4v4 Game with Cutbacks & Neutral Players | Build Better Possession

Overview

• Players U12 and up
• Players you want to develop as better possession players
• Players who need to sharpen up their cutbacks and crosses
• Teams that need to make quicker decisions on the ball

Objectives

• Teach players to read when and how to use the neutral player (the third man)
• Make fast possession and quick switches of play a habit
• Get the timing and execution of the cutback dialed in
• Sharpen defenders’ positioning and their read on zonal defending

Setup

This is a fast-paced possession game: 4v4 with four neutral players tucked into the corner (cutback) zones.

１）Take a 40 x 36 meter field and split it into four quarters, then mark a neutral zone (about 5-7 meters wide) in each corner

２）Set up two teams of four and rotate them through attacking and defending

３）Drop one neutral player into each corner — only the attacking team can use them

４）Neutrals play one touch and get the ball back in straight away

５）The team that scores gets a point, and the team that conceded swaps in as the neutral players

６）Run the game for 5-10 minutes