How Attacking Patterns Influence Style of Play

Attacking combinations help with:
Positional Play
Combination Play
Timing of Runs
Finishing
And many more aspects of the game
They help paint pictures for the players
Basic passing combinations need to be practiced a lot to
establish the correct passing and receiving techniques
before introducing pattern play.
Also... Remember that this is just one aspect of training,
there is a whole methodology to aid player development.
Players must be trained in all aspects such as ball mastery,
1v1 moves, 1v1 duels, passing combinations,
rondos/possession exercises, pattern play, phases of play,
etc etc... and for both attacking and defending.
See Grant Heywood's KZbin channel for more.

[@jakehino6390]

Gotta admit...impressive work! It's hard working with young kids and teaching them the basics of passing, control game and playing as a unit. I'm a high school soccer coach and I'm constantly looking, getting new ideas that I like and feel my team needs...I use something similar to this drill but I'm definitely gonna give this a try this week...thanks for uploading the video

[@rexlaw1398]

honestly, this is so useful to build up a concept of attack.

[@didsy14]

Lovely work there Grant!

[@fabiGBOtown]

Congratulations coach, you've implemented a seriously fluid style of play on your team.

[@johndlamini3909]

Thanks boss you are yet to see the best team sir

[@planmed2807]

Incredible training +v good results 👍🏻😍😍😍

[@rylandwhitaker2183]

I like this. Most youth teams don't do enough passing patterns early so the soccer IQ of kids is pretty low compared to others. I think we should be teaching the hows and whys more so they understand the big picture better. Why do we pass it backwards? Why do we play the direction we face? US youth soccer is filled with so many 1 v 1 kids who don't understand how to utilize their teammates in open space. I coached basket ball for 8 years and we see it there as well. The younger they learn this stuff, the better for them overall.

[@pn5487]

Great work. I love it

[@hmsamiee]

Learned a lot as a player ❤️ Thanks mate!

[@hcoker09]

absolutely beautiful

[@bencole4268]

Superb Grant!

[@ponyboy10tekkerz84]

Great video we implement the same system with our U8 team, we have been working with these kids for 2 years now having them play in rec soccer leagues to playing big tournaments and winning, we currently playing in the SCDSL and are one of the top teams in SO-CAL. I believe that when you have a group of young talented athletes that already possess the basic skills that most kids their age don't have there would not be any reason not to set the bar high for them. Meaning having them develop at an advanced stage I see a lot of comments as too why kids this age are being trained this way. What we don't know is the hard work the team might be putting in to get where they are specially playing competitive soccer. Seems like these boys are past the point where we need to show them how to properly trap and kick a ball.

[@odanetaylor-hue5836]

This is brilliant!!!!!!

[@argenysmelendez6460]

Awesome coach 👍⚽️

[@pablosouza2687]

Good stuff mate. I really love teaching patterns from early age. I would suggest less square passes though? You wanna break lines using diagonal passes.

[@region1]

Grant, can you post more videos with attacking pattern exercises? These are extremely helpful. Thank you.

[@senolbulut1304]

Absolutely top notch!? Can I please ask why you not have any more supportive videos like this one? It would be great to have some more training drills videos on how you get them to this play. You have some informative text on this video what drills they need to do but can't see you actually doing them Considering this video uploaded 4 years ago and they play 7 aside (in England you play 7 aside upto U9 with no offside, in your video it days 7 aside but there is offside so don't know where this place is) if you are still coaching (or if you have any training drills to support/help us to create this pattern of play) can you please send some links to the videos. Honestly Grant , this is absolutely top notch play, I will definitely try this on my next training with my U10s Thank you for sharing

[@kabethiken]

Great stuff man, I really like the use of space, the passing combo creamed by the players movement. Following keenly to learn more to implement in our soccer academy.

[@AF879Official]

Team work is good Congrats!

[@pdreact3423]

wow.... wow..... amazing

[@ericg9999]

That was pretty cool ;)

[@arazhajiyev236]

great!!!

[@16Pabs]

interesting. Do the players ever need to improvise? massive field for U10, seems like a lot of space out there. not knocking your video, i think its impressive they got this so young.

[@ousmansusso7990]

I love it

[@osmanaguilar5645]

Great vídeo

[@Matchey2]

Very good 👏👏

[@tg4655]

It would be nice to see them implement this organically. I have seen comments that it's programmed or rehearsed. Just foundation for kids. A blend in training is good. Nothing's off here.

[@lucia201189]

Good stuff & what young players should be learning passing movement positional play . All this encouraging players to run with the ball is from individuals who dont understand what football is about

[@steezy5960]

Nice

[@kevinryan664]

It seemed that the outside left mid player was back passing even when not under pressure. Are you OK with that, and teach the decision on when to attack and when to pass later? Or was I missing the situation that made the back pass the better option? I like that they are not afraid to go backwards with the ball. Just curious if I was missing something there. Thanks for the videos!

[@GrantHeywoodSoccerCoach]

Kevin R Good point. The players receive goals tri monthly and sometimes more frequent than that. This player in particular has been assigned 3 goals and one of those goals is to develop his ability of playing first time passes but also knowing when and where to play first time passes. The goals help them focus on different aspects of their game. They then experiment with these goals and learn when and where they can utilise these skills through trial and error. In this case, you're right, he chose to play first time when it was probably the right time to go forwards. 9 year olds are no finished articles but by setting individual goals, we as coaches can guide them to grow and develop through trial and error. (Receiving a pass and taking on a player has definitely been visited.) Development is a process

[@kevinryan664]

Thanks for the reply! To be clear I was not knocking or criticizing in any way. I struggle to bring these concepts to the players in a way that doesn't confuse them; I see something like this, and know this is the way I want them to play. but I struggle with a way to deliver the message. Thanks again for the detailed breakdown! PS; those goals created around the 7 minute mark were awesome!

[@barryscullion]

Maybe have a player start the passing sequence, the coach has had more passing practice than some of the players. I like the idea of trying to teach patterns, curious to know was it beneficial for long term learning considering the age bracket? Thanks for sharing.

[@GrantHeywoodSoccerCoach]

barry scullion Thanks for the message Barry. Having an assistant take part is not what I had planned for. But for the exercise to flow necessary in order to maximise touches and flow, I added the assistant. 2 players at each position except for the center back positions and goalkeeper. As for the actual exercise, players worked on a number of aspects of their technical game. Quality of passing and receiving, correctly passing the ball first time and ensuring the ball runs smoothly (avoid chopping the ball into the ground or up in the air) choosing the correct weight of pass for a through ball, timing of runs, combination play, playing passes across goal, finishing, the list is endless. Not only that, it helps paint pictures for them in regards to developing the basics of tactical understanding. The patterns are not to be, 'this is the only way we can penetrate' but they are purely ideas of how the ball can move around the field to advance up the field. This is also an exercise before opposition is introduced and then they can develop their techniques of playing combinations and also utilise 1v1 moves when the situation arises. It is all about helping them make good choices. Pattern play is not visited too frequently with this age group but I do think it helps to introduce it as I did here. At this age, all my sessions include ball skills/mastery followed by an exercise to utilise the ball skills. I then move on to the main topic of the session. I ensure that in every single session, they get a high dosage of individual ball skills and an opposed exercise to practice those skills. Even in this session they had already completed 15-20 minutes of ball skills before performing in a 1v1 exercise that progressed. Every session I make sure of this. (I also visit rondos/possession exercises in majority of sessions. In all with age groups just a little older than these and majority with this age group.) So after the 25-30 minutes of developing individual techniques with and without opposition, I then moved onto pattern play to develop all of the above and then introduced opposition and built to a game. Remember that these exercises are to be taken and manipulated in which ever way you see benefit. Thanks for the comment. I truly understand your concerns that you highlighted but as commented, I do think there are benefits to visiting pattern play, not just from the tactical stand point but also for the technical skills that are addressed. Also, as mentioned in the description, basic passing and receiving exercises must be practiced a lot to gain the techniques required for pattern play.

[@johnramos5727]

@@GrantHeywoodSoccerCoach sounds good coach I also believe pattern of play is good to paint pictures, just curious how long are your sessions? Trying to fit in individual ball skills, exercises to apply those skills- the pattern of play and then adding opponents to that. How long do you spend in each exercise to get them enough reps in each part.

[@GrantHeywoodSoccerCoach]

John Ramos shoot me an email at [e-mail]

[@randomystic8602]

These kids play better than my social high school team 😂😂😂

[@12132403]

Very impressive, it doesn’t take long for the kids to learn they are like a little sponge they are fast learners. If you teach them well

[@jordankenny6]

just wondering if the players also know why they are encouraged to play some of the passes that your combinations introduce as at that young age i find they just copy and repeat without understanding why they are making them passes i.e to draw the opposition out to create space behind. Im also curious as to what country/city this was played as the pitch size seems a comfortable 9v9 and offsides aren't introduced until under 12 9v9 in England

[@brunoagustinho9895]

👍👍👏👏👏

[@MaxGravitas]

Very good. Very intrigued by it but found it difficult to follow in the video with the extra kids on the side (what are they doing?) and the camera so far away. Some additional messages or narration would be a big help.

[@GrantHeywoodSoccerCoach]

There are 2 players per position (except the CB) to allow fluidity to the exercise and periodised rest time to finish the exercise and jog back to position to go again.

[@atallpa]

I love your stuff but im not agree to teach from that age. I believe childs should enjoy first and aquire technic aspects rather tactic movements. But are amazing exercise you present.

[@tresspy19]

Really?, where did you see the tactics, patterns are a natural flow of the team play, so the players learn how to pass and move on the field, how to overlap or attack the spaces, that isnt tactics. Soccer is a game of 11 players at this age 7v7, kids must learn that passing is a skill and it requires years to be developed, and you have to do it a long with the skills, when to dribble when to pass, you are right they must enjoy the game, in a game where there is only one ball and 14 players on the field if one player doesnt touch the ball I don't think that player will enjoy the game, passing makes the game more enjoyable, if you do not agree this teaching then you should get your kids to play something else, this is football , football!!

[@michaelgomesvieira1039]

Team looks very well drilled

[@rm7595]

Just a question: Your defensive formation (cones) as a 4-2-1. In a 7v7 game, would a 3-2-1 or a 2-3-1 not be more appropriate? Unless, I'm reading your setup incorrectly.

[@GrantHeywoodSoccerCoach]

Since the attacks were taking place on both wings, the nearest 3 defenders would be an approximate position of the back 3 when they have shifted over... the furthest or 4th "mannequin" is non existent...

[@diegosanudo8848]

Nice when you play against Macarena.

[@svenrasmussen9825]

How does the rotation work?

[@GrantHeywoodSoccerCoach]

There are 2 players per position (except the CB) to allow fluidity to the exercise and periodised rest time to finish the exercise and jog back to position to go again in the same position.

[@Nuordeis]

how old are they?

[@pihilohernandez3676]

Muhammad Nur Iskandar

[@mugzybrown]

I look at this and think how much better things would be if we just had shorter grass and smoother fields

[@jimelias3395]

This video shows what we are not doing

[@rafaelparaskeva6916]

good explaining about the play but man. They are mere kids. They should be learning how to drible and control the ball. This kind of tactic sessions should be focused on 12+ and idont think they are above 12

[@GrantHeywoodSoccerCoach]

Thanks for the message Rafa. As for the actual exercise, players worked on a number of aspects of their technical game. Quality of passing and receiving, correctly passing the ball first time and ensuring the ball runs smoothly (avoid chopping the ball into the ground or up in the air) choosing the correct weight of pass for a through ball, timing of runs, combination play, playing passes across goal, finishing, the list is endless. Not only that, it helps paint pictures for them in regards to developing the basics of tactical understanding. The patterns are not to be, 'this is the only way we can penetrate' but they are purely ideas of how the ball can move around the field to advance up the field. This is also an exercise before opposition is introduced and then they can develop their techniques of playing combinations and also utilise 1v1 moves when the situation arises. It is all about helping them make good choices. Pattern play is not visited too frequently with this age group but I do think it helps to introduce it as I did here. At this age, majority of sessions include ball skills/mastery followed by an exercise to utilise the ball skills. Then move on to the main topic of the session. High dosage of individual ball skills and an opposed exercise to practice those skills. Even in this session they had already completed 15-20 minutes of ball skills before performing in a 1v1 exercise that progressed. So in the session, after the 25-30 minutes of developing individual techniques with and without opposition, I then moved onto pattern play to develop all of the above and then introduced opposition and built to a game. Remember that these exercises are to be taken and manipulated in which ever way you see benefit. Thanks for the comment. I truly understand your concerns that you highlighted but as commented, I do think there are benefits to visiting pattern play, not just from the tactical stand point but also for the technical skills that are addressed. Also, as mentioned in the description, basic passing and receiving exercises must be practiced a lot to gain the techniques required for pattern play.

[@hellg0ded]

repeating the same pattern too much kills development

[@user-nl3bn1gw3j]

These players didn’t play with opponents.