SO YOU DO HAVE A PARTNER TO WORK WITH OR A WALL TO KICK AGAINST?
IF SO, TRY SOME OF THE CHALLENGES BELOW!
MWFA Coach Development Manager Eugene Lawrenz has filmed himself practising all sorts of different skills that players can practice against a wall or with a partner passing back and forth or serving to them. All you need is one ball.
All top players worked on their technique in their own time outside of team training. so motivated players should always spend extra time practicing at home on their own to develop their skills.
Note: isolated/individual training like this should only ever be in addition to team training, not instead of team training, because football is a team sport. It is ALWAYS better for coaches to ensure players practice these types of skills with teammates, opponents and goals in every exercise, so there is communication and decision making involved, not just execution (just like all football actions they will perform in a match).
Passing
Lateral First Touch | Outside First Touch | Headers and Double Headers |
| Touch the ball across your body with the inside of your foot then pass it towards a specific point on the wall flat and with power – get a good rhythm going | Touch the ball out from your feet with the outside of your foot then pass it towards a specific point on the wall flat and with power – get a good rhythm going | Head the ball with your forehead upwards towards a specific point on the wall as many times as you can in a row – try double touches as well |
One Touch Passing (Inside) | One Touch Passing (Laces) | One Touch Passing (Outside) |
| Pass the ball with the inside of your foot towards a specific point on the wall flat and with power – get a good rhythm going and try different distances | Pass the ball with the laces of your foot towards a specific point on the wall flat and with power – get a good rhythm going and try different distances | Pass the ball with the outside of your foot towards a specific point on the wall flat and with power – get a good rhythm going and try different distances |
Volleys
2 Touch Inside Passes | 2 Touch Laces Volleys | 2 Touch Laces Strikes |
| Bounce the ball off the wall and control it with your thigh or chest then pass it with the inside of your foot towards a specific point flat and with power | Bounce the ball off the wall and control it with your thigh or chest then volley it with the laces of your foot so it bounces back to your hands | Bounce the ball off the wall and control it with your thigh or chest then strike it with the laces of your foot towards a specific point flat and with power |
Inside Volleys (One Bounce) | Laces Volleys (One Bounce) | Behind Leg Volleys (One Bounce) |
| Volley the ball with the inside of your foot towards a specific point on the wall after one bounce – get a good rhythm going and try different distances | Volley the ball with the laces of your foot towards a specific point on the wall after one bounce – get a good rhythm going and try different distances | Volley the ball with the inside of your foot behind your standing leg towards a specific point on the wall after one bounce – get a good rhythm going |
2 Touch Inside Volleys (No Bounces) | 2 Touch Laces Volleys (No Bounces) | Inside Volleys (One Touch) |
| Throw the ball at the wall and control it with your thigh then volley it with the inside of your foot towards a specific point – get a good rhythm going | Throw the ball at the wall and control it with your thigh then volley it with the laces of your foot towards a specific point – get a good rhythm going | Throw the ball at the wall then volley it with the inside of your foot towards a specific point – get a good rhythm going and try different distances |