Constraints, and CLA

The goals you use, the area you use, the rules you make - These are all constraints

Here are my favorites

• If it happens in a game, use it

  • Time limits. Shorter time limits (final 2 minutes of the game, for example) offer intensity

    • Short amounts of work allow for active recovery and coaching moments. You could try inter-leaving.

  • Target players

  • Goals

    • A big goal with a goal keeper. All day. Build to it, from it, work on set pieces, work on midfield breaking lines. You can do everything.

    • Alternative goals

      • These will all have an unintended consequence.

        • Cones - players will shoot low, and likely not very hard - don’t want to argue if it went in or not.

        • Pop up goals - Different type of shot, resulting in just getting it in, and likely from close so they do not miss.

        • Flags - Bigger shots, can make the goal wider for more realism, but still keeping shots low to avoid going ‘over’

      • There is nothing wrong, if these are all you have. But observe your players behaviors due to the equipment on offer.

    • Goal alternative - End zone

      • I love using end zones because they replicate breaking a line. Getting into the end zone (which is behind a line of pressure) can be done with a pass or a dribble, both of which my players will use to break lines and help our team attack.

    • Rewards

      • Counter-attacking goals scored in ‘x’ time (5 seconds, 10 seconds - depending on size of the field) are worth 2.

      • A combination and goal is worth 2

      • Using the keeper to recycle the ball and switch is worth half a goal

        • Incentives for attempting to use our focus help too -

          • Combination, and shot, but no goal = a goal in practice

      • We celebrate any time our players attempt this, hence the half or full goal award.

      • Keep track if you use rewards like this - it has to count. So, the winners can decide the goal they defend/attack, or they can play non-pinnies etc etc.

      • NO PUNISHMENTS, in my world anyway - reward winners. We want a winning mentality.

Here are (I think) the worst.

• If it doesn’t happen in a game, don’t use it

  • 5 passes before you score

  • Everyone has to touch the ball before it can be shot

  • Can only score in opponents half/after a cross/combination

    • A goal is a goal. See above for rewards versus ‘punishments’

  • Neutrals

    • I use +1 or +2 in positional play activities, but they are rarely in the middle of the game.

    • Play 4v3 instead of 3v3 with all time offense - no luxury players!

As always, this is my opinion, derived from my experience. It’s not right or wrong and what you are doing is good if it looks like the game and translates to success on the weekend.

Listen to the discussion I had with a CLA specialist on my podcast.