4v2 Rondo (3 outside, 1 inside) — Attack
Technique and individual/group tactics in possession
Players: 4+2Area: 15×15 mAge: U-10 and upTime: 15 minLevel: IntermediateIntensity: MediumPhase: Keeping the ball, progressing
Focus: Carrying dribble, Ball control, Support
Use this when…
- Players rush passes when there is no passing lane and lose the ball.
- Passing lanes disappear, and players stop moving even though they are not supporting.
Setup & rules
- Attackers: three outside, one in the middle (as in the diagram)
- The middle player is fixed and always holds the central position
- The outside players move freely
- When the ball is won, roles switch — the middle player also swaps with an outside player
Key factors
- When there is no passing lane, the ball carrier dribbles to buy time
- If a supporting player has no lane, they move again to create a new one
- Always watch the second defender
- If pressed while receiving, escape the pressure with your first touch
- After escaping the press with a touch or a dribble, always lift your head and scan
Questions to ask your players
- Where can you move to receive a pass?
- What can you do when there is no passing lane?
What success looks like
When there is no passing lane, do players genuinely try to keep the ball?
Progressions
- Allow the middle player to drift into outside spaces
- When that happens, an outside player must always fill the middle
Kazu's notes FROM THE COACH
- If defenders only hunt interceptions and never press the ball carrier, push them to press actively
- Don't let the focus on passing get too strong: encourage keeping the ball (dribbling)
- Prompt the decision: is there a passing lane or not — keep it or release it
Use this drill in your own session
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I'm Kazu — a youth football coach in Japan since 1995. These are sessions I actually use, shared from the Japanese coaching site I have run for years (Junior Soccer College). I also write a free weekly
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