9v9 Football Questions
Explore real 9v9 football questions, useful answers, Verified Coach perspectives and community discussion in The Coaches' Room.
As players move closer to the full game, new questions appear around formations, tactical understanding, player roles, transitions and physical development. This section focuses specifically on those 9v9 challenges.
GOT A 9v9 QUESTION?
Latest 9v9 Football Questions
9v9 Under 12 Girls. Switch of play. Do you have any useful advice or training drills
9v9 Under 12 Girls. Switch of play. Do you have any useful advice or training drills
Player-led half-time is dominated by the loudest voices
We tried letting the players speak first. Two confident players answered everything and the quieter ones switched off. I still like the idea of ownership, but h...
Is making a personal highlight reel useful before a trial?
A parent wants to create a short video for their child before an academy trial. I can see how a few clips might show strengths, but I worry it turns every match...
How long should an U13 pre-match warm-up actually be?
Ours keeps growing and sometimes feels like a training session before the match.
School coach and club coach are giving opposite advice
At school my son is told to release the ball in one or two touches. At club he is encouraged to carry it and commit players. Both coaches have good reasons, but...
How do we use parent assistant referees without offside becoming an argument?
League need club person with flag many weeks. Parent try best but coaches and spectators question every close decision. What briefing and boundaries make this f...
private 1-to-1 coach is telling our player something different
our team asks the winger to hold width sometimes. the private coach says they should always come inside to get more touches. player now thinks one coach must be...
Poor attitude in training. Still start them?
Good player. Moaned all night. Others trained properly.
Do you change how you play on heavy grass compared with 3G?
On 3G we can move it quickly and trust the bounce. On a wet grass pitch the ball stops, first touches become harder and some of our normal combinations disappea...
How do you defend a false nine in 9v9?
The opposition striker kept dropping into midfield and our centre-back followed, which opened the middle for wide runners. When the centre-back held position, t...
CAN'T FIND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?
should the captain be the only player speaking to the referee?
not compulsory everywhere yet, but it might stop five kids surrounding every decision. would you bring that in as a team rule now?
New five-second throw-in countdown – what should teams expect?
The 2026/27 law changes allow a visible five-second countdown when a team delays a throw-in, with possession changing if the restart is still not taken. At gras...
Can you teach a pressing trap without players waiting for the cue?
I want the team to recognise when an opponent is forced towards one side and remove the obvious return pass. The risk is they start waiting for the exact patter...
Who protects the counter after our attacking corner?
We want enough players attacking the box to create a threat, but one clearance can leave us exposed. Rather than fixing two players on halfway, how would you he...
Our club assistant referee gives very different offside decisions
I know it is a difficult job for a parent volunteer, but the line changes from one half to the next and the players are getting frustrated. How should a coach h...
Do you ever let U13s choose the formation?
Or does the loudest player just win?
Do you coach differently when the wind is dominating the game?
We had a match where every long ball held up one way and flew through the other. The players kept trying the same passes in both halves. Is adapting to wind a u...
Coach changes formation every time we concede
Feels like the players are learning that any goal means the shape failed.
Do you encourage quick free kicks at U12?
Ours always wait for coach instruction.
How do you defend a short corner without sending two players too early?
If one defender goes, the corner taker combines around them. If two go, we often leave a runner free in the box. What is the simplest reference for deciding who...
GOT A QUESTION OF YOUR OWN?
Can a player be offside directly from a goal kick?
We have had two different answers from officials.
Another parent films every match and uploads clips
The children all know the camera is there, but I am not sure every family agreed to their child being posted publicly. It is also starting to affect how one or ...
Why do we always start the second half asleep?
We have a calm team talk, players say all the right things, then the first five minutes after half-time look like everyone has just woken up from a nap. Is the ...
How do you get the thrower back into the next action?
Our thrower often stands outside the pitch admiring the throw while the receiver is immediately under pressure. I want them to understand that the throw creates...
Do substitutes warm up during the game?
Four standing still, then straight into 9v9. Doesnt seem ideal.
How do you defend when the opposition goalkeeper joins as an extra player?
Their keeper steps outside box in possession and suddenly our two strikers cant cover all three. Do we send a midfielder or accept they have spare player?
Why is my left-footed son always played on the right?
The coach says it helps him come inside onto his stronger foot. He enjoys the role, but he rarely goes outside the defender and seems to receive in the same cro...
My son is always the player left back at corners
He's U12 and has started saying corners are boring because his job is to stay near halfway every time. I understand someone has to cover, but should players rot...
Our first presser goes, the midfield doesn't
U13 9v9. The forward starts the press properly but the midfield line stays five or six yards too deep, so one pass takes us out. How do you get the group to rec...
Three substitutions at once and our shape disappears
With our U13s I sometimes make three changes together so everyone gets decent minutes, but for the next five minutes the team looks like they've never met. Is t...
Both central midfielders keep following the ball to the same side
In our U13 9v9 shape, if the ball goes wide both central midfielders drift across to help. It feels safe until we regain it or the opposition switch, because th...
My daughter thinks being moved to full-back means she's been dropped down the pecking order
She normally plays midfield for her U12 side but has been used at full-back for the last few games. The coach hasn't said anything negative, but she has decided...
Who should organise the wall at a free kick?
We concede lots of confusion before the kick is even taken. Keeper shouts one number, defenders argue about distance and nobody watches the quick restart. At U1...
New five-second goal-kick countdown – are coaches changing routines?
The 2026/27 laws now allow a visible five-second count if a team delays a goal kick, with a corner awarded if the kick is not taken. Our players are used to the...
Our midfielder keeps dropping between the defenders and leaves nobody central
At U13 9v9, our central midfielder comes short whenever the defenders have it. He helps us keep the ball, but then there is nobody between their first and secon...
What should the home club do if the referee hasn't arrived?
We've had a couple of matchdays where everyone is there, kick-off is getting close and there is still no referee. From a club volunteer point of view, what is t...
They win the first tackle and still concede from the loose ball
My daughter plays in an U12 9v9 team and they actually make plenty of tackles, but the next ball seems to fall straight to the opposition. She calls it being un...
We start pressing so early that the midfield gets stretched
Our front players go as soon as the keeper has it but the midfield is often ten yards behind the press. At U12 9v9, would you delay the first press or work more...
A development centre wants two nights a week and it clashes with team training
My child is U12 and has been offered a place at a development centre. It sounds positive, but two of their sessions clash with the grassroots team and I'm not s...
When do you bin the session plan and move on?
Sometimes ten minutes in you can tell the practice just isn't landing. I tend to keep tweaking it because I planned it for a reason, then realise I've spent hal...
How do you defend a team whose players constantly rotate positions?
We played an U12 side where the striker, wide players and midfielders swapped repeatedly. Our players became obsessed with following the same opponent and were ...
U13 midfielder avoids any physical contact
Technically he's comfortable and sees the game well, but if there's a 50/50 or somebody tight to him he gets rid of the ball immediately. I don't want to make '...
We score and then go flat for five minutes
U13s. It's happened enough times that it doesn't feel random now. We score, everyone relaxes a bit, distances get bigger and suddenly we're defending our own bo...
One player dominates every small-sided game
We've got an U12 who is technically very good but in 3v3s and 4v4s he ends up having nearly every touch. The others start watching him. How would you tweak the ...
Moving from 7v7 to 9v9 — the pitch suddenly feels huge
Our U11s are starting to get some 9v9 experience and the biggest difference seems to be how stretched everything becomes. In 7v7 we can stay connected quite nat...
I've been moved from winger to full-back and I keep forgetting the player behind me
I'm U13 and normally play wide midfield. I've started playing full-back in 9v9 and when our team has the ball I feel fine, but when we lose it I sometimes reali...
Players stop after every foul even when advantage is played
They look at the referee, appeal and the attack carries on without them. How do you coach 'play on' without telling players to ignore genuine fouls?
Why are forwards stopping their runs on throw-ins?
You cannot be offside directly from one, so why are they checking the line?
Can the goalkeeper pick up a header from a teammate?
We had a big argument about this on Sunday. One coach said any deliberate ball back means the keeper cannot use their hands, another said a header is fine. What...
A growth spurt has changed my daughter's movement and confidence
Over the summer she grew very quickly and now looks less coordinated, especially changing direction and receiving under pressure. She knows she is not moving li...
Returning to grassroots after academy release
A new player has joined after being released and is clearly talented, but seems embarrassed to be back and puts huge pressure on every performance. How should a...
How do you play through full-pitch man marking?
We played a team that followed players everywhere. Our usual build-up options disappeared because every player waited beside their marker for the ball. What wou...
How should the head coach and assistant split matchday jobs?
we both end up watching the ball, both talk at half time and neither properly manages subs or individual feedback. whats a realistic split that still lets both ...
How do you help an U12 after an own goal?
My son scored an own goal at the weekend and could not move on from it. He kept apologising to teammates and then avoided the ball. The coach was positive, but ...
We are using bigger goals than the 9v9 recommendation
Our venue cannot provide 16x7 goals every week, so some matches are played in larger goals. The games become very high scoring and goalkeepers seem reluctant to...
Subs are going on cold and needing five minutes to settle
Weve got four subs most weeks. They stay involved watching but physically theyre going from standing still to a fast 9v9 game. Do people have a simple warm-up r...
How do you brief a substitute without giving them a lecture?
When a player is about to go on, I can think of five things they need to know about the game. By the time I have explained them, they are overloaded and the sub...
Thirteen players at training – what game structure works?
We often have 13 at U12 and I keep ending up with one player floating between teams or waiting. I want plenty of realistic 9v9 problems but not one huge game wi...
The head coach and assistant are giving opposite instructions
My son is sometimes being told to stay wide by one coach and come inside by the other. Both ideas probably make sense in different moments, but he has started l...
Our striker presses the centre-back but never blocks midfield
Loads of running, one easy pass takes him out. What should he be seeing?
Players scan before the pass, then stop looking
We have worked a lot on checking shoulders before receiving. A few players now do the first scan really well, but once the ball travels they lock onto it and mi...
Do defenders need permission to control a bouncing ball?
Our defenders clear nearly every bouncing ball first time, even when they have space. I understand why they feel safer doing it, but we lose possession immediat...
Is a box midfield useful in 9v9?
A 1-3-4-1 gives us two deeper and two higher midfielders, which could help build-up and central combinations. It also looks crowded and leaves only one forward....
One striker stays offside after the attack breaks down
When we lose the ball, one of our forwards often walks back very slowly and remains beyond the defenders. If we regain it quickly they cannot become involved st...
Our 9v9 pitch changes size almost every week
One week it is wide and spacious, the next it is very narrow. I know there is an allowed range, but our shape looks completely different. Do you adapt the way y...
Should the goalkeeper call for every high ball?
Our keeper has been encouraged to be loud, but now shouts for crosses they cannot realistically reach. Defenders stop attacking the ball because they hear the c...
Eight seconds for the goalkeeper – are coaches counting it in training?
The new law now gives a corner if the goalkeeper controls the ball with their hands for more than eight seconds. I understand the aim is to stop obvious delay, ...
offside is becoming impossible and makes parents moan
how do we get parents to stop moaning about the 'obvious' offside rule?? We are finding it hard to keep them from making a fuss and ruining the game
My son is really tall
My son is really tall for his age and they always play him in defence
Playing out from the back is becoming predictable
Every team we play knows we want the short goal kick. They push three players high and we still keep forcing the same first pass. Surely development includes re...
How high should the back line really be in 9v9?
We want to keep the team connected, but with offside and a big pitch there is always the fear of one ball over the top. Our defenders keep dropping early and th...
Near-post corners or just attack the space?
Do you give U13s actual corner jobs, or keep it simple and let them attack areas?
Is switching play too ambitious for grassroots U13?
We can move the ball across the back line, but the switch is normally so slow that the opposition just shuffle across with it. I am not looking for 40-yard diag...
Pre-match team talk is getting longer every week
We are now talking about shape, their threats, our restarts, pressing and set pieces before the game. It is starting to feel like the players have a checklist b...
How do you develop a number 10 in 9v9 without giving them a free role?
We have a player who sees passes other players do not and is very good between lines. The temptation is to tell them to just find space and let everyone else ba...
Do league tables change how you coach matchday?
At U13 the result now genuinely affects a table, and I would be lying if I said that never changes my thinking. The question is how much should it change it? Is...
Offside trap at U13 – useful or unnecessary?
I have had teams asking defenders to step together and deliberately catch forwards offside. Nothing illegal about it, but I am not sure whether that is a useful...
My son is always the first one subbed because he can play anywhere
The coach says it is easier to make changes because my son can come back on in several positions. I understand the logic, but it means he seems to be the flexib...
playing out with a back three – who gives the width?
we use 1-3-3-2 and when the keeper has it all three defenders sometimes stay narrow. if the outside defenders go really wide the midfield can disappear behind o...
How much heading practice is sensible at U13?
Heading is allowed, but I still do not want a session full of repeated headers. What are people actually doing?
A player understands the role but does not do it under pressure
We have an U13 midfielder who can explain exactly where they should be when we build from the back. In an opposed game they keep getting attracted to the ball a...
When the keeper goes long, what should the rest of us be looking for?
We spend so much time talking about playing out that our longer restarts are basically hopeful kicks. I am not asking for a set pattern, but surely the outfield...
Defending deep – do you leave a player high?
When we are under pressure all eight outfield players end up behind the ball. It makes us compact but when we win it there is nobody to connect with and it come...
Is it worth training throw-ins properly at U13?
Not the technique. I mean what happens after it. We lose loads because everyone stands still and the thrower has no second option.
Should the goalkeeper still be part of possession when we are high up the pitch?
Our keeper is comfortable on the ball, but once we get into the middle third everyone forgets they exist. Against a high press I can see the value of going back...
Do players need one main position by the end of 9v9?
I still rotate, but not as wildly as I did at U10. Some players clearly understand certain roles better now. Is U13 a sensible point to give them a main positio...
Our centre-backs keep trying to win the same header
Two defenders attack the same aerial ball and nobody deals with what drops behind them. Is this just communication, or should they have clearer first/second def...
When we break, everyone runs forward
We win it and suddenly six players are ahead of the ball. Looks great until the first pass is cut out and we are wide open. How do you coach attacking transitio...
Do you ever train 9v9 without goals?
Sometimes I want to work on moving the opposition and keeping the ball, but the second there are goals the players go forward as fast as possible. Is taking the...
Should U13s be told why they are not starting?
I think yes, but I am interested where people draw the line. If a player starts on the bench because someone else has trained better or fits the game better, do...
One 90-minute session – technical or tactical priority?
Our U13 group only gets one 90-minute team session most weeks. It is very easy to spend the whole night on team shape because 9v9 gives you so many tactical pro...
Player has been invited to train up with U14s – good idea during a 9v9 season?
One of ours has been offered occasional U14 training, which means experiencing 11v11 and older players. He is excited, but his U13 team is only just settling in...
Defending throw-ins is causing more problems than taking them
We are okay when it is our throw, but when the opposition have one our players all get attracted to the ball and leave someone free inside. I have been trying t...
Does the number 6 need to stay central in 9v9?
We use a 1-3-3-2 and our deepest midfielder naturally drifts towards the ball. Sometimes it helps us combine, sometimes it leaves the middle completely open if ...
Parents shouting 'offside!' before the flag goes up
Since offside came into the format, half the touchline seems to referee every forward run. The players are starting to stop because an adult has shouted before ...
What should the second defender actually be doing?
Our first defender is getting much better at slowing the attacker down, but the next player either stands directly behind them or dives in from the side. I want...
Is 1-4-3-1 too defensive for U12?
Our coach has changed to a back four and one striker. It looks more secure, but to me the striker spends huge parts of the game isolated and the wide defenders ...
How much should a U12 centre-back be allowed to carry the ball?
We have one who is very comfortable stepping forward with it, but as soon as he crosses halfway adults start shouting for him to pass and get back. If the space...
Our build-up looks good until the opposition press with two
With one striker pressing we can usually find the spare player. When teams send two at our back line, the players rush the first pass and stop seeing the goalke...
How big a 9v9 squad is too big?
We currently have 15 and availability is normally very good. It sounds great until matchday, then six children are technically substitutes and the rotation beco...
One player is always moved to cover everyone else
We have a really reliable player who can do every job. If a defender is missing, she goes back. If midfield is struggling, she moves there. If we need a goal, s...
Do you change the team to protect a lead at U12?
Genuine question rather than a criticism. If you are one goal ahead with ten minutes left, do you make a more defensive change or keep the same development prio...
How much detail on defending crosses at U12?
We keep conceding from balls across the box because everyone looks at the ball and loses runners. I can coach getting goal-side and seeing both, but I do not wa...
Playing through the thirds is becoming playing short at all costs
Our team talks a lot about playing through the thirds. The players now seem to think going long is automatically the wrong choice, even if a forward has made a ...
Do U12 sessions need more physical work now the pitch is bigger?
The jump in running compared with 7v7 feels massive. I know they will get fitter by playing, but part of me thinks we should add some proper running because a f...
Pressing trigger is clear in training and disappears in games
We have worked on going when the pass travels backwards. In the practice they recognise it every time. On Saturday the striker goes, the midfield waits and the ...
My daughter is scared of being offside
Since offside was introduced she keeps checking the assistant instead of making the run. She has been caught a few times and now starts everything too deep. Sho...
Why do coaches keep the quickest player at full-back?
Genuine question. If the player is quick, brave and can beat people, why is pace always used to recover defensively instead of attacking?
How do you coach the striker to come short without losing the threat behind?
Our forward either stays on the last defender all game or comes so deep that nobody stretches the pitch. I want them to understand both movements and what each ...
Our midfield gets played through with one pass
We press well near the ball but the distances behind the first line are huge. One pass into their midfielder and suddenly our back line is exposed. At U13, how ...
U13 going back to 9v9 feels strange to some parents
A few of ours played 11v11 last year and parents keep saying 9v9 is a backwards step. The games actually look faster and the players are involved more, but ther...
When do you actually want the press to start?
Our team can press with loads of energy but it often starts with the striker sprinting at a centre-back from miles away. Everyone else then arrives late. I keep...
Do we need to train the whole 9v9 shape every week?
We only get one proper session a week and I keep feeling like we have to cover the full 9v9 picture because Saturday exposes something different every time. The...
How much time on corners at U12?
We have two or three corner ideas but I am reluctant to spend 20 minutes rehearsing them every week. At 9v9 they can obviously start understanding movement and ...
Our wide players stay wide even when the ball is on the other side
We have worked hard on giving width in possession and I think we may have overdone it. When the ball is on one side, the opposite wide player is often glued to ...
Three defenders or four in 9v9?
I know there is no right answer, but our group looks comfortable in a 1-3-3-2 and much less comfortable with a back four. The argument for four is that it prepa...
My son has suddenly been labelled a defender
He has always played everywhere but since moving into 9v9 he has started nearly every game in the back line. He enjoys it, so this is not a complaint, but he is...
Subs only getting 20 minutes in a 60-minute game
Our squad is 13 and a couple of players regularly seem to get around 20 minutes. The coach says 9v9 is harder to rotate because the shape changes when three or ...
We win it back and immediately give it away again
Our counterpress is not bad, but the moment we regain possession everyone still seems to be in defensive mode. First touch is rushed, first pass is rushed and w...
How do you coach playing against a low block in 9v9?
Most sessions we create pressure and transitions. At the weekend one team put everyone behind the ball and our players had no idea how to move them. We shot fro...
Does training with two teams help or hurt development?
Our U13s are sometimes combined with another age group because numbers are low. It gives better numbers for games, but the coach then has 26 players and very di...
Would you rotate a player out of their best position before a trial?
One of ours has an academy trial in a month and their parent wants them playing only central midfield until then because that is where they are being looked at....
One player keeps shouting at teammates after mistakes
He is one of the better players and clearly cares, but every misplaced pass gets an eye roll or comment. The coach speaks to him and it improves for ten minutes...
Our wide defender gets trapped every time
When our outside defender receives near the touchline, the winger and striker often block the inside passes and force them backwards. We keep telling the player...
Is it wrong to move a struggling player into an easier position?
If a player is having a really difficult game centrally, is moving them wide or into defence helpful because it gives them a simpler picture, or does that send ...
How often should U12s practise penalties?
Now there are cup games, do you actually practise them or just leave it?
Our first touch backwards is killing attacks
A few players receive under pressure and automatically take their first touch back towards our own goal. It keeps the ball but often removes the chance to play ...
Are throw-ins becoming mini set pieces?
Some teams we play have three planned movements every throw. Ours basically move and play. At U12 are we missing something by not organising them more?
What do you do when one player dominates every build-up?
Our deepest midfielder is very good and everyone looks for them. It helps us keep the ball, but the other midfielders are becoming passengers because the same p...
How much do you correct body shape in a game?
I can see players receiving square and getting trapped, but I also do not want to shout 'open up' every two minutes. Is this something you mainly fix in trainin...
Our goalkeeper comes too far and gets chipped
We have encouraged the keeper to be higher and sweep behind the defence. Now they are starting almost on the edge of the box even when there is no pressure on t...
Do you coach the third-player run at U13?
We can create a wall pass but the next player often stands watching rather than running beyond. I think they are ready to see the idea of a third player arrivin...
We defend the box but nobody pressures the cut-back
Our back line recovers well into the goal area, but every low cross gets pulled back to somebody free around the edge. Everyone seems to protect the goal line a...
Should an U13 number 6 ever drop between the centre-backs?
I see it in academy games and our deepest midfielder naturally does it when the centre-backs split. Sometimes it creates a nice three, other times it just leave...
Our attacks always finish with a cross
We have good wide players and nearly every attack ends with the ball going into the box from the side. Teams have started sitting deep and dealing with it easil...
Should U13 parents be told about playing-time expectations before the season?
We had a lot of frustration last year because some families assumed equal minutes and the coach thought everyone understood that competition increases with age....
How do you coach rest defence in 9v9 without using that phrase?
When we attack with numbers, the players behind the ball switch off because they are not directly involved. Then one clearance beats four of us. I want them thi...
Should U13s be learning to slow a game down?
We are very good when the match is frantic, but when we are leading we still play every restart at full speed and turn it into end-to-end football. Is recognisi...
Our midfield triangle keeps becoming a straight line
In a 1-3-3-2 the three midfielders often end up level with each other, especially when we build from the back. It makes them easy to mark and kills passing angl...
Would you ever leave your best player on the bench to develop the team?
Not as a punishment. More that the whole group can become dependent on one strong midfielder and stop solving problems themselves. Is deliberately starting with...
We cannot defend a striker who pins the centre-back
One strong forward keeps backing into our central defender, holding the ball and bringing runners into play. Our defender either tries to come around and gets r...
Some U13s are physically miles ahead – how do you keep sessions fair?
We have two players who are already much stronger and faster than most of the group. In 1v1 work they dominate, but I do not want to handicap them for being ear...
How do you stop the back line dropping after one ball over the top?
We conceded once from a direct ball and after that all three defenders played ten yards deeper for the rest of the game. Midfield then had a huge gap to cover. ...
Do you let U13s decide their own set-piece takers?
Corners, free kicks, pens. Coach picks or players sort it?
When should a centre-back pass into a forward's feet through midfield?
We talk about playing through midfield, but sometimes the striker is free between the lines and the centre-back can find them directly. One of our midfielders g...
Should you analyse the opposition at U13?
I am not talking about dossiers. But if you know a team always builds through one player or leaves space behind their wide defenders, is it useful to tell U13s ...
Players appealing for every decision instead of playing on
This has become a bad habit in our U13 games. Arms go up for offside, fouls and throw-ins while the ball is still live. Would coaches actually sanction it inter...
our number 8 keeps standing next to the 10
both want the ball between lines and they end up in the same space. if one comes short the other follows. any simple way to coach them to recognise different he...
How do you coach stopping a counter without coaching fouls?
I do not mean telling kids to kick someone. But when a counter starts, our players either dive in recklessly or let the attacker run through. Is there a legitim...
Should U13 strikers press the goalkeeper?
With keepers comfortable with their feet, our forwards sprint at the keeper every time. Sometimes it forces a mistake, but often it just takes them out of the g...
Do we praise the assist enough?
Feels like goals still get 90% of the attention. At U13 the pass before the finish can be the best action in the whole move.
Should an U12 know why we are changing formation mid-game?
We moved from a back three to a back four at half-time last week because the opposition had two very high wide players. It worked, but I realised I just told th...
Our goalkeeper never moves with the back line
When we have the ball in the opposition half our keeper stays almost on the six-yard line. It means any ball over the top becomes a race from miles away and we ...
Do you teach midfield rotations at U12 or is that too much?
Our three midfielders are starting to understand their own jobs but become confused if one drops and another needs to fill the space. I can see the benefit of r...
One centre-back steps out and nobody covers
Our left centre-back is brave and likes getting tight to a striker who drops in. The problem is the other defenders often stay exactly where they were, so the s...
We keep forcing passes into a marked striker
The players can see our striker showing for the ball and seem to think that means they have to give it to them. Quite often the defender is touch-tight and the ...
Can you have too much possession at U12?
We had nearly all the ball at the weekend but created almost nothing. Lots of safe passes across the back and into midfield, then back again. I am pleased they ...
Should parents know the formation before matchday?
Our coach sends the starting shape in the parents group the night before. I can see why it feels organised, but it also creates a lot of chat about where childr...
How do you stop the midfield dropping onto the defenders' toes?
When our goalkeeper has the ball all three midfielders come towards it because they want to help. We then have five or six players in our own third and nobody b...
Are full-backs overlapping too early?
Both of ours love getting forward which is great, but sometimes they start the overlap before the winger has even controlled the ball. That drags another defend...
What does good communication actually sound like at U12?
We keep telling the players to talk more, then the game is full of 'man on', 'time' and people shouting names. I am not convinced volume is the same as useful c...
Child is very small for U12 and getting knocked off the ball
My son is technically fine but is one of the smallest in the group and 9v9 has made the physical differences much more obvious. He is starting to release the ba...
When should the goalkeeper play into midfield directly?
We usually build through the defenders, but our goalkeeper can clip a good pass into a midfielder who has pulled away from pressure. Some coaches seem to dislik...
The nearest player always runs towards the ball after we lose it
Our first reaction on transition is basically everyone sprinting towards whoever has the ball. Sometimes it wins it back, but if the opponent escapes the first ...
Why do some coaches hate central players dribbling?
Wide players seem to be encouraged to take people on, but if a central midfielder dribbles and loses it everyone panics. Surely sometimes carrying through midfi...
How do you coach defending when the striker drops into midfield?
Our centre-backs either follow the striker all the way and leave a huge space behind, or ignore them completely and the striker turns. I know the answer depends...
Are we overcoaching goal kicks?
We have three goal-kick setups now depending on how the opposition press. The players can perform them in training but on Saturday they are looking at us waitin...
My child barely touches the ball as the high striker
He enjoys playing up front but in some games the team cannot get out and he is isolated for long periods. The coach says he needs to learn patience and stay hig...
Do you need a captain at U12?
Ours changes every week. Seems fine to me. Interested if anyone gives the role more meaning at 9v9.