3v2 Rondo — Choosing Outside or Inside Support
Support play: choosing between outside and inside (the gap)
Use this when…
In formations with vertical relationships (like a 3-3-1), players struggle to create diagonal support angles.
Setup & rules
- Three attackers keep the ball inside the grid
- Two defenders; when they win the ball, roles switch
- If one defender ends up defending for a long stretch, rotate that player to attack instead of the one who won the ball
Key factors
- Supporting players read the defenders and choose outside or inside (the gap) support — watch where the defenders are and where the pressure comes from, and keep creating a safe passing lane or the lane the defenders hate most
- If the pass comes before the support is in position, the receiver cannot shape their body — so create time first (hold the ball, draw a defender) and give the supporting player time to prepare
- If the ball carrier dribbles into your space, move away or overlap to free the space
- The pressing player goes to win the ball, not just to cut passes
- The covering defender closes the gap, forces the pass wide, then hunts it
Questions to ask your players
- Is it better to receive inside, or stay outside (wide)?
- When your passing lane disappears, can you move inside or outside — which one?
What success looks like
- A supporting player quickly moves again the moment their passing lane (passing line) disappears
- Higher-level judgment: deliberately NOT moving after reading a teammate's supporting run
Progressions
- Variation: when defenders win the ball, they must dribble it out of the grid or find a teammate waiting outside — this keeps play continuous
- Touch limits (e.g. two-touch) are possible but not really recommended here: they remove the time needed to wait for support, and passing gets sloppy
Kazu's notes FROM THE COACH
Coaching point: early on, attackers tend to stay wide and static, and passing lanes get predictable. Prompt them: "Not only outside — look for the space between the defenders (the gap) too." "Moving in between the defenders works as well."
Under pressure, players tend to rush their passes. Prompt: "Don't panic — keep the ball." "Look carefully at the defenders first, then decide."
Use this drill in your own session
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