4v4+4+4 penalty area

Posted2025-02-06

Updated2025-02-07

By205 Academy

Video

Description

The game is played entirely within the penalty area using two teams with a neutral goalkeeper. As shown, each team has 4 players within the penalty area and 4 players around the outside of the penalty area. Initially, players must stay in their assigned roles – either inside or outside the penalty area. Players on the outside do not mark each other.

The game starts with one team in possession. The team in possession is attempting to score on goal. While in possession, they can pass to teammates within the penalty area or to teammates outside the penalty area. A possession will end in one of four outcomes:

A goal is scored. The team scoring the goal retains possession with a restart with one of the players outside the penalty area.

Blue scores, retains possession (highlighted player)

The goalkeeper makes a save. The defending team restarts with the ball outside the penalty area.

Goalkeeper makes save on Red attacker, players ball to outside Blue player

A shot is taken, which misses the goal. The defending team restarts with the ball outside the penalty area.

Blue attacker misses shot, game restarts with highlighted Red player

The team in possession turns the ball over to the opponent. The opponent must play a ball to a teammate outside the penalty area before they are allowed to score. If successful in playing the ball outside, the possession rules are reset. Until the ball is played outside successfully, the team that lost the ball may attempt to recover it and immediately score without requiring a pass to an outside teammate.

Blue loses possession to Red – Red must pass ball outside to reset

Scoring

Teams score 1 point for scoring a goal. Adjustments or bonuses can be applied based on the type of finish or the build-up to the finish. For example, a 1-touch finish may count for 2 points, a header finish for 3 points, and so on. Modifications to the scoring system will be based on the coach’s specific objectives for the session.

Progressions/Adjustments

An important progression involves the actions of the outside players when they receive the ball from an interior player. As initially described, the outside players serve as bumpers, returning the ball to the area. An alternative is to require outside players to enter the penalty area immediately, with a teammate replacing them outside to retain numbers.

Interior Blue passes to teammate on edge who must enter the penalty area with the ball – nearest teammate switches

The outcome of this progression is that players on the outside need to be constantly prepared to attack the area before receiving the ball. In contrast, nearby teammates must prepare to swap roles inside to outside when the outside pass occurs. Generally, this will result in increased communication among the team – to direct traffic and encourage aggressive actions (pass or shoot).

A second progression is to alter the rule on change of possession—allowing a team that gains possession to immediately score on the goal rather than requiring the pass to an outside teammate. This progression may result in more chaos around the ball but can also have an outcome where players recognize opportunities to score quickly versus playing outside to relieve pressure and create space for a better opportunity to score.

Red attempts to go to goal – Blue intercepts, then turns to shoot on goal without reset pass

An alternative adjustment is to place limits on the amount of time a team has in possession before they must shoot (for example, 5 seconds) or on the number of passes (for example, 3 passes). In both examples, the purpose of the limit is to force the team in possession to quickly find a shooting opportunity—to more closely mirror the real game, where time and touches in the penalty area are limited.

Another adjustment is to make the 6-yard box a “no-fly” zone, with field players not allowed to enter. This can provide some protection for the goalkeeper and a slight increase in challenge for the players.

Field players not allowed in 6-yard box (shown in orange)

Finally, the coach may choose to implement a touch restriction—for example, a maximum of 3 touches—to encourage quick decision-making.

What we like about this activity

The game provides opportunities for teams in both the attacking and defending roles and generates many transition moments. For many teams, shooting opportunities in practice are based on static shooting pattern drills or somewhat unrealistic games (for example, the 2v2 flying changes game).

In this game, particularly with the switch-on-outside-pass progression, teams in possession are faced with problems presented in a real game—trying to break down an opponent through movement, looking for and creating shooting windows, recycling possession if necessary, and executing finishing techniques—all within constraints of time and space.

Many defending players will boot the ball upfield rather than try to possess

The team out of possession is motivated to prevent shooting opportunities, gain and retain possession, and take on the shooting role. In this activity, the team out of possession is disorganized – that is, they are unlikely to maintain a defensive shape that we would expect to see. An example of an expected shape would be the 4 players forming a backline of 4, as in a 4-3-3. More likely, because of the nature of the game with transitions back and forth, we would expect the defensive team to be self-organizing through communication or with players trying to defend a nearby zone. The challenge of the switch-on-outside-pass progression is that responsibilities must change as attackers rotate in and out of the area.

The activity creates moments of transition within the penalty area. With the introductory activity, such moments require the team to gain and retain possession by playing outside with a teammate. In the actual game, we might see teams kicking the ball away upfield (or out) to reset.

The player on the ball has options to pass, cross, or go to goal

The game encourages a degree of control and composure in these moments. In contrast, upon losing possession, teams are encouraged to try to counter-press and win the ball back to score immediately.

The goalkeeper has an active role in the game. They must be constantly aware of the ball’s position and the possibility of shooting opportunities. In possession, the goalkeeper distributes the ball to one of the outside players to reset the possession.

Relationship to the game

The activity reflects a moment in the game with the ball in the penalty area, with one team pressing to score and the defenders out of shape, trying to prevent a goal and, ideally, regain possession. With its constraints, the game’s intent is to provide players with many opportunities in both attacking and defending roles in an infrequently occurring situation where successful execution can make the difference between winning and losing a game.

Coaching points

Attackers

The underlying coaching point for the team in possession is to create a shooting opportunity as quickly as possible. In the actual game, time is limited in the penalty area as defenders will typically drop in from more advanced positions to help their teammates clear the ball.

As a first choice, the player on the ball should look to shoot. If a touch restriction is in place (for example, 3 touches), the first touch should either be a shot or a touch that creates a space to take a shot or to pass to a teammate in a better position to shoot. Using a body or shooting feint can sometimes make the space required to get off a shot. If there is no shooting option and no teammate in a better position, the player on the ball should look to play to a teammate on the outside to recycle play or change the point of attack.

If the switch-on-outside-pass progression is in place, the receiver on the outside (now in possession of the ball) should look to shoot within 2-3 touches. An aggressive first touch into a space that will allow a shot or pass into a teammate is crucial to advancing the ball.

Teammates within the grid should continually look to dismark and create a body shape that (ideally) allows for a 1-touch finish or will enable them to attack the goal. Teammates in the grid must also be prepared to attack any rebounds or deflections on shots on goal.

Teammates outside the grid should be continually scanning the field in preparation for receiving the ball – identifying a teammate who can receive the ball (if there is no switch progression) or a space in the grid to push into (with the switch progression).

Outside player should be prepared to receive ball, enter grid

Defenders

In the initial (non-switch) progression, defenders typically match up 1v1 with an opponent. In this case, the instruction is to stay goalside, avoid getting beaten on a feint, and deny balls to your opponent.

In the switch progression, the challenge for defenders increases as they must determine how to pick up the attacker entering the grid when the ball is played outside. Generally, the attacker closest to the edge will switch with the ball carrier – in this case, the nearest (1st) defender must close as quickly as possible to take on the ball carrier.

Highlighted defender must pick up ball carrier entering the penalty area

If necessary, this defender must leave their previous mark to close off the ball carrier, who is (by definition) the most dangerous attacker in the penalty area. When this occurs, our coaching point is that the second defender must now rotate into the attacker that was left open when the first defender stepped to the ball carrier.

If the attackers work together effectively, the situation can become challenging for the defenders, who must collectively evaluate threats and work together to close off primary and secondary options. Communication becomes an effective tool, with the players telling each other who is stepping and who is covering.

In the moment of transition, the defenders (now in possession) should look to retain possession – ideally by playing the ball out to a teammate on the edge. The reason for this coaching point is that it most closely mimics a ball possession tactic in the game. We want to teach our players to show composure in the defensive third. Developing the tactic of playing out to a teammate to initiate a counterattack is generally more desirable than a clearance, which will most likely result in the opponent continuing to attack.

Adjust for numbers

The initial set-up is 4v4, with 4 players from each team on the edge. The numbers can be adjusted lower or higher. If there are more than 16 players, they can be located at the edge—for example, 4v4+5+5.

If there are fewer than 16, consider altering the interior to 3v3. If there are fewer than 12, consider using fewer players outside.

If there are an odd number of players, putting the odd player on the outside (for example, 3v3+3+4) rather than putting a neutral in the middle is preferable. The reason is that we want the activity to be game-like. In the actual game, there will be more defenders than attackers in the penalty area. A neutral would tip the balance in the other direction – there would be more attackers than defenders, leaving one attacker unmarked.

Summary

The 4v4+4+4 penalty area game allows players to work in both attacking and defending roles in front of a goal. The emphasis of the activity should be to create and exploit shooting opportunities in the attacking role and deny opportunities in the defending role. The moment of transition requires both teams to act quickly – the team gaining possession to retain the ball and the team losing possession to attempt to counter-press and potentially score. A progression with players switching roles inside and outside elevates the intensity and demands of the game for both teams. In summary, the game provides opportunities for the team to develop and execute tactics in an essential part of the field with many repetitions and a continually changing environment.