. I do not want to make football artificially equal,...
Players understand the session but forget it on Saturday
We can work on one clear idea all week and they show it in the final game at training. Then matchday arrives and it is gone within five minutes. Is that just no...
Should a parent tell the coach their child is struggling?
My son has been saying he feels lost in one position and does not understand what the coach wants from him. He has not said anything at training because he is q...
Are we overvaluing possession at U10?
There is a lot of praise for teams who keep the ball and build patiently, but I sometimes see U10 sides complete six passes without actually threatening anythin...
How do you help new players join an established U10 team?
one new player has joined after group already together for years. football level is okay but they do not know calls, routines or other children. how much should...
Is 50 minutes too long for some U10s?
A few of ours fade badly late on. Is that fitness, concentration or just normal at this age?
Do you correct technique during the match?
If I see a player repeatedly receiving square or striking the ball badly, I am tempted to fix it there and then. But I also know matchday is not a technical cli...
Should U11 players start reviewing their own clips?
We have access to match footage and I am considering showing players very short clips of their own decisions. I can see the learning value, but I do not want te...
Do stronger U11 teams still need powerplay?
In some fixtures the score can move quickly even between two decent teams. I have heard coaches say powerplay is unnecessary at the stronger end because players...
Why do some U11 teams play everything backwards first?
I have watched teams where the first pass seems to go back or sideways even when the player could attack. Is that meant to help them keep the ball, or can young...
How much detail should U11s get about covering behind the ball?
We are starting to talk about somebody protecting behind attacks, but I do not want one child becoming a permanent holding player who never joins in. How do you...
My son has stopped enjoying training because every session is intense
The standard has gone up and the coaches are good, but almost everything is competitive now: scores, races, winner-stays-on and consequences for losing. He stil...
Do you coach the third-player run at U11?
Players understand give-and-go, but the next movement away from the ball is still rare. Is U11 the right age to introduce the idea of a third player arriving, o...
Keeper wants to play out every single time
even when pitch is crowded they still choose short. how do we keep confidence without making long pass feel like failure?
Would you tell an U11 they are not ready to play up?
My daughter has asked to train with the older group because two friends are doing it. Her coach thinks another year at U11 is better for her because she is only...
Are we giving U11 players too many solutions?
I keep catching myself coaching option one, option two and option three before the player has even seen the problem. At what point does helpful detail become re...
Should U11 defenders be encouraged to step into midfield?
When the ball is secure, there can be loads of space in front of the defender. Some coaches want them to carry into it; others tell them to stay behind the midf...
How do you handle a player who never practises outside the team?
My daughter loves her two weekly sessions and matches but has no interest in kicking a ball in the garden or doing extra practice. A couple of teammates do a lo...
Can you coach better decisions without stopping the game?
I am trying to intervene less, but when I let the game run I sometimes feel I have not actually coached anything. What methods are people using at U11 to influe...
Is development-centre football worth it if the coaching is similar?
My son has been offered a place at a development centre one evening a week. The session looks good, but not massively different from what his grassroots club al...
Do you ever deliberately make a practice too hard?
Sometimes ours need success. Sometimes I think they need to struggle. How far should an U11 session push them before it stops being useful?
Do you let U11s solve a bad match-up themselves?
One of our defenders was struggling all game against a very quick attacker. I wanted to swap sides or give them help, but another coach said leave it because le...
What should change in training now they stay 7v7 for another year?
I do not want U11 training to become U10 training with older children. The format is the same, but the players are ready for more detail. What are the biggest t...
Our 2-3-1 turns into five players behind the ball
When we defend, both wide players drop next to the two defenders and the centre midfielder drops as well. It looks safe but we have nobody to play to when we wi...
How much pressing detail is too much at U11?
We have gone from 'nearest player press' to talking about bad touches, backwards passes and locking play wide. The players understand it in training, but I am s...
My daughter stops playing when someone appeals for a foul
If she gets bumped or thinks the ball went out, she looks at the referee and stops for a second. Other players keep going and she is suddenly out of the action....
No heading means our crosses are just hopeful
We cannot head, which is fine, but every wide attack still ends with somebody lifting the ball into the middle. Nobody really knows what they are trying to hit....
How do you teach receiving across the body without a passing drill?
I want our U10s to receive so they can see more of the pitch, especially the centre player. Every practice I find becomes two lines passing through cones. Has a...
One confident player takes every restart
The same confident player grabs every sideline restart, every corner and half the goal kicks if the keeper lets them. They are not being selfish, they just reac...
How much should a U10 goalkeeper be talking?
Ours is quiet. Sees danger but does not say anything. Coach wants more communication. What is enough at this age?
Do you coach the defender to overlap in 7v7?
Our wide midfielder comes inside naturally and there is loads of space outside them. I keep wanting the nearest defender to run into it, but I am not sure if I ...
Trophy event coming up – do you pick a strongest seven?
Our U10s have a trophy event soon and parents are already asking whether the coach will start the strongest seven in the knockout games. I assumed development a...
How do you make another year of 7v7 feel like progress?
Our current U10s were expecting to move into a bigger format, but they will stay 7v7 at U11 next season. I agree with the reasons, but I do not want September t...
Some parents think U11 7v7 is too small
A few parents keep saying the players are ready for more space and more teammates, and that another year of 7v7 will hold them back. I actually think the smalle...
3-2-1 or 2-3-1 for U11?
We have used 2-3-1 for a long time and the players know it well. I am tempted by 3-2-1 because it gives different build-up and defending pictures, but I do not ...
No heading at U11 – what do you do with high goal kicks?
opposition keepers can send ball long and our players are unsure whether to wait for bounce, use chest or thigh, or just get underneath it. heading is not an op...
No offside at U11 still feels strange for the defenders
Our defenders are getting distracted by a striker who stands very high. One follows them everywhere and suddenly we have a huge hole in front of goal. How do yo...
Should the U11 goalkeeper be an extra outfield player in possession?
keeper is comfortable with feet and we use them often. sometimes coach says step out more when we have ball. how far would you encourage this in 7v7? I want kee...
Our central midfielder has become a traffic controller
he spends the whole game pointing where everyone should go and shouting for the ball. helpful sometimes, but the other players are starting to wait for him to o...
Our counterattacks are becoming one long pass every time
When we win it, first thought is now look for the striker. Sometimes it works and everyone loves it. Other times there is a free player ten yards away and we st...
Do U11s still need loads of 1v1 work?
We are spending more time on team shape, pressing and combinations now. I suddenly realised we have barely done any proper 1v1 attacking or defending for weeks....
Wide player comes inside – who keeps the width?
We encourage our winger to come inside if the space is there. When they do, the whole side of the pitch can disappear because the defender behind stays at home....
Should defenders be allowed to keep going after they beat the first player?
Our defender steps in with the ball, beats someone and immediately looks to pass because they think their job is finished. Sometimes there is another ten yards ...
Trophy football and rolling subs – does the rotation change?
In normal games we are relaxed with the order of substitutions. In trophy events I notice coaches leaving stronger players on much longer. Is that just part of ...
How do you coach defending a 3v2 without everyone dropping?
When the opposition break with three and we have two defenders, our midfielders sprint back so deep that they end up on top of the defenders. I want the first t...
My son hates being the one who comes off in rolling subs
He plays plenty overall, but every substitution feels personal to him. He can be having a good game and still looks crushed when his number is called. Is this j...
Our powerplay player makes us worse
When we get the extra player, everyone seems to relax and the extra child chases the ball. We actually become less organised. Do you just let U11s experience th...
We play through the middle every single time
Our centre midfielder is good, so almost every attack goes through them. Opponents are starting to crowd that space and we still keep forcing it. How do you enc...
How much responsibility should an U11 captain actually have?
I have seen captains doing the coin toss, leading warm-ups, organising huddles and even speaking to the referee. Some of that seems useful and some feels like a...
A couple of strong players dominate every possession
Two confident players get on the ball constantly and everybody else starts becoming supporting cast. I do not want to tell the better players to stop being invo...
Do you practise penalties for trophy events?
We have a trophy event that can go to penalties. Part of me thinks the players should experience taking them beforehand; part of me thinks spending training tim...
Keeper keeps choosing the safest short pass
Our goalkeeper scans and usually finds a free defender, which is good. The problem is they ignore the midfield player who is sometimes free beyond the first pre...
Should U11s start learning offside in training before U12?
There is no offside in our 7v7 games, but they will meet it in 9v9 next season. Would you introduce offside in some training games during U11, or does that just...
Is one striker in 7v7 too isolated?
We use 2-3-1 and our striker can go minutes without touching the ball if the midfield cannot get out. I do not want to change formation just to solve one issue,...
The retreat line is making our first pass predictable
Our goalkeeper waits for the retreat, both defenders split and then we almost automatically pass to one of them. Opponents are starting to read it before the ba...
Our goalkeeper only ever sees the defender on one side
We have worked on playing out, but every goal kick still starts to the same side because that is where the keeper looks first. The far defender can be completel...
How wide is too wide in a 2-3-1?
Our two wide midfielders are starting almost on the touchline because we have pushed the idea of making the pitch big. It gives us width, but sometimes they are...
Do you rotate the central midfielder as much as the other positions?
Our team moves players around quite a lot, but the central midfield role in 7v7 seems to make the whole team function. The temptation seems to be leaving the sa...
One player always seems to be the extra substitute
We have eight most weeks, which should be easy enough to manage in 7v7. Looking back though, the same quieter player is often the one who starts off because the...
No offside and our striker never comes away from the goal
One of ours has worked out that they can stay really high and wait for the ball. It creates goals, so they see no reason to move. I do not want to invent an off...
Our two defenders split and nobody protects the middle
We encourage the defenders to get wide when the goalkeeper has the ball, which is fine until possession turns over. They can be so far apart that one pass goes ...
Sideline restarts are becoming little set pieces
We have pass-ins or dribble-ins, but our team is starting to call who comes short and where the next player moves every time the ball goes out. The restarts loo...
How much should U10s understand recovery runs?
When we lose the ball, the closest player usually chases it and everyone else jogs back towards our goal. I would like them to recognise who needs to recover ce...
Our press works near the touchline and then the middle is empty
We are quite good at getting two players around the ball when it goes wide. The problem is the third player also gets attracted there, so one pass inside takes ...
Parents shout SHOOT as soon as we cross halfway
Our players are starting to take shots from miles out because the touchline gets excited whenever we get into the other half. Some of them can strike the ball w...
Finishing practice keeps turning into queues
Every shooting practice I set up looks good on paper and then five kids are waiting while one shoots and one retrieves the ball. I want repetition but I also wa...
Powerplay comes on and nobody knows where the extra player goes
When a team uses the extra player, our U10s either all move up one position or the extra child just runs wherever the ball is. I know powerplay is meant to help...
My son will play anywhere except central midfield
He is happy wide, up front or at the back, but says the middle is too busy and he worries about losing the ball there. I do not want to force a position he disl...
Keeper rolls to the same defender even when they are marked
We have a clear habit now: keeper catches it, looks right, rolls right. The defender could have someone standing on their toes and the pass still goes there. I ...
Should players swap positions during the game or between games?
We rotate positions, but sometimes three changes in one match means the children spend more time working out where they are than actually learning the role. Wou...
Our wide player never recovers when we lose it
One of our strongest attackers stays high and wide after we lose the ball because they are waiting for the next counter. It gives us a great outlet if we win it...