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7v7•U10•In Possession

Receiving from the keeper with your back to play

Asked by coast_84
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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 simple detail would you use to help them receive in a better position without turning build-up into a pattern?

VERIFIED COACH RESPONSE

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@CoachJavierMoreno

UEFA B Coach

receiving • support angles • playing through pressure • combination play

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First, see the next picture: the receiver is currently looking only at the goalkeeper, not at the space or the opponent. At U10, players often equate 'showing' with 'moving toward the ball,' which inadvertently fixes their eyes on the pass rather than the game. The real issue is that they are receiving with their back to the pitch, which forces a blind turn under pressure. Teach them to look for the 'open shoulder' position. Instead of running directly to the keeper, encourage them to curve their movement so they receive on their side-on posture. This allows them to see the ball, the encroaching defender, and the teammate ahead simultaneously. On the grass, use a simple visual cue: 'show your number to the sideline, not the keeper.' When they start receiving with their body already angled toward the target, the pass is no longer a trap, but a starting point for the next advantage.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

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K

KitchenTable82

Coach

We had players doing this because showing for the keeper had become the whole job. They sprinted straight towards the ball and only thought about the next action after receiving it. I started asking them to arrive where they could see the keeper and one other player at the same time. No fixed pattern, just that picture. In a small game I also gave a point when the first receiver could play forward with their second touch. It encouraged a better angle without me telling them exactly where to stand.

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