Moving Up to 11-a-Side

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Moving from the smaller 7-a-side games to the 11-a-side format presents a number of problems that you the coach have to solve. Over the next few months I will make it easier for you to make that transition. I've done it twice with both my sons' teams.

Divide up the pitch in your mind

The first mistake you can make as a coach is to look at it as 11v11. It is too much to take in, especially on match days. The key is to divide the pitch up in your mind into lots of small matches. 1v1, 2v1, 2v2 and 3v2 are the situations you need to think about. Tackle it this way and you will find it much easier to manage the 11v11 situation.

Focus on attacking options

Focus on your right back. When your midfield player is running at the defender think about how the right back can help out. If the right back goes on an overlapping run the midfielder can take out the defender with a pass to the right back who crosses it into the box. The defender is in control on a 1v1 situation with the midfielder but once the right back has overlapped he is outnumbered. All over the pitch teams can make numerical advantage work by supporting, passing and moving.

Play the numbers game

Last week we talked about how to get your players to dribble. This is ideal to create numerical advantage, because as soon as your players run at the opposition and beat a player they are taking one of their defenders out and giving themselves a numerical advantage.

Defenders should outnumber attackers

When your team is defending, your set up is important. The reason for 4-4-2 formations is to have more defenders than the opposition has attackers. Even if one of your defenders is taken out then the numerical advantage is yours. Your defense must always play with numerical advantage at the back in 11-a-side games so that if there is a problem you have players to cover.

Numerical advantage is a winner

So think numbers, all over the pitch, defense midfield attack, the team that creates the numerical advantage when you start 11-a-side matches will win the majority of their games.