Passing
Technical Passing Drill: Up and Down with Two in the Middle
Play a quick passing pattern at match tempo: check off a defender to receive, lay off and set first time, time a forward run to meet the ball, and switch play with a firm diagonal.
Duration
15 min
Total drill time
Players
8
Recommended
Pitch
Full Pitch
Setup space
Level
Intermediate
Skill required
Intensity
Medium
Physical demand
Age band
U9-U10
Any format
Setup & instructions
Mark out a channel about 16 metres wide and 26 metres long with a marker at each corner, and a marker halfway up each side. Put two mannequins on the middle line, 10 metres apart, facing the starting end, and one player just beside each. Two players start on each marker at the starting end with the balls, and one on each marker at the far end. Going up: the front player on the bottom right takes a touch and plays in to the near middle player, who steps down off his mannequin and lays it off first time to the bottom left. Bottom left plays it up to the far middle player, who checks down off his mannequin and sets it first time into the run of the player who started it, now running up the right past the side marker. He plays the diagonal to the top left and runs on round the outside of the far end to the back of the top right line. Bottom left runs up the outside of the left to the top left marker. The top left player takes a touch and the same pattern comes back down, with the two middle players now playing the other way round. The next player on each marker steps up when the one in front goes. Swap the middle players every few minutes.
Setup time: 5 min
Tactical breakdown
The drill is a passing pattern that moves the ball from one end of a channel to the other through two players in the middle, then comes straight back the other way. It practises the passes a team uses to get the ball up the pitch: in to a midfielder, a lay-off, a pass forwards, a set into a runner and a switch of play.
The two middle players do the work a central midfielder does all game. Each one stands beside a mannequin, which plays the part of a defender. Before the ball comes to him, he checks away from it and then comes to the ball, so he receives in space with an open body. The near one lays it off sideways first time; the far one sets it forwards into a runner. Because the pattern turns round every time, each middle player has to read which way the play is going and which job he has next.
The outside players work on timing. The player who starts it sets off up the side as soon as he has played in, and arrives to meet the set at speed rather than waiting for it. His diagonal to the far end has to be on the ground and firm, so the far player can take one touch and play in. Then both starters run on to the far end, which keeps the drill moving and gives everyone a turn from both sides.
The two middle players stay in the middle for a block of time, so swap them every few minutes. Coaches who want specific work for their midfielders can keep their central players there for longer.
How to run this drill
- Set the channel. Mark a channel about 16 m wide and 26 m long with a marker at each corner and one halfway up each side. Put two mannequins on the middle line, 10 m apart, with a player beside each.
- Touch and in. The front player on the bottom right takes a touch and plays in to the near middle player, who steps down off his mannequin.
- Lay it off. The near middle player lays it off first time to the bottom left.
- Up to the far middle player. Bottom left plays it up to the far middle player, who checks down off his mannequin.
- Set into the run. The far middle player sets it first time into the run of the player who started it, running up the right.
- Diagonal to the far end. The runner plays the diagonal to the top left player, then runs on to the back of the top right line. Bottom left runs up the outside to the top left marker.
- Back down. The top left player takes a touch and the same pattern comes back down. Swap the middle players every few minutes.
Coaching focus
FROM SESSION PLANCoaching points
- Middle players: check away from the mannequin first, then come to the ball so you can receive in space
- Open your body before the ball arrives so the lay-off and the set can be first time
- Lay-off and set into the runner's stride, not to his feet
- Starter: time the run up the side so you meet the set at speed, not stood waiting
- Diagonal on the ground and firm, to the far player's front foot
- Far end player: a positive first touch out of your feet, then play in
- Run on to the far end straight away so the pattern never stops
Common mistakes
- Middle players standing still behind the mannequin and receiving with their back to play
- Lay-offs and sets played to the runner's feet, so he has to stop
- Starter setting off too late and waiting for the set
- Diagonal lofted or under-hit, so the far player cannot play in first time
- Starters walking to the far end, so the next pattern has nobody to play to
Progressions & regressions
VARIATIONSProgressions
- Every pass first time, including the far end player
- Add a second ball so both ends play at once
- A passive defender on each middle player instead of the mannequins
- Race it: count how many times the ball goes end to end in two minutes
Regressions
- Allow a touch before every pass
- Shorten the channel to 20 metres
- Walk the pattern through once each way before playing it at speed
Explore more drills
LIBRARYReady to run this drill?
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